HAUL x FIRST IMPRESSIONS | Sephora

Who's in the mood for a good Sephora haul? I know I am! As promised, here's a look at all the beauty bits I picked up at Sephora while I was in Boston last month. I also did some damage at Target and Colourpop, but I'll share those in a separate post 'cos there's so much goodness here already. Let's dive in!

The hotel we were staying at was located right next to a huge shopping complex, which - unfortunately for my wallet - included a very well-stocked Sephora. So naturally, I had to go in for a little peek. I take full responsibility for what happened next.

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop | First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy: Brighten, Depuff and Smooth in Fair/Medium | Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Light Warm | Fresh Sugar Sport Treatment Sunscreen SPF 30 | Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray

I finally caved - after months and months of telling myself that I didn't need it in my life - and picked up the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop, and wow. It is the most stunning peachy gold shade and I've been wearing it all day, e'ery day. It is truly all it's hyped up to be and more. The First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy: Brighten, Depuff and Smooth in Fair/Medium has become one of my favorite products to use in the morning - the applicator feels so cool and refreshing under my eyes and it truly does seem to depuff and brighten - but I still think the price ($36USD) is a bit steep for the amount you get. I wasn't that eager to try the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer, only because the Nars Creamy Concealer in Custard has been my ride-or-die high-end concealer, but I must say I am pleasantly surprised - the consistency is lighter without sacrificing coverage, and the shade I got in Light Warm is much more suited for brightening the under eyes and highlighting the face. I picked up the Fresh Sugar Sport Treatment Sunscreen SPF 30 without even researching about it because I love the brand that much and trust the quality of their products. So far, I've only used it once on the face and lips and it's worked really well - it's not greasy and smells like brown sugar and citrus! I got a backup of the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray, which I don't find absolutely essential for everyday, but is rather nice to have around for special occasions.

Sephora Collection Instant Nail Polish Remover + 14 Travel Size Wipes | Clinique Purifying Cleansing Brush Head Refill | BeautyBlender | Sephora Collection Classic Mini Multitasker Brush #45.5 | Sephora Collection The Natural: Citrus Brush Cleaner

I've been on the hunt for the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover for years - you know, the one in the tub where you dip your fingers in - and have not been able to find it anywhere! So when I saw that this Sephora Collection Instant Nail Polish Remover + 14 Travel Size Wipes was only $7USD and was in the same tub format, I snapped up two sets. Such a good deal! I purchased the Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush about two years ago (which I would not recommend btw, since only the handle vibrates and not the brush head itself) and stopped using it after just a few months. I picked up a Clinique Purifying Cleansing Brush Head Refill so that I could give it another shot, and Clinique recommends replacing the brush head every three months. As I've mentioned before, I always get a backup of my favorite BeautyBlender in every Sephora haul, it's the absolute best. The Sephora Collection Classic Mini Multitasker Brush #45.5 is a completely unnecessary purchase - I already have the full-sized version in #45 which I love - but this was just way too cute to pass up. When it comes to cleaning brushes, I've been on the hunt for something fast and effective, so cue the Sephora Collection The Natural: Citrus Brush Cleaner. I tried it in store on a dirty display brush and it worked like a charm, dried super fast and also smells like oranges. At just $6USD, highly recommend!

Sephora Favorites Eau So Luxe Perfume Sampler | Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Rollerball | Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita

I have no willpower when it comes to picking up Sephora sample perfume sets - this one is the Sephora Favorites Eau So Luxe Perfume Sampler - because it's just too good of a deal to pass up. It's $25USD and you get six samples, but also a voucher that lets you pick up a full-sized rollerball of whichever sample you fancy most. So essentially, you're getting a free rollerball. Uh, yes please! I ended up using the voucher to get the Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Rollerball, which I think every girl and her mother has tried and loves. What's funny is I distinctly remember disliking the scent when I tried it on a year ago - it was a bit too musky and spicy for my taste - but it has definitely grown on me. Hands down, the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita has been the hardest lip product for me to track down. Anyone else? It took me, no joke, over a year to finally find it in stores, and it's so surreal to now have it sitting in my makeup bag. I tried it on the second I got back to my room and it did not disappoint. I am and will forever be obsessed.

Sephora Favorites Paint It Pink

And perhaps the most exciting part of this haul is the Sephora Favorites Paint It Pink set that I picked up at the very last minute. Valued at $122USD, it was priced at just $40USD - which is an absolute steal considering a BeautyBlender is already $20USD, like what - and features eight beauty products, three which are full-sized, in everyone's favorite shade! The set includes a BeautyBlender (which I swear by), Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold (who doesn't love rose gold?), Benefit Roller Lash Mascara (this is my current everyday mascara), Deborah Lippmann Nail Polish in Baby Love (definitely my kind of color), Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lip Colour in French Kiss (a bubblegum pink shade that's too bright for me but has a nice formula), Make Up For Ever Artist Pexi-Gloss #202 (super shiny but also super sticky), Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Blissful (love this range and this color), and Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Scratch (a really soft and buttery rose gold). This set is currently out of stock on Sephora's website - hmm, I wonder why - but if you ever happen to come across this, snatch it up and don't think twice!

Phew, that was long. I feel like I need to go lie down now. 

Hope you enjoyed this Sephora haul and was inspired to make some beauty purchases of your own! I'll be posting part two of my Boston beauty haul soon which includes goodies from Target and Colourpop. Don't miss it!

MONTHLY FAVORITES | April 2016

Finally, my first monthly favorites post!

Let's press pause on all the travel chatter and talk about my beauty favorites this month, aka the products I decided to bring with me on my two week trip. You know I absolutely love these if I handpicked them from my entire makeup collection. You'll see that most of them are products that are easy to apply but look super effortless. Winning.

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion Treatment Toner | 

Fresh is one of my all-time favorite skin care brands ever, and this toner is incredible. I got a sample size of this as a gift with purchase and immediately went out and bought the full size when I was done. This has a blend of black tea, blackberry leaf extra and lychee seed extract, and smells super fresh (dangit!) and soothing. I remember how amazing my skin felt the first time I tried it, and I've been obsessed ever since. I use this both in the morning and night after washing my face. Two thumbs up!

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue in Buttercream 03 | 
I talked about this previously in my Sephora haul, but this is, by far, the easiest and most effortless base to apply on the go - I can either use my hands or a brush - and it melts into the skin flawlessly and gives a healthy, dewy, natural everyday complexion. Also has SPF 30!

Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ |
My face got burnt the day after we arrived in the Netherlands (that Dutch sun, man), and I am so proud of myself (hehe) for deciding to throw this in my makeup bag last minute. This sits really nicely under makeup, and the high SPF ensures that my face is well protected - my dad even used this for his race! The price is a bit steep - I got the 30ml bottle for $325HKD, which is a little over $40USD - but sun protection is crucial, and I haven't been able to find another sunscreen product that sits as well under makeup.

Sephora Pro Flawless Airbrush #56 | 
Okay, the long handle on this brush makes it not the friendliest option for travel, but I love, love, lurve how this brush flawlessly buffs in foundation. It's also super versatile - I can use it to buff in my concealer, apply my contour, blush and even highlighter. One brush to rule them all. It should be called Sephora Pro Flawless Everythanggg #1. You need this in yo life, peeps.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light 10 |
My absolute favorite concealer from the drugstore - amazing texture and coverage, super blendable, and works great for both the face and the under eyes. It's also a very close dupe for NARS' Creamy Concealer, at close to one fourth of the price! The shade range is a little lacking, I have to say, but a must-have if you do find a suitable shade.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer |
I usually don't have time to contour and chisel out my (nonexistent) cheekbones while on holiday - sorry Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour palette, I still love you - so this old favorite was the obvious choice for a warm, natural bronzer for everyday. 

Urban Decay 24 Hour Eye Shadow Pencil in Juju and Rehab |
My favorite easy, no-fuss eyeshadow combo. Apply, blend, wham-bam done. These are beautiful and don't budge or smudge once they set. I use Juju all over the lid, and Rehab to darken along the lash line. Easy, breezy, beautiful, shadow pencils. 

Benefit Roller Lash Super Curling & Lifting Mascara |
I've been using this mascara every single day since I hauled it a few months ago. Yes, it really does curl (yay!) and lift (yipee!) my lashes and also hasn't smudged on me (yet) which is a huge plus. 

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk |
I bought this a few months ago after giving into the hype, and it's been my number one go-to lip product - it's super creamy, and the perfect my-lips-but-better shade to make them look poutier and more perfected. I can wear it with any makeup look, by itself or under lipstick. So in love!

Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Eau de Parfum |
Just look at how cute and tiny this bottle is! -squeals- I got this in a limited edition Fresh perfume set from Nordstrom last year. It smells super citrus-y and fresh (dangit! Not again), like you drenched yourself in a mixture of oranges, lemons and grapefruit. That might sound off-putting to some of you, but I really dig it. The lasting power is not the best, but the bottle is so cute and small that I don't mind just throwing it in my purse and reapplying whenever. Go check it out in stores! My ultimate favorite is still the Sugar Lychee scent. So. Good.

Origins Super Spot Remover |
This product is a life-saver and an old favorite since high school. You can apply the gel straight onto your blemish using a cotton bud, and you should start feeling it tingle and sting straight away, which I find super satisfying. My blemishes are much less inflamed the next morning and usually dry up within two, three days with continuous application, morning and night. Can't live without it.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue in Buttercream 03 | Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light 10 | Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Sunscreen | Benefit Hoola Bronzer | Urban Decay 24 Hour Eye Shadow Pencil in Juju | Urban Decay 24 Hour Eye Shadow Pencil in Rehab | Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk

I would love to know your April beauty favorites, and I hope you enjoyed seeing mine!

HAUL x FIRST IMPRESSIONS | Rituals Home and Body Cosmetics

The morning I arrived in the Netherlands, I immediately went online to look up - what else - beauty brands, or more specifically, Dutch beauty brands that seemed worth trying out, with products I wouldn't be able to get back home. All my research directed me to one brand - Rituals Cosmetics. And boy oh boy, a ten second scroll through their website was all I needed to make a beeline for the nearest store (#sorrynotsorry).

Founded in 2000 in Amsterdam, this luxury store sells everything from bath and body to fragrances and clothing, with its main inspiration rooting from nature and eastern traditions. The products are made only with "natural, renewable and organic ingredients", are never tested on animals, and carry quite a reasonable price tag. What more could a girl ask for?

I visited a total of three Rituals stores (two in Rotterdam and one in Amsterdam) and was taken aback each time by how wonderful the stores smelled and the overall aesthetics. I was offered tea upon every arrival (I'm so fancy, you already know) and allowed to wander and do my own thing without anyone bothering me - can I get a halleluuujah. There's a sink in the middle of each store that lets you test out the bath and body products, which is such a brilliant idea because I ended up leaving with six different bath and body products (oops), but half of them are gifts, people! I also picked up a mini home fragrance, and because I purchased (easily) over 40 euros worth of products, I was gifted with two travel sized skincare products for men and a Rituals cosmetics bag (all of which my dad swiftly claimed - rude).

Disclaimer - I am terrible at describing scents (they're all either fresh, fruity, or musky) so I'm just going to leave it to the pros aka Rituals' website. 

The Ritual of Karma Shower Foam | The Ritual of Karma Shower Oil | The Ritual of Tao Shower Oil 

The Ritual of Karma Shower Foam | €8.50 | 200ml | Limited Edition 

"A limited edition foaming shower gel, specially created for the Ritual of Karma. The gentlest shower foam your skin has ever experienced. Combines the sweet floral aroma of White Lotus with the refreshing power of Bergamot for a special summer feeling." 

This was the first product I tested in store because I was told it was limited edition, and you know us girls - limited edition = MUST BUY. But this turned out to be my favorite scent out of all the shower products they carried. It's sweet and girly but also has a hint of musk, and the foam really lathers up and feels nice and soft on the skin. I loved it so much I picked up this one for my sister, and the shower oil version for myself. Unfortunately, my sister didn't love it as much as I did - she found the scent a bit too overpowering, but enjoyed the lather. So try it for yourself in stores! Also, this makes shaving so darn easy, and dare I say, slightly enjoyable?

The Ritual of Karma Shower Oil | €8.50 | 200ml | Limited Edition

"A limited edition of our shower oil, specially created for the Ritual of Karma. This soothing shower oil changes into a silky foam that leaves your skin wonderfully soft. Combines the sweet floral aroma of White Lotus with the refreshing power of Bergamot for a special summer feeling. This shower oil helps to prolong your tan by nourishing and hydrating your skin while you shower, ensuring your skin loses less pigment." 

I was told by the sales associate that the shower oil is a tad more nourishing and hydrating than the foam, and therefore would be more suitable for dryer skin. The oil lathers up (not nearly as much as the other version) into a silky foam in the shower, and does feel more hydrating on the skin and would probably feel the best during the colder months. Ditto on the shaving.

The Ritual of Tao Shower Oil | €8.50 | 200ml
"This relaxing shower oil transforms into a silky foam on contact with water, leaving your skin feeling wonderfully soft. The oil nurtures and hydrates your skin while showering. Combines the relaxing fragrance of White Lotus with the nourishing properties of Yi Yi Ren, an ingredient traditionally used in Chinese medicine."

I picked this one up specifically for my mom because the scent smells less sweet and a tad more luxurious, and the oil would be so much better for her dry skin. My mom is super picky about scents and beauty products in general, but to my surprise she loves it! She said it makes her skin feel super soft and she's scared to use to up too fast. Ah.. music to my ears.

Samurai Ice Shower Cooling Shower Gel | Brilliant Bliss Nourishing Ultra-Shine Shampoo | Miracle Scrub Ultra Softening Hand Scrub

Samurai Ice Shower Cooling Shower Gel | €8.00 | 200ml

"Cooling shower gel with organic bamboo and Japanese mint. Enjoy a long-lasting cooling effect. Organic bamboo and Japanese mint nourish and cool the skin. Specially designed to use after sports and in warm weather."

I wanted to pick something up for my boyfriend that he would like and actually use, and this product was perfect. It is seriously cooling - I almost picked one up for myself when testing it out in the store - and makes your skin feel really minty and refreshed. The sales associate even recommended applying it before getting into the shower for the "ultimate" cooling experience. Apparently, the longer you wait before you wash it off, the cooler you get. This is perfect to use in humid and sticky Hong Kong weather, and so far it's a two thumbs up from the boyfriend!

Brilliant Bliss Nourishing Ultra-Shine Shampoo | €4.00 | 70ml (Mini)
"Nourishing ultra-shine shampoo containing Indian Rose and Shikakai, which is also known as 'fruit for hair'. Brilliant Bliss intensely moisturizes the hair, leaving it beautifully shiny and feeling silky soft. Combines Shikakai, a natural Ayurvedic conditioner that promotes healthy shine, with the relaxing properties of Indian Rose. Brilliant Bliss protects the colour of your hair, is ideal for daily use, and makes blow drying easy." 

This was the last product I picked up from Rituals while roaming the alleys in Amsterdam, and it's probably my least favorite product out of the bunch. Heartbreaking, I know. Don't get me wrong, the scent is lovely, as per usual, but I found the "shine" aspect of the product translating to "super oily" for my scalp. If you have dry, brittle hair, this might be good to try out.

Miracle Scrub Ultra Softening Hand Scrub | €11.50 | 75ml

"A hand scrub containing oils which are easily absorbed, restoring the skin's elasticity and moisture balance. Enriched with nourishing oils that are easily absorbed by the skin to restore suppleness and moisture balance. Enriched with Ginseng, the symbol of immorality. In Japan, Ginkgo Biloba stands for life and strength."

This might seem like my most useless purchase (just use your body scrub on your hands, Shirley), but I was so impressed when I tried it in the store. My dad (I had dragged him to the store two times) noticed it too, but he purposely picked the wrong hand when I asked him which was softer! He just didn't understand why I needed to spend almost 12 euros on a hand scrub. What do men know about beauty, right?! But he eventually agreed (very reluctantly) that this made a big difference.

Under A Fig Tree Mini Home Fragrance Sticks | Skincare Exclusives For Men Gift

Under A Fig Tree Mini Home Fragrance Sticks | €12.50 | 50ml (Mini)
"A natural and stylish way to make your home smell wonderful. Enjoy the sweet and warming aroma of Fresh Figs and the refreshing undertone of Copaiba. Will last for 2-3 weeks."

I haven't opened this yet, but in store this scent smelled the most appealing to me - quite sweet and refreshing but not too overpowering, which I find other fragrance sticks tend to be. And because of my puppy Riley, my apartment constantly needs help in the scent department. 

Skincare Exclusives For Men | Free Gift over €40 purchase
The free gift included the Samurai Shave Luxury Foaming Shaving Gel, Samurai Energize Energizing Face Balm, and a Rituals Cosmetics Bag. I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the products because my dad has them and tried them right away when we got back to the hotel in Rotterdam, but I'm happy to report that he is really enjoying it, and has actually requested I get him the full sized versions if I ever get the chance. That's huge! 

So that's it! I am really impressed with the brand (as are the people who got my gifts, except my sister, ugh) despite only having the products for about two weeks. I can't recommend it enough for those of you who want to try out new, luxurious bath and body products, or if you want to get gifts for your family and friends. They have so many different products and gift sets, so you'll definitely find something suitable. They also have a makeup line that I didn't get a chance to check out (unacceptable, I know), but rest assured I will be paying their stores another visit next time I get the chance.

Let me know if you've tried Rituals Cosmetics, and which products are your favorite!