"LASHES & LIPS" - my first ever GIVEAWAY!

It's time for Glamour Buzz's first giveaway!!  and it's a good one ;)  I'm calling this one my "Lashes & Lips" Giveaway.  I've purchased so many lipsticks, glosses, false lashes and lash extensions in the last month that I thought it would be appropriate.

Here's what you have a chance to win:

 

• Ardell DuraLash Eyelash Extension Kit (includes 88 individual lashes, tweezers, adhesive, remover & instructions)
• False Eyelashes
• Clear Lash Glue
• NYC Lip Slider (Sugar Baby)
• Sephora Gloss Ultra-Brilliance (60 - Plum color)
• Maybelline Moisture Extreme SPF15 (G280 - Mocha Ice)
• Maybelline Volume XL Seduction Plumping Lipcolor (160 - Born With It)
• Surprise gift!

Approximately $50 value!!

The Rules:

• Deadline: Sunday, April 25th @ 11:59pm *pls note NEW date*
• Must be a follower of "Glamour Buzz"
• Only one entry per person
• Post on your own blog:
• Name of giveaway
• Link to my blog
• Photo of the giveaway prizes
• Leave me a comment with:
• The words "Enter me!"
• Feedback/suggestions for my blog, as I'm still quite new
• The link to your post mentioning my giveaway

I will cover the cost of shipping to those in North America.  If you would like to enter from outside the U.S. or Canada, I will cover the first $10 of shipping and ask you to send the remaining shipping fees to me via PayPal (payment must be sent after I obtain quote & before items are sent).

I will draw the name on May 1st and announce the winner.  Please check back to see if you've won!  I will give the winner until May 5th to claim their prize and then I will be choosing a new winner.  Once I have a winner confirmed, I will request their shipping information and send the prize within 48 hours.

GOOD LUCK to everyone!  and thank you for visiting my blog <3

Marcelle Review 5/5 - Lux Gloss

Final Marcelle Review!  I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to review so many great products, and here is the final product - Marcelle's Lux Gloss!

Marcelle's Lux Gloss in "Whisper"

Pros:

• Good staying power
• Sticky enough to maintain good staying power, but not so sticky that it feels gross or gooey
• Nice colour, but a little too metallic for my tastes
• Nice packaging
• Good brush applicator

Cons:

• A bit too thick for my liking
• Metallic, but that's my personal taste

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this gloss!  The Annabelle Le Gloss Lip Shine glosses would be great for casual dates where you don't need long lasting gloss and just want some added moisture.  The Marcelle Lux Gloss would be best for nights out when you want your color to last.  Both are great to keep in your purse and I will be buying more colours.

Here are the swatches:

With & Without Flash

I've been really excited to share my most recent haul from Secret Nail & Beauty with you guys!  I went last Thursday and got so much for just over $40.

I purchased:

• Matte Nail Envy - to strengthen nails
• China Glaze's "Bare if you Dare" - illuminated peach
• OPI's "Up Front & Personal" - shimmery beige gold
• OPI's "Jade is the new Black" - jade green
• OutTheDoor Top Coat - fast drying, comparable to Seche Vite
• Crystal Nail File
• Kiss Me Eyeliner - brush it on, slide it off
• Cyclic soap - contains silver to get out bacteria

I'm thinking of implementing the "Up Front & Personal" polish for the wedding I'm attending this weekend.  I think it'll go nicely with my royal blue dress!

I will be doing a review on the OutThe Door Top Coat once I use it.  I've been purchasing Seche Vite all this time and then I came across this one that the sales rep said is pretty much the same, but cheaper!  It was $4.99 for the bottle but there are large refill bottles (prob 5-6 small btls worth) for only $14.99.

I'll also be reviewing the Kiss Me Eyeliner!  I bought this trial size one for $2.50 because I was curious about it.  It basically sounds like a semi-permanent eyeliner.  It apparently doesn't flake, smudge or come off when you rub it... you have to apply warm water or soak it with a cloth for it to come off!  Interesting, eh?  I've also met someone who wore Kiss Me Tube Mascara and it's completely clump-less!  It comes off easily like regular mascara, but it was a really nice clean, shiny look.  I think I will take a look at the package next time I'm at the store.

Well, that's all for now!  I'm off to start my job hunting :)

Marcelle Review 4/5 - Hydra-C Complex E Hydrating Fluid

Alright, I'm too eager.  I had to come back & post about Marcelle's Hydrating Fluid.  I've been away from blogging for too long! haha

Anyways, here is Marcelle's Hydra-C Complex E Hydrating Fluid 24-H.  It contains Vitamins C & E, is Hypo-Allergenic and Perfume-Free like the Eye Contour cream and is for all skin types.

Pros:

• Nice packaging
• I like the pump
• Hydrates skin well
• Feels nice and light on the skin

Cons:

• Quite gooey like the eye cream
• Feels & looks a little sticky (but I cover it with makeup anyways)

And here's a quick nail tip!  Have you ever doubted the significance of base coat?  Well, I swear by base coat.  It protects your nail, helps prevent it from turning yellow, and helps keep the polish on!  Here's proof:

I finally tried to use the loose sparkles that I bought off eBay for nail art.  I applied a white polish on the tips of my nails in a triangular shape, dipped my nail into the jar of sparkles and then applied a top coat.

Two days later, the nail polish fell off my nail as one piece!  Usually, it'll just chip if I don't use a base coat and apply regular polish w/ top coat.  In this case, it fell off extra easy because I only used my top coat and it must not cling as well to the natural nail versus polish.  Anyways, there's your heads up on what you'd may get if you don't use a base coat! ;)

Marcelle Review 3/5 - Hydra-C Complex E Eye Contour

I apologize for my long absence!  Just got caught up with errands last week and then from Thurs-Sun, I attending another life course seminar called "The Wall" where we learned how to break down walls and better our relationship with ourselves.  I went with my boyfriend this time and I'm so glad I did.  It was an amazing experience and I'm so excited about moving forward in my life now!

Today, I will be reviewing Marcelle's Hydra-C Complex E Eye Contour Gel-Cream.  It contains Vitamins C & E and is Hypo-Allergenic & Perfume-Free.  The cream is used to help reduce puffiness & dark circles while also preventing the appearance of fine lines.

Pros:

• Nice packaging
• I like that it has a pump
• Doesn't irritate the skin
• Hydrates

Cons:

• Pills on skin when I apply my under-eye concealer but is okay when I just use light foundation
• Quite gooey

Overall, it's an okay product.  I haven't been able to see the difference in fine lines because I don't really have any right now, but I still believe in eye creams at the age of 23 for prevention.  Still, I much prefer Marcelle's makeup line than their skincare, to be honest.  I have only ever used Marcelle's eye cream & Usana's (which I sell on the side) and in comparison, the Usana one works best for me.

Here's a quick nail design using a deep red polish and white nail art brushes!  It was pretty quick & easy since it was just a solid colour underneath and the same design on each nail.  Try it! :)

Ardell Flare vs Ardell Regular

This post is for all of those who ever love to glam up their lashes, whether it be for a certain occasion or for every day!  Personally, I like to go with the natural look on a daily basis, BUT I also love having gorgeous lashes 24/7.  A friend of mine recommended this semi-permanent lash kit by Ardell so when I went down to the States, I had to pick it up.  Let me share with you the two different styles:

Ardell Flare DuraLash

The Starter Kit

What you need: Starter Kit (lashes, glue, tweezers & glue remover for later), mirror, foil to hold glue and somewhat steady hands

 The result!

I used about 8 short & medium flare lashes on each eye which gave me this natural, pretty look.  I took my time applying it while watching Ugly Betty but I'd say that if you were focused on it, it would really only take you about 30 minutes...which is half the time and 1/6 of the price I pay going to a professional lash extension shop.

Pros:

• only $9.99 USD from Target
• full, yet natural look
• easy to apply
• you have the choice of how long/dramatic you want to make it - you can choose from 3 different lengths and choose to put them all across the eye or just on the outer edges
• starter kit supplies you w/ everything you need and will last for a long time

Cons:

• if it's not applied w/ the right amount of glue, it will fall off
• when it falls off, it's embarrassing having a clump of lashes land on your cheek or missing from your set of lashes

Ardell Regular DuraLash

The Eyelash Extension Kit

 Regular lashes w/ glue, remover & tweezers

The result!

I used about 12-15 regular lashes on each eye for this look and I used every length - short, medium, long.  The long is probably about 13mm because it's comparable to when I got extensions professionally.  As you can see from the pictures, my lashes don't look as full as they did with the flares.

Pros:

• only $9.99 CDN from Winners
• less embarrassing if one of these lashes fell off onto your cheek
• more customizable since the lashes are separate
• comes with more glue & adhesive remover

Cons:

• slightly more difficult to apply and angle lashes the right way
• you have to apply a lot of lashes to get a full, thick look

Which one do you think gave me a better result? Which one are you going to try or have you already tried?  Let me know! :)

To sum it ALL up, I like both but for different reasons!  I like the flare lashes because they were much easier to apply and give a fuller look...but I like the regular lashes because if one were to land on my cheek, it'd be less embarrassing than a clump of lashes sitting there or missing from my lash line.  The regulars were significantly more difficult to apply but because they are lighter, they will stay on better.  Both styles have their pros & cons so it's really about personal preference.  Hopefully I've helped you see which one would be more of what you're looking for!  Either way, you will end up with long, gorgeous lashes!

*****UPDATE*****

How long do they last?  To be honest, it depends on a bunch of things.

• How well you apply it  - if you use enough glue, if it's stuck onto your natural lash properly
• How careful you are with them - don't rub your eyes, wash eye makeup off carefully, use oil-free products & makeup remover

The box says that it can last you up to 4-5 weeks but I'd give it a couple weeks.  My friend who has been using them said she used a more generous about of glue (but not TOO much because it could show) and it lasted a good two weeks before they started falling out.  When I applied the flare ones, I had one fall out the next morning and then another fall out while I was out for dessert that night haha By Day 2, I was able to pull them all out to apply the new kit. With the regular ones, I had a couple fall out during the day.  When I had extensions professionally done, they lasted me a good month before I had to get them filled.  I think that once I get better at the application, the lashes will stay on for longer and I won't have to check my face ever few minutes for clumps of lashes...lol  Overall, I still think it's worth it because it's only $10 :) It's quite fun to apply and once I master the application, it'll last.  But I also think that professional lash extensions for $60 at Noir Lash Lounge is still worth it because it's more dependable and the results are noticeably better!

Marcelle Review 2/5 - Wet & Dry Eye Shadow Duo

So today was my last day at work (I had a 5-month contract position) and I'm not gonna lie, it's a little sad to leave.  I met some really great people, got to take on many different tasks and more responsibilities, enjoyed the Olympics while working Downtown, and even got to participate in a team curling event!  Good times.  I gained some good experience and now all I can do is hope that something opens up, or that I find something similar elsewhere :)

Alright, we're on to the next Marcelle product review!  This e/s is awesome...and I highly recommend it.

Marcelle's Wet & Dry Eye Shadow Duo in SAHARA

I use the light colour all over my eyelid and the dark brown colour on the outer edges of my eyelid.  This e/s blends amazingly well and has great pigmentation.  You only need one sweep to get the e/s onto the brush; I know many other shadows where you have to swipe it over and over again to get some colour on it.  Also, I like this specific colour because it would match w/ all skintones and is perfect for everyday wear.  I've been wearing it every day of work since I started using it!

As you can tell from the pictures, it's a very natural, soft look...but I love how blendable and pretty the e/s is!  It's also very buildable but I didn't go too heavy, since I was going out shopping the day I took these pictures.  So let's weigh it out...

Pros:

• Very blendable
• Nice colour
• Cute case & easy to open
• Includes an applicator for on-the-go
• Great staying power

Cons:

•  Selection of colours are limited (I want more!)

Overall, I really love using this e/s for its ability to blend well.  I like the colour as it works for every occasion since you can use it to give yourself a natural look or darken the look and give yourself a more dramatic, sexy look.  This is a great eyeshadow - you will love it!

On another note, I just had my first makeup haul!  Since my boyfriend's away in Cuba, I thought it'd be a good opportunity to have my own solo adventure...lol I went to the States for a day of shopping on my own!  I thought it'd be super relaxing but I gotta admit, it felt lonely at times.  BUT I had a super successful shopping day and didn't get taxed at the border! Woohoo!

Here's what I picked up from Sephora & Target.  The only items from Sephora were the Tarina Tarantino lipstick and the Bare Escentuals bareVitamins Skin Rev-er Upper...both of which I already think are awesome.  The rest, I picked up from Target for dirt cheap!  Throughout the aisles, random items were marked as "Clearance" for only $0.68-2.68.  The Ardell lashes (one's for one of my girlfriends) were recommended to me by a friend.  They're semi-permanent lashes that you can apply by yourself!  I have yet to try it but it seems pretty easy to do.  I'll let you guys know how it goes..haha  The Maybelline eyeliner (one's for another one of my girlfriends) was also recommended to me by a friend, Makeup Mama.  I tried it today and already love it.  I've thrown out my Wet n Wild cream liner as this one definitely trumps it.  Some of the above items will be in my first Giveaway - so stay tuned ;)

I'm off to take a quick nap and then I have to get ready for tonight!  The Beatnuts are performing at Fortune tonight and since I don't have work tmw, I got a group together and we're gonna go party party!

*****UPDATE*****

I forgot to try the Marcelle eyeshadow wet, as this e/s can be used wet or dry.  This is the first time I have ever used an e/s wet and I gotta say - I love it!  It makes the colour come out a lot better and as long as you don't use too much water like I did the first time, it works terrifically.

From the photos, you can see that the brown e/s is quite significantly darker than it was when I used it dry.  I was happy with the results from both techniques and either way still blended well.

Marcelle Review 1/5 - Le Gloss

Finally, my first Marcelle/Annabelle review!  Sorry it took me so long, guys.  Had a busy weekend, as it was the last weekend of the Olympics (never been so proud to be Canadian in my life!), and then I was trying to spend as much time as possible w/ the boyfriend before he left for Cuba on a stag.  Man, I would LOVE to be lying on a beach right now...but instead, I'll hitting up the tanning salon hahah I can't be pasty white when he comes back all nice & tanned, y'know ;)

So I was given the privilege of testing out a few Marcelle products and the first one I am going to share with you is Annabelle's Le Gloss lipgloss!  I'm going to review them together since they are the same product & fairly similar in colour.

Top: Supernatural

Bottom: Liquid Honey

The applicator

Pros:

• Non-sticky (that's huge for me)
• Easy to apply
• Nice packaging
• Colours would go well with any skintone
• Very shiny

Cons:

• Doesn't last very long (but I don't mind applying often)
• Not a wide range of colour selection in store (but that could change in the future)
• Not much pigmentation (but if you're looking for sheer colour, then this is the gloss for you)

Overall, I'm a fan of this lipgloss!  And as you can tell from my "but..." added to my list of Cons, there isn't really much bad about this product.  I have several different lip products so I use them accordingly.  If I want staying power, I'll wear a lipstick or stickier gloss.  If I want hydration or just a bit of colour, I use chapstick, lip balm or lipgloss...and my preference for lipgloss is usually non-sticky just like this Annabelle product.  For me, glosses being non-sticky plays a huge factor in how much I like the product.  I can't stand when fluff or my hair gets stuck to my lips...who does, right? haha  Anyways, I recommend this lipgloss - you'll like it.

Btw, I'm only 1 follower short of hitting 50 (man, that happened faster than I predicted)...and when I hit 50 followrs, I plan on doing my first giveaway!  I can assure you that it's going to be a good one! Will YOU be my 50th?!  :)

***Update*** 03/05/10

Thank you for the feedback, ladies!  Here are the swatches - Left colour is Supernatural, Right colour is Liquid Honey.

With Flash

(Sorry it's a little blurry)

Without Flash

In the photos, Liquid Honey looks quite a bit darker but on my lips, they look quite similar.  I guess when you really look at it, Supernatural is more of a pinkish colour and Liquid Honey is more golden or brown.  Anyways, hope this helped you get a better feel for the product! :)