[Review]: Daiso Makeup Brush Cleaner + Daiso Winmax Slim Lipstick

Happy Monday everybody! c:

Recently I went to Richmond to keep my friend company, as he was buying a birthday gift for his other friend and knowing that Daiso was near, I convinced him I wanted to go there and Aberdeen Centre, (haha, it worked). 

Before stepping into Daiso, I explored/snooped around Aberdeen Centre since its been quite awhile I shopped there and was pleasantly surprised to find a Tony Moly in the mall. :)

A Tony Moly, now located in Aberdeen Centre.

If you're not too sure what type of store of Tony Moly is, it is a well-known Korean cosmetics and skincare store that was founded in 2006. It's similar to the Face Shop, but of course, these two stores sell different types of cosmetics/skincare items. 

Now that a Tony Moly opened into Vancouver, we, Vancouverites can have an easier access to buy their branded items, (although, I have to say prices are a tad bit expensive/overpriced). :$

My small haul from Daiso!

Items bought at my favourite store, Daiso! :D

When you enter Daiso do ever get overwhelmed? Admittedly enough, I usually do Dx, and I tend to buy a lot of things, but this time I surprised myself, by only getting a few items, that I needed/wanted.

✰What I got✰

-Makeup Brush Cleaner

-Winmax Slim Lipsticks (in Cherry Blossom & Raspberry)

:||| And I know just wrote on my last post, that I wouldn't be spending any more money on beauty related items, clothing, etc., (yeesh, I'm a hypocrite!!! Dx), but...I couldn't resist getting things from Daiso (:/ I need to work on my willpower.) Anywho, as a fair warning, this post is going to be very picture-heavy and long, so be prepared!

{Makeup Brush Cleaner Review}

What the product says it does:
"Removes dirt from the makeup brush and sponge to keep it clean. Wash the brush and sponge on a regular basis in order to use it longer. Does not damage the user's skin and easy to clean."

What the product instructions are:
1. Put the cleaner into the container and dip the brush/sponge thoroughly
2. Wash the brush or sponge by swirling the brush/sponge in a circular motion
3. Dry the brush or sponge with a towel
4. Let the brush or sponge dry naturally

To be frank, I absolutely hate washing my makeup brushes, its something I dread, which is ironic, considering how, to put it lightly, anal/freaked out, I am when it comes to skincare. When it comes time to wash them, I usually use baby shampoo and warm water. So, when I spotted this product at Daiso, I grabbed it, since, I had read positive reviews on the makeup cleaner from other bloggers.

When cleaning my brushes, it was the first time I used the Daiso makeup brush cleaner so this post serves as both of a first impression/review of this product.

Of course, my makeup brushes have to be pink.

I did not have a container, so I used a plastic cup instead.

I squeezed the makeup brush cleaner up until, the bottom rim/line of the cup and then added warm water to the cup, at least a quarter away filled up.

Liquid foundation, why you gotta be so noticeable? D:

I decided to use/test my foundation brush first, since it was the most dirtiest from the bunch. 

Doing the instrumental steps of cleaning brushes, dipping and swirling.

In this case, for the foundation brush, since it had been a while since I last cleaned it, (yeah, I know, ew!), I had to swirl the brush in a circular motion for a few minutes. But that's okay because....

The result!

I was very satisfy with the outcome!

The makeup cleaner was able to wash away the excess foundation of the brush.

Got to clean my most used brush, too!

❀ I also wanted to show the result of the brushes, that had darker and pigmented excess makeup on it, such as my eyeshadow brush, which still had leftovers of a dark violet eyeshadow on it.

From dirty to clean.

❀ I decided to test the cleaner on one of my most used makeup sponge too, and was pretty amazed at the result! My sponge looked practically new!

➨However, let me just point out, that while the cleaner worked, there were still some minimal spots of makeup left on the sponge and the eyeshadow brush. Despite that, I think this product is a really good buy and investment. Instead of spending a whole lot of money on a name brand makeup brush cleaner, you can buy this gem from Daiso, for only $2! 

(Please note: I did use some of these brushes and the sponge a few days later after I cleaned them, and I had no irritation on my skin whatsoever, so another plus!)

❀❀❀❀❀
Pros:
-Product is cheap, a good buy
-cleans majority of excess makeup
-serves its job
-very reasonable amount for $2 (150ml)
Cons:
-Smell is weird (but can easily be washed of from the brushes but not sponges so much)
-Does not get every excess off.
❀❀❀❀❀

If you're wondering where to get a collection of pink makeup brushes, there are similar ones from Ebay, Amazon, BornPrettyStore, RoseGal or Sammy Dress

(Both RoseGal and Sammy Dress carry the exact same brush set that I'm using.)

{Winmax Slim Lipstick Review}

Adorable packaging. ♚

The lipsticks out of the packages, Cherry Blossom on the left & Raspberry on the right.

What the product says it does:

"The Winmax Slim Lipstick has a creamy texture and is easy to apply. It hydrates and provides a soft touch."

What the product instructions are:

1. Apply lipstick by starting in the center of your upper lip

2. Work from the center to the outer edges, following the contours of your mouth

3. Finally, glide across the entire bottom lip

So unfortunately for me, the Daiso in Richmond has their cosmetic area right across the cash registers, and me being a sucker, for being unable to resist cute packaging and loving lip products, I grabbed these two lipsticks before we left the store. 

The lipsticks are from one of Daiso's own cosmetic line called Winmax. I really like the simple, cute and girly packaging. The white and gold design and decal was a nice touch and I liked the slimness of the tubes of the lipsticks.

There were 5 colours that the lipstick brand offered: Apricot, Cherry Blossom, Mocha, Raspberry & Salmon Pink. From these five, I selected, Cherry Blossom and Raspberry.

On the packaging of Cherry Blossom, it is described as "Chic Sweetie."

Swatch of Cherry Blossom.

Wearing Cherry Blossom.

Cherry Blossom is light matte, solid pink, that reminds me of the colour the company Mattel would use for Barbie or the packaging for Barbie items. Despite the name, it doesn't really remind me of real Cherry Blossom colours, as it is a bit darker. Overall, it's a very nice and sweet colour, very suitable for a girly girl.

Raspberry is described as having "Sophisticated Charm."

Swatch of Raspberry.

Wearing Raspberry.

Raspberry is a dark reddish pink, but more so towards the pink colour spectrum. Although depending on the lighting, it may come out looking more red. Comparing the two lipsticks, Raspberry is definitely the brighter and bolder one. The colour stands out alone. This colour is more daring and is most suitable for someone who wants their lips to be the main focal point of their makeup look.

(More pictures, just so I can post more selfies, ;A; I'M SHAMELESS)

➨I wasn't expecting much from Daiso cosmetics, truthfully. I'm always weary when buying makeup that is sold so cheaply, so I was definitely surprised at the quality of the lipsticks were. First of, the colour of lipsticks were very pigmented, which was great! Secondly, application and gliding was easy, the lipsticks itself were soft and smooth.Thirdly, the duration of the lipstick is pretty good. It can last from between 2.5- 4 hours if there's no eating or drinking involved. But if you do eat or drink, the colour does not come off right away, the colour just becomes lighter.  Lastly, the lipsticks actually does hydrate your lips with its creamy texture! :)

❀❀❀❀❀

Pros:

-Price is cheap!!!

-Colours are very pigmented

-Bold colours

-Creamy texture

-Hydrates and smooths lips

-Application is easy

-No smell

Cons:

-The lipstick brand does not come in many colours

-Bold colours can a bit bright at times

-No smell (if you like lip products with a smell)

❀❀❀❀❀

Final Thoughts:

Would I BUY these products again?

A big definite yes!!! The prices are great for the items you're getting. The makeup brush cleaner is great, it does wash off the makeup. The lipsticks are in great quality for the price you are paying

Would I RECOMMEND these products?

Again, yes, if you're a bit lazy like me when it comes to washing brushes, the Daiso makeup brush cleaner is your best friend! If you're looking for bright, creamy lipsticks, then I would highly recommend the Winmax slim lipsticks.

{[Guilty Pleasures]}

(Well, television show-wise, I mean.) 

Sigh...:/ have you ever found a show that was good and entertaining, but only to be shocked to find out that it was cancelled? And even worse, it was cancelled on a CLIFFHANGER?!

That's pretty much of the situation I'm in now, once I discovered the show, Popular. 

The cast of Popular.

Popular was a comedy-drama, created by Ryan Murphy and originally aired in 1999-2001 on the WB. It's about two groups of friends, the unpopular group and popular group joining together, disrupting the social hierarchy, when the two main characters parent's get married. I had heard of it a year ago, when I was reading about the shows Ryan Murphy had created, and was interested to see how his first ever show was like. 

Before I started actually watching it, I read about it on wikipedia. and was curious to find out why it got cancelled on a cliffhanger. (Yep, I was judging that it got cancelled because I assumed it was a bad show.) 

But now that I actually began to binge-watch the episodes, I'm so mad at the fact about the ending. >:( It's a funny, clever and great show, and very satirical. I also love  seeing the 90's fashion and hair in play while chuckling slightly (although, I have to say, chokers, are coming back in style) and I like seeing how people interacted without the use of smartphones that are so dominat in today's society.

So if you ever need a show to watch, I highly recommend Popular, especially season 1, you'll be introduced to two of the funniest characters on it, Mary Cherry and April Tuna.

To move on onto something else, I'm excited that one of the mangas that I read a few years back, Strobe Edge, has been turned into a live-action film, that will be released later in March! :) Strobe Edge was created by Io Sakisaka, it's a shoujo manga that centers around Ninako Kinoshita and her falling in love with a fellow student, Ren Ichinose.

I'm not the best at summaries, so I'll just link the wikipedia page of it, Strobe Edge.

 Plus, it's one of the few mangas that I have followed and I liked/enjoyed the ending...(looking at you HnR & NARUTO >:c)

Can't wait for the movie!!!

So I was actually going to add more to this post, but I decided against it. Anyways, I'm pretty satisfy with myself, seeing how this is my fifth post for January alone! :) Woot! Be sure, that upcoming posts, will roll around soon, if not, then most likely in February.

I'm going to try to do various posts that is related to beauty and fashion and hopefully, create a Youtube video in the near future, it's something that I want to do and push myself to do, since I think it will be good for me to conquer my shyness once and for all.

As always, thanks for reading,

Courtney ♡.

Small Collective Beauty Haul. {{Quick Review ft. Rimmel's Vinyl Lip Gloss}}

Hey everyone,

So I know when it comes to collective hauls, most people/bloggers usually post it right before the month ends, to show what they got throughout the month, but I'm going to do something different, and just show what I got recently.

And the reasoning behind it is that I left my retail job, in order to focus more on school. Now that I don't have any source of income, I probably won't spending as much money anymore on beauty related items or clothing for a quite a while. >-<

I was going to review the majority of items in this post, but I decided against it since if I did, it would be really quick and rushed reviews. I rather be thorough whenever I'm reviewing any products that I'm about to use. Besides, I actually haven't used and opened some of them yet.

However, I will be reviewing one of the products, which is Rimmel's Vinyl Lipgloss, as I did use it and worn it out already.

Anyways, I present you guys my haul, and just for a heads up this post is going to be very picture-heavy,  so enjoy or not.

But first, some closeups ^-^

Now let's go into detail and by store:

THE FACE SHOP

What I got:

1. Pomegranate Cleansing Cream

2. Rice Water Bright Cleansing Milk

3. Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask

4. Black Label Lipstick in #11 Lovely Pink

Closeups of the products.

#11 Lovely Pink Lipstick

I was so excited when Metrotown reopened another Face Shop, I love the skincare products they sell there! Plus, it means that it's less travelling for me to go all the way to Richmond Centre's Face Shop. As you can see, I haven't used any of the products that I bought from the Face Shop, yet.

However, a few of my friends who work there, showed me how each product works, and I'm excited to use the Rice Water Cleanser soon! My friend demonstrated to me that its good enough to cleanse dark/deep eyeliner off your skin.

You can be sure/expect that I will do a detailed review on all these products in the near future! c:

♕

SEPHORA

Sample sizes, samples sizes, everywhere!

What I got:

1. VIP Pass Eyeshadow Palette

2. Living Proof: Perfect Hair Day Collection Sample Size

I bought and had these...wow, xD since Black Friday, which was months ago. I really, really like the Living Proof hair products, it's one of the few hair products that make my dry hair actually smooth. I haven't gotten around to using the palette yet, but what I like about it, is the size of the palette, very travel friendly.

♕

DAISO

Sorry for the out of focus.

What I got:

1. Makeup Brush Cleaner

2. Daiso Winmax Slim Lipsticks in Cherry Blossom & Raspberry

From my previous post and my username (hahaha), I love the store Daiso. In fact, if people ever bought me gift cards from there, I would be so happy! :D That being said, this is actually my first time buying cosmetics from there. I don't tend to buy makeup from there because I don't trust products that will eventually go on my face that is sold so cheaply.

Although, one of my friends who does, advocated Daiso's cosmetics to me. I remember her telling me that the quality is really good. So I gave in and plus the packaging for the lipsticks were really adorable.

I bought the makeup brush cleaner because I searched up other reviews and the majority was positive. I also wanted to try it out myself for comparison as I've been using warm water and baby shampoo to clean my brushes.

♕

WALMART + YESSTYLE

Out of focus, yet again. ._.

What I got:

1. Rimmel's Vinyl Lipgloss in Starlet

2. Skin79 BB Cream Miniature Set

A few weeks ago Yesstyle was having their annual Christmas sale, which I took advantage of, since I always wanted to try the miniature set of the BB creams. I haven't quite opened it yet, but I promise I will do a review and swatches on the BB creams so be sure to look out for that.

Now with everything finally out of the way...this brings me to my Rimmel's Vinyl Lipgloss review!

||Review||

From all the types of cosmetics products, I enjoy using and buying lip products or as I like to call it, "Lippies" the most. So it's no surprise that the moment I saw the price of this gloss I had to get it. Luckily for me, I got lipgloss for a good price for only a $1.50 from Walmart!

Rimmel's vinyl lipgloss states that it is a voluptuously shiny lipgloss, which rings true. With one coat, I already noticed that my lips were a bit plumper, however, with two coats, it's a lot more noticeable. 

The shade that I selected is called Starlet, it's colour is a slightly light shade of cerise, with shimmer within it. The shade is very subtle, with only one coat, the shimmer or sparkles is more of the focal point, although, with two coats, the colour shade is exposed more. The pigmentation for me, is both a good and bad thing, it can go both ways. I like the subtleness of it, though, at the same time I like bold colours, that will make my lips stand out.

The application of the gloss is very easy, it's smooth and buttery, and it's not as sticky in comparison of other glosses that I owe. The wand stick is firm which I love.

A feature that I have to point out is the duration. Like most glosses, the duration is not too great. At maximum, the duration is at least between 1 and a half-2 hours, without eating. By when after eating or drinking anything, the coats disappear right away.

The last thing that I have to state of the gloss is the smell. Personally, I absolutely hated it. The smell of my gloss reminded me the smell of CHERRY COUGH SYRUP. Which brings me back to my childhood, and I really hated drinking and smelling cherry cough syrup when I was sick.

The worse medicine, ever.

PROS:

-The price

-The subtlety of pigmentation

-Easy application

-Generous amount of lip gloss

 -Texture is smooth and not sticky

-Makes your lips plumper and shiny

-The shimmer is not overwhelming

CONS:

-The smell

-Hardly any pigmentation

-Duration is short

Would I BUY the Product Again?

Yes and no. I would most likely buy another shade of gloss as I read on other blogs, that different shades have different smells. Though, I would not buy the exact gloss, as I hated the smell.

Would I RECOMMEND this Product?

 Yes, I would. It does it's job well, and it comes in many shades. Unless you don't like too much shimmer or you want a bolder lip gloss, than this product is not for you.

OVERALL RATING:

❤❤❤♡♡

I would like to give this product a higher rating, except I detest the smell.

Wow, ._. this was a long post, I applaud to those of you guys who actually read and stuck through the whole entire thing. For me, I absolutely love writing long posts, its something I enjoy, so most likely in the future expect more or even longer posts than this one.

And for sure, I will be writing upcoming reviews for the products you saw above and in the photos.

Thanks for reading,

Courtney ♡.

[Review]: Daiso False Eyelashes

As you can tell by my username, I love the store Daiso! In fact, it's one of my favourite stores to shop at, since it sells about almost everything you need from home supplies, DIYs items, food, to makeup. The majority of these items priced at only $2, which is a great deal!

But what is Daiso?

If you're unsure or unfamiliar, Daiso is a company from Japan, and is well-known to be an unique store, as it functions to serve as both a convenient and higher-quality dollar store. They carry various and numerous items, that are in great quality considering the price they sell it for.

In Vancouver, there's an official Daiso store in Richmond, specifically in Aberdeen centre. As well, there's a smaller, but sister store of Daiso, located at Tinseltown, called Yoko Yaya.

Both of these stores, which sell similar items, are known to be popular as the products they carry are very affordable to the public.

And today, I would like to review fake eyelashes AKA falsies, that I bought from Daiso a while ago. That being said, I'm still relatively new to applying fake eyelashes, I have not ventured out as much in trying new brands, the only ones besides Daiso eyelashes that I have tried is the brand Eyelure, which Target sells.

For the price that I got the eyelashes for from Daiso, it is safe to say, for those who are new and want to play or practice around with the lashes, Daiso would be your store to go to, this way, you won't be splurging or wasting that much of your money. It has various selections for different styles of eyelashes and a lot of choices of different 'brands' of eyelashes within the store.

Isn't the packaging adorable and girly? 

The pair of eyelashes that I picked up, did not have a specific brand name, it was simply called Eyelash, which is kind of boring if you ask me, but it does get points for packaging, since its cute and all.

From the selection, I chose this pair because I liked how the length of the lashes and its appeal looked more similar to an animated character, which I was going for. If you recall, during Halloween, I dressed up as Louise Belcher from Bob's Burgers, and these eyelashes were the perfect fit, since it looked almost the same as Louise's.

However, by that time, I wasn't able to use the eyelashes, as I really sucked and wasn't use to putting them on. >=<

A closeup and more detailed picture.

By comparison to other styles of eyelashes, this pair does not have that many individual lashes, meaning your eyelashes will not look fuller. 

Also, unlike other false eyelashes, the band is not invisible, so it does not create a natural look. Instead the lashes has a black band, which can be blended in with eyeliner, if used, or if not, can be used as your eyeliner.  

Here are some example pictures with the lashes:

I'm already wearing eyeliner with the lashes, but with it, it creates the illusion of a thicker eyeliner look

Noticed how long the lashes extend.

While they don't give a natural look, they do their job, by creating longer lashes.

♚[Overall Thoughts]♚

The packaging was simple, but girly and cute.

❤❤❤♡♡

The comfort of the lashes, was not so great.

❤❤♡♡♡

The quality was average at best.

❤❤❤♡♡

The price is great, very reasonable.

❤❤❤❤❤

The overall rating for these lashes are:

❤❤❤♡♡

For the price I paid for these lashes, I could not be happier, knowing that I bought it from Daiso, I know at least I did not spend a lot of money compare to buying name brand lashes. As well, the selection I was given to choose from was vast, so if you're picky with your lash styles, Daiso provides a number of different styles, from full, natural, long, etc. 

However, there were two things that do make me question and deter me if I should buy the exact lashes again. One reason is the comfort of the lashes. As I was wearing the lashes, part of the thick band poked out, which led to the band touching and poking my eyelid. The band was also thick, and not too flexible.

The second reason that made me question the pair of eyelashes is the quality of the lashes. While more higher-quality and expensive brands of lashes are softer and closer to natural hair, the Daiso lashes, quite obviously, were plastic. Another problem, was when, even though I carefully removed the lashes, the longer lashes had already split in half, making it look like split ends.

♛[[Recommendation]]♛

Would I recommend this pair of lashes?

Yes, I would, if you're looking and going for more of animated appearance or want your lashes to appear longer. 

 For the price you pay, you are getting a deal! 

In fact, in general, I would recommend beginners in buying false eyelashes from Daiso. You won't be spending a whole lot of money and you also have a wide range of different styles to choose from. For those who want play around and create new makeup looks, Daiso lashes are highly recommended as well. The lashes sold at the store are great for those who need more practice with the application of the eyelashes.Lastly, if you're looking for inexpensive lashes, Daiso is and should be your go-to store.

I would just note, to be weary of the quality and comfort, and don't expect too much of it, especially the quality. 

Thats going to be it for now, hopefully this review is somewhat insightful and thorough enough for you guys to decide whether or not to buy from Daiso ^-^

Thanks for reading,

Courtney ♡.

Maybelline Smokes Palette Swatches

Before I head back to school (ew) and still have some free time left, I wanted to share with you guys the swatches of Maybelline's new Smokes palette! :D

When the Nudes Palette came out, I really wanted it, since when it comes to eyeshadow for me, I tend to go for more of the natural colours. Unfortunately for me, by the time I was searching for the said palette, it was all sold out T_T. 

However, luckily when I was browsing at Shoppers Drug Mart, I spotted the Smokes palette on sale, and I was able to pick it up! ^^ While these are the not the colours I would usually use, I thought I might as well try and play around with it, and teach myself how to do different looks, after all it is a new year!

What I like about the palette is the numerous eyeshadows it comes with, in total it comes to twelve. Another plus, is that there is an illustration at the back of the palette that shows you how you can use the eyeshadows, and there are three ways either in: quads, trios and duos.

A closeup of the palette.

With the palette, you get different and numerous shades that are matted, shimmery, metallic and gunmetal. The colours you get are various forms of silver, grey, black, pink, purple, brown and a few neutral shades as well.

These swatches are from the very top row, from left to right.

These ones are from the bottom row, from left to right, as well.

I have to say, there are some shades that are very pigmented, while others are not so pigmented, at all. The most pigmented ones are the gunmetal and metallic ones, the lighter ones, such as the neutral shades and the pink one do not show up as well. 

This is going to be all for now regarding the palette, I'm not going into a thorough/detailed review as I have not played around with the palette as much, as I should have. >_<

And to end this short post (I'll write a longer post next time!), here's a picture of my dog, Tobi! :D

Tobi is a Lhasa Apso, and he also has an instagram account! :)

http://instagram.com/tobithelhasaapso

Thanks for reading,

Courtney ♡.