By Terry Velvet Rouges

By Terry Densliss Primer, By Terry Eye Powder Kajal, Natura Bissé Life Infusion Eye Serum, Lift Lab.

Let's discuss some of the new things that have arrived….

By Terry Eye Powder Kajal: This new pretty I haven't worn on my eyes yet, but from swatching it's a velvet finish in the sense it's not an inky super black eyeliner like your standard liquid. It's not a jet black liner, but the finish and color gives it this gorgeous sultry look. I'll play with this later this week. It's definitely beautiful, glides on like butter, and easy to work with. But once it sets, it doesn't seem to move at least on my hand.

By Terry Densliss Primer: this stuff…feels like caviar in terms of the luxurious feel. It has the signature Terry fragrance, can be worn alone to blur out pores and wrinkles. This primer is what I wanted Hourglass Mineral Veil to be in terms of the blurring effect. It's definitely gorgeous on its own and doesn't leave a white cast. It's like a lotion in terms of feel and texture. I'm still playing with this under different foundations to see how it looks. I will report back on this too to give a comprehensive review. Just be aware that Terry will be releasing more items in the upcoming months. I can't discuss details, but I am SO EXCITED.

Natura Bisse Essential Shock Intense Complex: This serum has definitely changed in terms of consistency, smell, and texture. I like the newer texture since it's not sticky, and the smell is gone from this serum. The smell didn't bother me before, but it was definitely not very pleasant. The downside on the new formulation (at least to me) is that it doesn't have that super tightening effect it left behind. I could feel the tightening which felt awesome. From the information on this new complex, it seems to be focusing on the firming aspect of the skin too. I've been wearing the original and the new formulation on my neck and décolleté and it's total LOVE. I'm in the preventative stages when it comes to lines, so this is a must have for me. I plan on getting the full size of this once I run out of my samples.

Diamond Life Infusion Retinol Eye Serum: This baby I've been wanting to try because I have serious dark under eye circles and puffiness. Diamond Extreme Eye helps with moisture in my under eye area, but I want something more when it comes to my dark under eyes and puffiness. This is only meant to be used at night for those who were wondering, as it does have retinol. The retinol is encapsulated to prevent it from oxidizing. I also like the idea of it being encapsulated so when it gets absorbed into the skin, the retinol works from deeper layers in the skin. You warm the serum up with your fingers and pat it on the eye area. A little does go a long way with this.

It will be released sometime this fall. I've always wanted to try the Diamond Life Infusion Serum for the face/neck, but I've been told i'm not old enough yet for it…but I do know I could benefit from the eye serum. I've only used it once and I am curious to see how the long term effects of this specific product. I want the full size now since like 2 months ago. ha ha.

Natura Bisse Diamond White Instant Makeup Remover: This is also an item that will be released sometime later, haven't tried it yet since I want to seriously layer a lot of makeup to see how effective it is in removing it.

Lift Lab is a skincare line I haven't heard of until recently until I went to Boston. It's a line whose ingredients come from biological components most commonly found in wintering plants and marine life in the sub-artic regions. What spikes my interest in this line is the anti-inflammatory and skin regenerating aspect. The serum is what personally catches my attention, because I'm always on the hunt for some holy grail serum. I also just got this and will report back. Has anyone used anything from this line? If so I would love to hear your thoughts.

Hope everyone is well. :)

By Terry French Riviera Summer Collection 2014 +

Now I know I said I was going to take a break, but that clearly doesn't mean that I would forget about my favorite makeup line…


It will be quick since I got the items about an hour ago, and I'm ready to fall asleep :)

The collection consists of:

six new cream (Aqua-Print) eyeshadows (they're not Ombre Blackstars). These are in retractable pencil type of design. Why did she made them like this? I have no idea. Word is that they're limited edition, but who really knows? First impressions of these eyeshadows: the shimmery ones are lovely, glide on and set pretty quickly. They're not super sparkly like some of the Ombre Blackstars, which is a bit of a change. I will say the matte ones (purple and blue) do fade and flake a bit on my arm after a while. I don't know if that will be the case once applied to the lids, but I wasn't really a fan of that aspect of those particular shades. They're supposed to be water proof, but I didn't test that since I just happened to see them while running errands all day.

What's interesting about the liquid blush and bronzer aside from them being in bottle dropper type of packaging is that if the bottles are sitting on a flat surface, if you get a bit of product, the finish of the blush and bronzer are matte. If you shake the bottles, the shimmer that has settled on the bottom of the jar will mix and then you have the option of having a soft shimmery blush or bronzer. A bit odd if you ask me, but I love it. I didn't like the idea of it at first, but once seeing the items in store, I had to get both of them. 

As for the cheek to cheek blush in Cherry Cruise: this goes on like a cheek stain. It's GORGEOUS. 

As for the bronzer in Bronze Bay: it's brilliant because there's no orange to the color, it's definitely more brown which to me is a more natural bronze effect. The bronzer and cheek item do set pretty fast, so you have to be quick when it comes to applying and blending.

The Tint to Lip colors: There are two shades and although I didn't try the testers on my lips, the formula of these SEEM better than the lip stains from years past…I may get the pink one, but I'm still undecided since I hardly use lip stains and I purchased some other stuff today. I will report back if I get the lip stain. It's the same premise with the lip stain (if you shake it, it's a luminous lip stain, versus if you let the shimmer settle and decide to use the lip stain, it's a matte finish).

Swatches: 

L to R: Aqua-Print eyeshadow shades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, bronzer in Bronze Bay, Cheek to Cheek in Cherry Cruise

Tint to Lip in Pink Palace, Beach Game

Cherry Cruise, Bronze Bay

an update

I'm not one to really disclose my personal affairs, since I've always wanted this blog to be about makeup and all the happy and pretty things…but given the lack of quality posts, I figure I'd give a bit of an explanation. 

Within the past few months I've been dealing with health issues, not to mention with the stress of moving…along with ending my older apartment with my ex. I came to terms with me and my ex being two different people, which is totally okay. One of the things I found annoying is he felt need to make snide remarks on my makeup hobby/habits. I won't get into the details, except that they weren't positive comments. At this point it doesn't matter anymore. I no longer talk to him, we never cross paths, and we live far away from one another. It's better for the both of us. 

I've been fortunate to not let his comments affect me personally. Although when you live with the person, there's no real moment of being alone...being lost in your own thoughts to think about the things you really enjoy. All of which resulted in the lack of consistent / quality posts. I'm just glad I'm physically living in a place that's more positive for me. 

As for my health, it's a work in progress since it's been a constant issue due to many factors. It's getting better. There's no need to discuss specifics on it.

I've been wanting to take a break from blogging since there are some other changes that I want to make, and in order for that to happen, I need to prioritize how I spend my time. I've been watching less YouTube videos and not reading as many blogs. I do love makeup, but I also want to improve on myself and hopefully the changes that I want to happen will occur sooner than later.

As for those who have any questions regarding a certain makeup/skincare item, please feel free to email me at the.panties@gmail.com 

hopefully I'll be back to blogging on a more consistent basis in the near future. Until then, feel free to drop a comment/email. :)

Swatches of By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge Lipstick

Hi all!

It's been a while since I last did a blog post. I've been busy in my personal life and I probably won't be blogging as often since I'm trying to focus my energy on trying to make some positive changes.

So I wanted to do swatches on my arm, but the counter manager didn't want me to make a mess on my arm, so she did them on a piece of paper.

I like the sheer rouge lipstick, but I still prefer the Terrybly formula (I just like the look of a full-on opaque lipstick).


So here they are:

with flash.

without flash

Biologique Recherche Ingredients List and mini reviews:

It's a bit of a random post, but since I am in the process of packing/moving, I've managed to find skincare boxes that were hiding out in random places in the apartment. Before I throw them away and continuing on with the packing, here they are and my thoughts on them:

Ingredients of Creme VIP O2

Creme VIP O2: This cream has a pearly like appearance in the jar (it's a white cream), glides onto the skin and definitely leaves your skin a matte finish. It absorbs quickly for me, which is a plus. For someone like myself who is subject to extreme weather conditions and pollution, it helps my skin not feel super dry and helps keep my skin redness at bay due to the harsh winters. For those with super dry skin may not like this since I don't really consider this a hydrating cream. As a result of this cream, my skins texture has improved in terms of an overall brightening effect and my pores aren't as clogged used in conjunction with P50. I love this cream so much that I purchased another one. Price: $175

Ingredients of Creme Placenta

Creme Placenta: I used an entire tub of this and I was struggling to finish it. It's supposed to be a healing cream for those with acne breakouts in order to reduce the redness and inflammation. I don't think this did much for my acne. Granted my acne is hormonal, but on occasion if I am stressed out or break out from certain makeup products, I do break out. The texture is a bit thick, the color of the cream is like a beige/tan color. It absorbs well and I vaguely remember having the smell of stinky bread, although the smell was not as potent as it is in Creme Dermopurifiante. I won't be purchasing this again. Price: $57

Ingredients of Creme Amnios

Creme Amnios: This cream is supposed to be a skin renewal/regenerating cream, to be used at night. It has a pearly white appearance like Creme VIP O2. This cream is one of the very few original creams (that hasn't been reformulated) that came out when Biologique Recherché was launched. I don't mind the cream, but I don't think it did much for me either. It takes a bit more effort than the other creams I've tried to sink into my skin. I'm almost done with the tub of this and needless to say, I haven't seen much results with this. Will I be repurchasing this? No. Price: $123

Ingredients of Creme Dermopurifiante

Creme Dermopurifiante: This cream is more meant to be used at night to help with inflammation (from active acne) and the heal acne faster. The major downside to this cream: it's thick and it has a strong stinky bread smell. Like SUPER STRONG. I gagged when I first tried this back in May 2013. I remember wearing this during the summer and the cream was uncomfortable because it was so thick and you could feel it sit on top of your skin after absorption. Trust me, I almost wanted to get rid of this cream because of it. I kept at it for the sake of science and to give it a chance. Luckily for me, it has helped with my acne and my skin really feels super hydrated. Plus I think I got used to the smell of the stinky bread and how it feels on my skin. I haven't worn this recently since I am trying to finish Creme Amnios, and I am seriously anxiously wanting to use my Creme Dermopurifiante soon. I love this stuff. It's fantastic, I'm almost done with my 3rd tub of it. It's basically what I wanted Creme Placenta to be. Price: $87

By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi-Serum in Rose Elixir:

Sorry for the late review…I've been in the middle of finding a new residence, I've been caught up with personal affairs…

So finally after wearing the CC Lumi-Serum and I've been asked questions in terms of what it is. I can only speak for Rose Elixir and it's definitely not a tinted moisturizer or a BB cream. I've been wearing this under foundation to see how it looks and performs. It does not increase the longevity of my foundation, which to me personally is not a big deal because the few foundations I own last a long time by itself. 

Rose Elixir definitely has a pink cast with visible pink shimmer.  It's a very thin lotion in terms of feel and has the signature rose scent that all By Terry items have. When I applied it all over my face, it just looks like a sheer pink sheen with small glitter on my face. It doesn't look like anything interesting when worn by itself, but when wearing a light tinted moisturizer or foundation over it, the skin just looks plush, almost more plump in of itself. Given this winter, it's definitely made a difference in making my skin not look so parched or dry. Due to the color correcting properties, it helps diffuse some of my skin imperfections (some hyper pigmentation thanks to an allergic reaction to Dior BB cream -- people, don't buy this stuff, it's horrid). 

What I've learned from Terry's base products is on the skin it may not look interesting, but when photographed you will definitely see how your skin just glows. I mean glow like your skin came fresh out of a spa, that skin that you wish you had all the time. 

The biggest question I had (given my skin type) is how it looks when layered with a non-matte foundation, like her Eclat Opulent foundation. Eclat Opulent is about as luminous as I will go when it comes to a foundation and was worried that it would look odd with the CC lumi serum. Believe it or not, my skin looks pretty awesome with both items paired together. 

Most important piece is the price and size: $89 for 1 fl oz. 

I'll be experimenting with the other shades in the upcoming days. 

By Terry CC Lumi Serum on the left (not completely dried), Chanel Le Blanc on the right.  

Chanel Le Blanc in Rosee on the left, By Terry CC Lumi-Serum on the right (heavy flash taken at 9pm -- both formulas are set/dried down)

See the difference in the gorgeous effect that the Terry CC Lumi-Serum gives? *sigh* 


EDIT: I found the box and here are the ingredients:

By Terry Cellularose Blush Glacé Swatches:

Guess what this pair of black panties came across this morning?

Shade 1: Rose Melba
Shade 2: Flower Sorbet
Shade 3: Frozen Petal

Ingredients

Left to Right: Shade 1 (Rose Melba), Shade 2 (Flower Sorbet), Shade 3 (Frozen Petal)

Shades 2 and 3 are my favorite…there's no visible shimmer, and they dry down to a stain type finish, but when photographed and how it actually looks on the cheek…it looks like hydration, suppleness, and a soft focus glow. It's what I wished the Addiction cheek polishes to be. It's so delicious. The colors remind me of macarons.

I didn't have enough space to swatch shade 2 and 3 due to miscalculating the amount of product and arm space. You can see a touch of faint shade 2 between shades 1 and 3, and that was with several attempts to get it off with makeup remover. Sorry for the patchy swatches, I have an unsteady arm...my left arm only works sometimes (at the moment).

Left to Right: Shade 1 (Rose Melba), Shade 3 (Frozen Petal), Shade 2 (Flower Sorbet),

I'll give an in depth review a bit later since I just got them. Oh and Terry came out with a new Color Control Radiance Elixir…they come in three FOUR shades (white, apricot, and of course, rose, and a deeper golden color.

I had to get the rose one:

I'm curious to see how much of a brighting effect it gives alone and under makeup…be on the lookout on a review on this later. :)

My Makeup Stash and Organization:

By Terry Holiday 2013

Hi all!

It has been a while, and this will be a quick post since I am in the middle of errands…look at what I got a few hours ago. 

Terry Holiday consists of:

Two eyeliners (a black and gold one)

Two ombre backstars

Nail polish (a topcoat and I think a couple of shades)

**Four glosses (I don't know if this is part of holiday, or just an addition to her existing gloss lineup), but it all arrived at the same time.

I decided to pass on the black eyeliner, but when applied it looks like a wet and shiny black eyeliner. The other eyeliner which is called "Festive Gold", is sold out at one location and Barneys doesn't have it in (yet). Festive Gold looks more like an amber than an actual gold shade. Once that arrives I will definitely pick it up, swatch and post it on here.

As for the 4th gloss shade, it's a dark purple type shade…Since there were no testers of the glosses at either location, I passed on it until the counters have testers of them. 

As for the other items…well here ya go:

Blue Obsession (14), Ombre Mercure (15),  Be Nude (6), Bitten Splash (9), Flamenco Desire (10) (taken with flash)

Closeup of Blue Obsesssion so you can see the sparkle.

Blue Obsession: a gorgeous velvet finish, navy cream eyeshadow with pink-red, blue, and silver sparkle. The pinky-red sparkle is definitely apparent, even in dim lighting. It's not a super sparkly shade, but the sparkle definitely makes this shade something to truly obsess over. This is probably the star of the collection. I don't wear much blue, but I just couldn't pass it up.

Ombre Mercure: It's a gorgeous gold pewter shade…I'll have to rummage through my stash to see what shade it's most similar to, but I do know her Beyond Gold cream eyeshadow shade is definitely more yellow, vibrant, and a true gold in comparison. I don't think I have anything similar to this. It's like the perfect wash of color for those days you just want to slap one shade on your lids. 

Be Nude: This is a light peach shade on my lips. Peach lip products are not my friend. Big reason due to my pigmented lips…or maybe part of it has to do with my darker hair. Some peach gloss just doesn't show up either. Another gripe I have with peach glosses is they tend to have a white base (yuck). 

Anyway, Be Nude is a great peach that I can wear with a dark eye, the downside is that I can't wear this by itself (as in when I'm not wearing makeup). This shade may show up is a peachy pink on some people, especially those with lighter skin tones or maybe less pigmented lips. 

Bitten Splash: A mauve when applied. It has pink in it when swatched, but on my actual lips it's definitely mauve. This color may not be for everyone either, since mauve is a hard color to pull off in my opinion. When I first applied this, I wasn't won over, but the more I stare at myself in the mirror with this on, the more I'm warming up to this shade. 

Flamenco Desire: This shade when swatched looks like a gorgeous coral, but when applied it looks like a cross between a coral and strawberry pink. Her discontinued shade Pomegranate Flash has more red and more opaque in comparison. My only semi issue with Flamenco Desire is the same semi issue I had with Pomegranate Flash -- if I didn't wear a lipliner, the gloss doesn't adhere to the top part of my lip. As I've stated in the past, I have this issue with random lip items (not just with By Terry, but even with other random brands, even with some lipsticks). 

By Terry Ombre Blackstar "Color-Fix" Cream Eyeshadow Swatches +

I told y'all that there will be some By Terry reviews... I remember doing a post of my swatches of these, but I think I accidentally deleted the post. 

Moving on...these are eyeshadows that don't need a primer, that glide on like butter, not to mention they wear like IRON. These items don't need much of a review because they are one of her (many) standouts from her line.

It's probably easier to have all of the swatches in one post, especially if you want to see color and finish comparisons.

Here's what I personally own, all of them were purchased by me, except shade #13 Brown Perfection which was a gift. :)

Picture taken with flash, to see the finish. The color representation is pretty accurate. 

Black Pearl (1), Blond Opal (3), Bronze Moon (4), Misty Rock (5), Frozen Quartz (6), Velvet Orchid (9), Beyond Gold (11), Black Matte (12), Brown Perfection (13)

*Black Pearl and Misty Rock are the ones with the most sparkle. 

*Bronze Moon, Blond Opal and Brown Perfection are probably my favorites. 

*Velvet Orchid is the most unique due to it's finish and color. 

Price and Size: $43 for 1.64 grams, or 0.058 oz

By Terry Terrybly Densiliss Foundation (#7 -- Golden Beige): First Impressions:

Once upon a time, in a not-so-long-ago past....my first true luxury foundation was By Terry Lumiere Veloutee. Looking back at this review, I never really expressed how much I loved this foundation. It was go-to for weddings, special occasions, and any event / reason where I would be photographed. 

It was a medium to full coverage foundation, it glided on like a dream, blurred all imperfections and it was far from a chalky or flat matte foundation. It was $106 at the time. It was (and still is) a beautiful foundation. The downsides to it ... it would begin to separate on my forehead area after many hours, not to mention it was a heavier formula. It wasn't heavy where it was uncomfortable. You could definitely feel that you had a foundation on. I couldn't complain, it would last so well and oil wouldn't break through, plus it was a medium to full coverage. Not to mention it was lightweight compared to many full coverage foundations at the time. 

Then two years ago, it was discontinued. I was heartbroken. That was around the time when I had met Terry de Gunzburg for the first time. Cover Expert was released and I purchased it. It was basically a foundation that was stripped from skincare benefits (aside from hydration). To be honest, it was no replacement for Lumiere Veloutee. It's gorgeous, has a nice finish, but it simply was not the same. I never reviewed Cover Expert because all that would come to mind is that "it's nice and pretty, but it's not Lumiere Veloutee". It's definitely worth the $65, but it's still no Lumiere Veloutee.

Little did I know, Terry herself was revamping the formulation of Lumiere Veloutee. What prompted her to do so, I have no idea as to the exact reason. What I can say is that Terry herself takes pride in always reformulating her items for it to be better, more efficient, and more effortless. Some people may hate her for constantly changing her lineup, but I can't be mad, she's always on the search for something better. Two years later...it's finally here. I know die-hard fans who used to use Lumiere Veloutee are asking the question, "Is it Lumiere Veloutee's (LV) replacement"?

In some ways it's Lumiere Veloutee, but it's definitely not in other ways. It's better.

Coverage: Densiliss is definitely a medium coverage finish. It's matte, but imagine that radiance that Lumiere Veloutee had, but on steroids. Your skin has a serious halo. It blurs imperfections and lines like LV does, but your skin still shows through. There's some aspect of transparency where it highlights your skins best features, all the while covering the imperfections. LV in comparison just covered everything. 

Color selection: Terry has definitely made strides in this department. LV I used to be shade 3, but it wasn't an exact match, it was a bit too peach for most people. It worked for me since I used to have a lot of redness in my face, and the peach would help blur out the redness. In Cover Expert I am shade 8, but in Densiliss I am shade 7. There's 3 darker shades...I can say shade 8 is somewhere in the NC35 range. I was initially matched in shade 8, because at first it looked like a good match. Less than a minute later, the color did some adjusting, and it was definitely too dark. Shade 7 at first looked off, but same thing happened, in a matter of 30 seconds it became a match and stayed that way. Terry's biggest area of development when it came to base products was that she didn't make dark shades. Three extra shades is a start. The lighter shades are not necessarily numbered from light-dark, there's also different undertones in all shades, so you should get matched at a counter first.

Lasting Power: Last night was my first night using Densiliss, and I was lucky enough to test it with Hourglass No. 28 primer. Let's discuss why the Terry primer wasn't used -- it pills off on a lot of sections of my face. It's a beautiful hydrating primer, but on me it pills off. It could be the change in skincare or just the nature of the primer itself. Either way it's interesting to see if Densiliss plays nice with other primers. I was testing it out at first with no primer in the morning and it lasted about 5 hours and no drying feeling / separating like most matte foundations. Then my face got re-done and I went out to have drinks. In a span of approximately 12 hours while I was out with the primer, no fading/separating on my t-zone (forehead). I'm SO THRILLED with this foundation.

here are some comparison photos:

Left to Right: Lumiere Veloutee, Cover Expert in #8, Densiliss #7. Natural lighting, no flash

Left to Right: Lumiere Veloutee, Cover Expert in #8, Densiliss #7. Dark lighting, heavy flash.

Price and Size: $115 for 1 fluid oz.

Verdict?: Goodbye Cover Expert and Lumiere Veloutee, you have been replaced. 

Things I've gotten as of late +

Hi all!

It's been a busy month for me, and it seems like the next few months will basically be the same trend. Working like crazy, plus before we know it the holidays will be around the corner and pass...you know how it is.

Anyway, I've cut down on the makeup spending, not by force, but I feel like I'm arriving at a standstill. Whenever I shop at say, Saks, Barneys, Bloomingdales...there's very few things I want at this point. My wishlist has been getting smaller and this has been the trend for over a year. I do buy seasonal things, but the overall things I want are minimal, and those items are not sold in the USA. I think after a while, my blog will just be swatches of what I own. I hate to say it, but I don't know how much longer I can keep up with this blog, main reason being nothing just calls my attention. I feel like I've almost bought all the things I've wanted. 

So without further blabbering, here's what I've purchased:

top row:

By Terry Hyaluronic Blush in Bubble Glow (her newest blush)

By Terry Eclat Opulent in Nude Radiance (it now comes in 3 shades!)

By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge in Be Red (one of her fall lipsticks)

Bottom Row: 

Hakuhodo J5523 BkSL

Hakuhodo J142 BkSL

Hakuhodo J5522 BkSL

Addiction Rose Bar Cheek Polish

Addiction Tadzio Cheek Polish

Addiction Tea Rose Cheek Stick (my friend took my original one)

As for the brushes, I got those since I plan on doing a future brush review doing more comparisons. They were the items I least cared about, but all the other items I purchased were new releases. The Terry items were items that I've planned on getting since the spring (except the foundation). Considering I got no seasonal makeup during the summer, I think the splurge is okay. The Addiction was a bit of a surprise since I didn't know about these until the last minute. 

I hope this post isn't too disappointing, but I hope you understand at the stage that I'm in when it comes to makeup. 

As for future posts: I do plan on making an Addiction post with just swatches of what I own. I did purchase Wayne Goss' brushes, but they won't arrive until DECEMBER. As much as I respect him as a youtuber, I'm a bit disappointed in the wait. I may do a review on his brushes, so let's just wait and see what happens. 

Any ideas as to what I should write about makeup wise? 

By Terry Fall 2013

Finally!!! The collection I have been waiting for since at least spring time! :D

I just got the items in, so I can't give comprehensive reviews since I have been busy with errands, but I figured you'd would all enjoy the items :)

Terry came out with

5 new Hyaluronic Sheer Rouges:
11. Fatal Shot
12. Be Red
13. Sangria Appeal
14. Plum Plump Girl
15. Grand Cru

3 new Crayon Kohl Terrybly (eyeliners -- pencil with a liquid consistency)
7. Brown Secret
8. Emerald Evasion
9. Royal Navy

*as for these new eyeliners, they are WORLDS beyond better than her standard ones, which were a standard pencil, didn't last well on the eyes, and the application was a bit of an annoyance. I'm glad she totally revamped the formula. 

2 new Ombre Blackstars
12. Black Matte 
13. Brown Perfection** (the asterisk denotes I got it as a gift, not from a sponsorship)

There are some new brow products:
Brow Pen that literally looks like the Suqqu brow pen, except it's more pigmented in application. Downside is the one shade that is sold here in the US is made for blondes. I'm not blonde so I didn't test it.

Eyebrow Mascara: I have it as well, but got it as a gift and still testing it out. 

Royal Navy (did not purchase and taken with natural daylight)

Brown Secret, Emerald Evasion, Black Matte, Brown Perfection**, Fatal Shot, Plum Plump Girl (no flash)

Brown Secret, Emerald Evasion, Black Matte, Brown Perfection**, Fatal Shot, Plum Plump Girl (with flash)

For those who are wondering how the new Ombre Blackstars blend when you're trying to lay them down on as a base, here's now it looks. I made the mistake of laying them both down at the same time, so Black Matte looks slightly patchy. The matte ones set even faster than the non mattes. Oops.

And let's discuss the Hyaluronic Sheers:

For me to wear these, I can't apply them on as a full on, slap on the lips type of lip proudct. I have to apply them sheerly (with my finger) and let them set like a stain. Reason being since they're too glossy, they slide around a bit, and not to mention there's a patch on my upper lip that a lot of lip products don't like to adhere to. If applied like a stain, the color adheres well on that odd section on my upper lip. The colors and finish are too beautiful, so the high maintenance is worth it. Not to mention it's rare for me to find a makeup line that makes AMAZING lipcolors. She makes the best and most unique shades for me. Armani is a close second.

As for the new shades -- they're a LOT more opaque than the standard line, as you can see below. 

#7 on left (original lineup), #11 on the right, no flash.

Terry herself did not disappoint, and I think I will be buying another lipstick shade in the upcoming weeks. :)

By Terry Brown Perfection (13) Ombre Blackstar +

Hi all!

As some of you have noticed, I was on a bit of a makeup break. Summer collections did not catch my attention and even though fall collections are my favorite in terms of colors...none of them wowed me. Sad to say it, but not even Suqqu, Armani, and other collections called out to me. It was okay, it was a break that I needed (I think). From time to time, I definitely feel we go through phases of makeup overload. You know those times where nothing is catching your attention...

Today I wanted to show you what I got as a present (yes I got it for free, not sponsored, but as a gift). One of the By Terry fall Ombre Blackstar eyeshadows. Sadly it's not in stores yet, but I figure that you guys would appreciate the quick swatch. :)

L to R: Bronze Moon, Misty Rock, Velvet Orchid, Brown Perfection, Bronze Moon (with flash)

I'll keep it short and sweet: Brown Perfection is definitely a velvet finish (very fine small shimmer), it's cooler in undertone than Bronze Moon, and definitely a deeper color. It's such a beautiful chocolate type of brown color. It's like the typical By Terry cream eyeshadows, it sets quickly, doesn't budge, and  it's a dream to apply. 

I'll report back on the new eyebrow mascara in terms of usage/application. I have shade 4, which is Dark Brown. 

PM skincare routine:

My evening skincare regimen:

For those who don't know my skin type: it's combo/dry, with some oily areas on my t-zone in the summer. I did experience breakouts, primarily on my forehead and jawline. I've been to dermatologists, only for them to recommend a glycolic cleanser and retin-A, which made my skin worse. After trial and error, this has been the best for my acne, without drying me out. 

Check out the video:




For those interested in ingredients, I have some of the ingredients from the boxes, others I do not. Here is what I do have:

VIP O2 cleanser: Aqua, Squalene, Proplyene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Amniotic Fluid, Pentalyene Glycol, Perfluorodecalin, PEG-20 Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth 20, Proplyene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Yeast Extract, Peanut oil, Witch Hazel Bark/Leaf/Twig extract,  Myrtle extract, Mimosa Bark extract, St. Johns Wort Flower/Stem/Leaf Extract, Onion Bulb extract, Myrrh Resin extract, Cucumber fruit extract, embryo extract, vinegar, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine HCl, Thamine HCl, Urea, Serine, Allantoin, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Linolenate, Ethyl Oleate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Magnesium Chloride, Papain, Hydrolyzed Gelatin, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Benzoate, TEA-Lactate, Sodium Salicylate, Rhizobian Gum, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Poloxamer 188, BHA, BHT, Caprylyl Glycol, P-Anisic Acid, Polyacrylamide, C13-14, Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Potassium Sorbate, Methylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Propylparaben, Alcohol.

P50 Lotion: Aqua, Glycerin, Phenol, Niacinamide, Vinegar, Ethoxydiglycol, Magensium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sulfur. 

for those concerned with Phenol: there are 2 other versions that I *think* are Phenol free (P50V, and P50W).

Masque Vivant ingredients

Creme Dermopurifiante ingredients

Complexe Iribiol Ingredients: Aqua, Alcohol, Proplyene Glycol, Orris (Iris florentina) extract, Zinc PCA, Retinyl Palmitate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobuylparaben, CI 36 035.

Natura Bisse Tolerance Eye Recovery Balm ingredients

Natura Bissé Skincare +

I'm not one to discuss skincare on this blog, for two main reasons:

1. I'm not one to really change my routine, I mean my base (staple) skincare hasn't really changed, but it has expanded with serums and other items over the past couple of years.

2. I never wanted this blog to be primarily on skincare, just makeup.  My skin is unique to me and it's still an ever changing, evolving process to figure out what's best for me.

This year I've decided to start focusing more on the anti-aging piece moreso than preventive action. I've realized I'm at a coming of age if I don't start soon, my skin will take a downhill turn. 

My skin is like the worst combination of both my parents -- my mother who wrinkles easily, and my father who had serious acne. Not to mention the fact that I NEVER SLEEP? This insomniac needs all the skincare to compensate for my lack of sleep. I average per day 4 - 6 hours of sleep. Let's just say I'm more towards the 4 hours of sleep. There are periods I sleep 12 hours, but that's rare.  

Some of you may or may not know...I am a serious skincare junkie, just as much as I am of a makeup junkie. Maybe my priorities have changed, but I've been moreso into skincare in the past 1-2 years than ever before. 

So what does this pair of panties use? Well it may be no surprise to some, but I primarily use Natura Bissé (in conjunction with NIA24). 

I may have even influenced some YouTubers and other bloggers to at least experiment with the line. 

My glory skincare line :D Full sized items all around, deluxe samples in the center given to me. 

And Natura Bissé's newest product that will be released soon, High Density Lift. Thank you to the amazing person who gave this to me:

Ingredients of High-Density cream. 

*drools in anticipation* Oh trust me, I'll use this bad boy later in the week. *grins*

So, what are some of the items from the line that I think everyone should at least sample?

Glyco Extreme Peel: I've tried many glycolic acid products (cleansers, toners, treatments, etc). Nothing has overtaken the crown on this peel. I've gone through a couple of bottles of this already (all purchased). It's probably the star of the Natura Bissé skincare line. It pains my wallet, but I do have a backup in my bathroom. It will probably be opened sometime this fall. 

Diamond Ice-Lift Mask: This is one of my recent purchases and so far, this product is amazing. It's applied on after all of your skincare, including moisturizer. The first time I applied it, my skin tingled and I passed out from the Lavender smell. I can't explain how therapeutic this mask is. Your skin feels like a babys bottom, hydrated, soft, and just plush. The one issue I have with this mask is that if you apply it very close to your hairline, pieces of this mask is hard to remove from your hair. The third time I've used it, I had like 2 small pieces of the mask in my hair (practice makes perfect). Not to mention how COOL it looks in your hand (see below).

Ingredients of the Diamond Ice-Lift Mask

Diamond Luxury Cleanse: I know most of us use Bioderma for makeup removal, but for those nights when you need to remove a full coverage foundation, or a heavy duty sunscreen, or just makeup that's overall difficult to remove? (Hello, waterproof mascara) You lightly rub the gel against your face, and literally EVERYTHING just glides off. Your skin feels clean without a separate cleanser. I do take the second step to use Bioderma on my eyes for any trace makeup and lightly swipe my face. There's usually nothing left from my face. This stuff may seem insane price-wise ($135) for a cleanser, but for those who want to indulge on a luxury cleanser that is a no-fuss makeup remover, this is definitely it.

Are any of you familiar with Natura Bissé? If so what are your experiences with the line? Or if you just have any questions, feel free to comment below. :)