Liebster Awards!

How lucky am I to be nominated for two Liebster Awards!

Since I'm not going to sleep any time soon, I figured "Hey, why not! Answering questions seems fun!"

Here's the rules of each:

This award is to those who have less than 200 followers. 

It allows lesser known blogs to be seen more. All of them are amazing.

If you're nominated, all you need to do is accept the award, as well as follow myself on GFC & Bloglovin'.

I'd love to see my nominees post one of these on their page & see what they answered. I will contact each nominee to let them know I have nominated them. I'm allowed to nominate 11 other blogs.

So, without further ado, let's get on to the first one.

I was nominated by the lovely Joyce of Into Face. Thank you again darling.

Joyce is a very descriptive blogger. She elaborates on each product review amazingly well with pictures galore. She's a super duper sweetheart as well.

Here's the questions she has for me to answer:

1. What is your favorite cosmetic brand?

That's a tough one. As of recent, I've been buying more & more makeup items instead of skin care items, but if I had to choose just one, Etude House comes in first with a close second with Urban Decay.

2. If you could only bring one item with you to wherever you go, what would you bring?

Probably mascara. I feel naked without it. I'm not wearing mascara now & I think I look odd without it.

3. How much do you spend on your cosmetic per month?

Oh wow.. If I had to come up with a rough estimate, about $100-$150 a month depending on what it is. Just this month, I bought most of the Etude House Princess Etionette Collection.

4. When do you start using skincare?

I started really taking care of my skin, strict regime that is, earlier this year. After a horrible breakup, I stopped being interested in nails & decided that I wanted to venture into the Korean Cosmetics department. I've never been happier with my decision.

5. What is the most expensive cosmetic that you've used before?

Probably a hand me down Estee Lauder eyeshadow palette that I gave away months ago. I really don't use expensive makeup. I think the most expensive palettes I have now are the Urban Decay Naked Palettes.

6. Which country do you wish to travel most?

Asia. Specifically Korea & Japan. I've been into the Japanese culture since I could remember. I always felt like I should have been born and Asian. My stepmother swore up & down I would marry an Asian man [ Taeyang or TOP.. yesssss ].

7. What do you do with your cosmetics if it's not suitable for you?

I keep it for another month or so & reuse it to see if it has the same effects as it did last. If not, I probably would hand it over to a friend for their use. No purpose to have it laying around to waste.

8. What is your most favorite gift/present you've received before?

My son. He's the most precious gift God has ever given me.

9. What's your wishlist for Christmas?

I actually never expect anything for Christmas. I don't make a list & I don't really worry about what I get. I like to be surprised & even if I know what I'm getting, I'm thankful. I'm not really a person that makes lists to give to someone. 

However, The Naked3 Palette was on a list & thankfully my mom snatched two up before the sold out so I do have something to look forward to!

10. If there's a product on your wishlist, and after reading many negative reviews, would you still purchase it?

There's always a chance I will, especially if I feel it will work with my skin. However, reviews do play a big part when I go to purchase a product.

11. If you could only choose one: make up or skincare?

Skincare. Taking care of your skin can provide many benefits for when you age. Makeup only covers that up. A clean canvas is better than an uncleaned one IMO.

So that's it for Joyce's questions.

Let's move on to the next one!

I was nominated by Gin from Gin Does Beauty. Thank you my dear.

Gin is the CUTEST THING EVER. She's my sisters age. I could seriously just hug her, she's so sweet & cute. Another blogger with extremely detailed blogs that are picture heavy. Please check her out!

Here's the questions she has for me to answer:

1. Other than makeup, what's something else you love to do?

That's a hard question to answer. I love giving advice. I wanted to be a therapist when I was in college. I also like to make DIY projects when I really want to.

2. Do you prefer cosmetics from where you live currently? If not, where?

I like some, but I'd much rather prefer the Korean Brand Cosmetics. Not only are they cheaper, they're serious great quality!

3. What are your favorite skincare products?

Toners & masks for sure. I used to do a mask every night.

4. How many nail polishes do you own? Which is your favorite?

Oh my, I used to own over 200+ bottles before I de-stashed some, but I still have about 150+ sitting at home. I'm a big fan of holographic polishes & will normally put a coat of spectraflair over any polish I wear.

5. Share your favorite toner, serum, or lotion. Why?

I switch up so many times that I'm not even sure what my favorites are anymore!

6. Have you gone through intense breakouts? How did you cope with them?

Actually, I haven't really experience any major breakouts aside from the occasional pimple here or there. I have more blackheads than I'd like though.

7. Are you insecure about any part of your body?

My weight for the most part, but I am loved by many for who I am now that I don't feel pressured to change, but I would love to drop some pounds! 

8. What is your absolute favorite foods?

Baked Potatoes. I can make them every day & not get sick of them. Funny, my honey loves steak, so we go together perfectly!

9. What is your opinion on plastic surgery?

You have to accept yourself, no matter what. If you can change it, change it. If you can't, & you feel the need to change it, that's all on you. I'll love you no matter what you do.

10. Do you have any home-made remedies? If so, what does it do?

At the time, I really don't. I'll put toothpaste on a pimple to dry it out if that means anything.

11. How much makeup do you wear on an average day?

Foundation or BB Cream, Concealer, Powder if needed, Blush, Bronzer, Highlighter, & Mascara. That's it.

Edit-

Another wonderful blogger nominated me, so I'm going to add this one in here as well.

This blogger is super cute too! Her name is Misha Lulu from Just Cute Things & her blog is filled with some of the cutest gif images. She's adorably sweet as well, so check her out too!

Here are the questions she has for me:

1. What is your favorite makeup brand?

In an earlier question, I answered that Etude House was my favorite with Urban Decay coming in a close second.

2. How often do you wear makeup?

Everyday, but just what I need for a basic look, except on weekends if I'm just going to be lounging around the house.

3. What are your beauty and skin care must-haves?

A decent toner, essence, cream, morning/nightly sleeping packs.

5. What is your favorite color? Do you often use this color on your nails?

Pink has become my most recent favorite again, & yes I do. I'm wearing OPI's Mod About You with a coat of Spectraflair on top.

6. What country are you from?

The United States.

7. Do you have a favorite clothing store?

Not at all. No stores around here cater to what I want to style myself. If Asian clothing wasn't one size, I'd be buying from online shops for sure.

8. Which makeup product would you like to try out?

A CC Cream. I haven't ventured into using them just yet.

9. Lipstick or lip-stain?

Both, it's hard to choose.

10. Are you into K-pop? If so, what are your bias groups and who is your ultimate bias?

SHINee, SNSD, I know there's more, but my ultimate would be 2NE1 bc they can do no wrong in my eyes. However, I have a soft spot for J-pop, as Morning Musume is my all time favorite overseas group.

11. If you could travel somewhere (fictional or non-fictional) where would you  go?

HOGWARTS BC WHO WOULDN'T?

Ahhh, that's all the questions! That was fun to answer. I honestly love answering questions.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any bloggers in my list that have under 200 or haven't already received the award. I'm bummed! Looks like I'll have to go on a follow spree!

Maybe next time I will be able to give my own questions.

Hope you've enjoyed this random post.

I hope this allows you to get to know me more. <3

lubyou!

-mickee

HAUL: New Sponsor - Momomango.com!

Hello darlings. Hope your Thanksgivings was wonderful! 

I'm really excited to make this post!

I happened upon Momomango while searching for Skin Food's Black Egg Pore Foundation. Luckily, they seem to be the only web store that still carries it. Of course I made a purchase!

Before I elaborate on what I received, I want to talk about Momomango & the website.

They are a fairly new company, starting only 2 years ago due to a friend returning from Asia with a bunch of Korean Cosmetics. She raved about how well they all worked for her skin, & the owners decided they NEEDED to bring this to where they were. 

Skin Food was the first Korean Cosmetics brand they brought over, then incorporating other popular brands, such as Etude House, Tony Moly, etc.

The website only ships to Canada & the U.S.

Free shipping for orders over $75 USD & if you don't make it to that amount, flat rate shipping is only $18. I don't find it to be too bad since I would normally pay that, if not more, to have the same products shipped from overseas. 

They are also extremely personal with their packaging. They include some yummy candies as well as a handful of samples with each order. Oh, & they leave cute personal notes on the inside of the shipping boxes. I loved reading them! 

Customer service is super SUPER super friendly & helpful. You really feel connected with whomever you speak to. The representative I spoke to had  to be the nicest person I've spoken with from a company. Very understanding, helpful, & nice.

I'm happy to announce that I am now affiliated with Momomango & they have sponsored me with some wonderful goodies!

I really couldn't be more happy to be affiliated with Momomango. It's a chance I was ready to take & I am so thankful I was allowed to review products for them. I promised I wouldn't let them down & I surely don't plan to!

Let's get on with what I got!

Before speaking with the representative, I had already made a purchase from the website.

I'll be linking all the products to the Momomango website listings. For those of you who don't live within the shipping limits, once I review these products, I will continue to give links to more than one web store for you.

From left to right:

Holika Holika Magic Pole Mascara - Volume [ x ]

Skin Food Black Egg Pore Foundation [ x ]

Skin Food Banana Concealer Stick [ x ]

5 Assorted Samples as well as two yummy candies.

After some consideration, Momomango allowed me to review some products for them.

Here's what I was sent.

From left to right:

BRTC Perfect BB Toner [ x ]

Skin Food Olive Mask [ x ]

Innisfree Almond Sugar Scrub [ x ]

Etude House I Need You Pomegranate Sheet Mask [ x ]

I've already started using all of the products shown, so I'm even more excited to review them for you! Please stay tuned for those reviews.

I received both packages within a week of shipping date, which is much quicker than buying from overseas websites. 

Again, I'm super honored to be review products for Momomango. For my Canadian & U.S. readers, I highly suggest you check them out when you can!

Click here to be redirected to their website:

Momomango

Hope you've enjoyed this website review! Please check them out!

lubyou

-mickee

GIVEAWAY WINNERS & REVIEW: Etude House Bling In The Sea Cheek Sun Brightener - Apricot Beam!

Hello my lovelies, hope your week has been smoother than mine. I'm lagging & super lethargic right now that I'm struggling to type this up, but I'm going to get this done! Stay tuned to the end of the review for the giveaway winners!

I don't have many highlighters in my makeup collection, which is really odd. I have more palettes & lipsticks/gloss more than anything! However, I'm super happy to have picked this product up. It's become a new favorite of mine & I literally use it everyday!

This product didn't come in a box, rather sealed in a clear wrapping with a perforated section to tear when ready to open, so I will have to improvise from the description on TesterKorea.com.

[ DESCRIPTION ]

Bling In The Sea Cheek Sun Brightener 

Multi powder that gives bright ambiance whenever used.

1. A bright ambiance given from every angle.

This Bling Bean Tran Powder which does not have much refraction helps make the applied area bright as well as keeping it's unique transparent aspect.

2. Smooth and Soft focusing portrayal.

Keeps the skin smooth and bright, fixing flexures.

3. Composed of 2 colors that help make the skin shine.

A mysterious and cold pink #1 and a new/warm apricot #2 are both available based on the color of the skin.

There isn't an exact description on how or where to apply this product. After applying both bronzer and blush, I apply this to the high points of my face [ cheek bones, middle forehead, bridge of nose, cupids bow, & middle chin. ].

You get 4g of product.

I chose option #2 Apricot Beam.

The product comes in a cute jar & includes a small puff for application. It's so teeny tiny! It's soft & does a wonderful job applying the product to your face.

The top photo shows the brightener non-blended while the bottom photo is the brightener blended into my skin. It's hard to tell what it looks like on my hand.

You can definitely tell I'm wearing the brightener on my nose bridge as well as my cheek bones.

I really love this brightener to the max. I love how it looks on my skin tone & how well it applies & blends for a really natural looking highlight. The container is travel friendly & pretty to look at. I take thing along with me for everyday use & touch-ups when I need it. 

5/5

Nothing at all negative about this product!

If you'd like to try this product out for yourself:

TesterKorea.com - Etude House Bling in The Sea Cheek Sun Brightener - USD $7.43

Kpoptown.com - Etude House Bling in The Sea Cheek Sun Brightener - USD $7.50

eBay Search

Amazon Search

Now, onto the winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Superb!

Congrats to both winners. You've both been emailed.

Remember to respond within 24 hours!

I'm so happy with the way this giveaway turned out. I can only hope to keep the followers I've gained & to be able to do my own personal giveaways as soon as the holidays are over. I only hope that my darlings keep supporting me & reading my reviews. You mean more to me than you know! <3

Hope you've enjoyed this review!

Have a wonderful Thanksgivings! 

lubyou!

-mickee

REVIEW: Holika Holika Tea Cafe Sheet Masks - Sweet Milk & Lavender Tea!

Hello again lovelies. Hope you're having a smooth week. Ahh, I feel so much better with my typing now. The last few weeks, I my acrylics had grown out so much that it was hard to type with. Thank God I went in for a refill & they are short! I'll include a photo at the end of the review of what they look like. Remember my Halloween nails? :P

Lets' get started with this review!

Now, I've had these for awhile & have used them both, but documented my experience with them.

[ HOW TO USE ]

1. Apply toner to your skin after washing.
2. Open up the package, unfold the mask sheet and fit the mask over the face.
3. Remove the mask after 15 to 20 minutes, and pat the remaining essence and gently absorb.

First, I will go over each of the masks.

Sweet Milk Tea
[ Intense Nourishment ]

"The moisturizing and nourishing honey and milk protein makes the skin look radiant and luminous."

This mask smells like the name says, a sweet honey smell. Almost floral. The mask was very moisturizing & my skin felt, & looked amazing in the morning.

Lavender Tea
[ Skin Soothing ]

"The ingredient aromatic lavender keeps the skin blemish-free by taking care of skin problems."

I love the smell of lavender! If you love lavender scented things, then you'd definitely like the smell of this mask. It's as equally as moisturizing as the Sweet Milk Tea Mask, except this one is much more calming due to the lavender scent. I didn't see any changes in the way my skin looked, but I'd choose this one over the Sweet Milk Tea any day..

However...

I did not care for the sheet masks. The only other sheet masks I have used from a international brand are the My Beauty Diary Sheet masks. The Holika Holika masks are much more liquidy than the MBD masks are, but the actual paper masks are a thicker material. They don't come with the plastic mask "mold" like MBD does, which isn't a problem at all for me. The real killer for this product was the fact that the essence dripped onto my neck & didn't seem to linger & seep into my skin like I had hoped it would. After about 10 minutes of use, I noticed that the forhead area had almost been drained of all its essence while the lower half of the mask was still pretty saturated. I take it's bc the essence was constatly dripping onto my neck. Even while laying down, it did the same exact thing.

I ended up taking the sheet masks completely off, each one, & rubbed the mask with the essence into my skin & onto my neck [ something I do after about 20 minutes of wear on my face ].

If I had to judge solely on how nice the essence made my skin feel after use, I'd give this a full five stars, however, this isn't the case. I would have better enjoyed this product if it was an essence I could apply during my morning & nightly routine.

You might have a different experience than I did, so I do recommend trying one of these masks out.

2/5

If you'd like to try this product out for yourself:

Testerkorea.com - Holika Holika Tea Cake Sheet Masks - USD $0.98

HolikaHolika.ca - Holika Holika Tea Cafe Sheet Mask - USD $2.00

eBay Search

Amazon Search

Hope you've enjoyed this review!

Oh, my nails!

GOSH, it feels wonderful to be able to type correctly. 

I'm wearing OPI's Mod About You. I've never worn this polish before until today & I'm dead set on getting my hands on it ASAP!

lubyou!

-mickee

REVIEW: Etude House I'm Blooming Bubble Peeling Dual Pad!

Hello again lovelies. Told you I'd be back with one more review. This one will be a little shorter than the last one. I needed something new to wash my face with since the scrubber I have from The Body Shop wasn't providing me with that many benefits. I still had some crusties around my nose & chin area. 

I hadn't researched this dual pad, but figured that it'd be good to try out no matter what. I was definitely intrigued by the dual sides.

[ DESCRIPTION ]

Etude House

I'm Blooming Bubble Peeling Dual Pad

This dual-type pad makes skin care easy with its two different textures sides that each have it's own function. One sides comes with foam mesh texture for moist bubble cleansing and the other side with microfiber texture for effective exfoliation and peeling.

Perfect for daily care, working gently and comfortably on skin to deliver smooth, moist and luminous skin.

[ DIRECTIONS]

1. For Bubble Cleansing : After dispensing a certain amount of cleansing foam onto Bubble Peeling Dual Pad's foam mesh textured side, create fine bubbles by rubbing with water. After applying created bubbles onto wet face, cleanse by gently rolling onto skin and rinse off with lukewarm water.

2. For Exfoliation/Peeling : After dispensing a certain amount of exfoliating or peeking products contents onto face, wet the microfiber textured side of the I'm Blooming Bubble Peeking Dual Pad and massage onto face in a circular motion. Rinse off with lukewarm water after 1~2 minutes.

[ Give special care when applying onto delicate eye area skin by massaging with light pressure. ]

[ CAUTION ]

For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. Keep out of reach of children. Discontinue use if signs of irritation and/or rash appear.

I'm going to break down each side & how I use them & what I think of them.

Mesh Textured Side

Unlike what the packaging says, I don't feel as if this side foams up my cleansing foams as well as I thought it would. I end up having to dispense a small amount on my finger tips & foam the cleanser up in my hands & apply it onto my face before using this side. However, I really like what this side does to my skin. After using & rinsing, my skin feels superbly clean. For some reason, whatever is on the inside of the dual pad is now discoloring. I'm not sure if I am the only one with this problem, but I clean the pad after every use, so I am unsure as to why this is happening. If you dolls know anything, please leave me a comment!

Microfiber Textured Side

I must have not read the packaging like I should have. I've been using this after I use the mesh side of the dual pad, but to be honest with you, I really like how it makes my face feel even after using the mesh side. Baby soft nice. Maybe I will try using this side for it's intended purpose & give a follow up on my Facebook like page. 

Overall, I would recommend this to those who really want a really good pad that helps give a cleaner, softer face. I, however, don't like how the mesh side looks to be discolored. It's something I live with. I might try washing it with something else to see if it'll help out.

4/5

If you'd like to try this product out for yourself:

TesterKorea.com - Etude House I'm Blooming Bubble Peeling Dual Pad - USD $2.94
Koreadepart.com - Etude House I'm Blooming Peeling Dual Pad - USD $3.05
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Amazon Search


Hope you've enjoyed this review. I hope to be back blogging as I normally would be this week. Since I've beat Pokemon X & feel a lot better now, I'm sure to be doing so.

Have a good weekend!

lubyou

-mickee

MONTHLY BEAUTY BAG: November 2013 Ipsy Bag!

Hello darlings. It seems I haven't posted all week.. I was totally at a stop. I definitely don't want to stop blogging, I was just having an off week to regroup myself. Also, I played a lot of Pokemon X... so that may have been why I wasn't posting anything. For those of you who play, comment your FC down below & I'll add you! 

Let's get to this months Ipsy Bag!

This months theme was Glam It Up.

I got 4 full sized products & 2 deluxe samples, for a total of 6 items, which is 1 more than I would normally get.

The bag is a super pretty, gold, snakeskin or alligator print, with a pink lining on the inside.

Fancy!

Let's get onto the products!

Nailtini - Champagne

I received another Nailtini Polish in our bag. The others, I didn't like, but this one, I'm in love. It's in the color Champagne & reminds me more of a rose gold color.

I really love this one, especially since the holiday seasons are coming up.

Pixi Beauty - Bronzer - Subtly Suntouched

Finally, a bronzer that shows up on my skin tone. The consistency is really nice & opaque. I can see myself using this more often if I remember to actually use it.

Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil - Amethyst 

Hands down, my favorite of the bag. It's a beautiful, silvery violet eye liner. I like using this on my water line & lash line. It's super pretty on. The consistency is also amazing. Applies like butter.

Be A Bombshell Lip Crayon - Hot Damn

A really pretty, bright red. I can't say that it's your typical red, but it's a really blue based red in my opinion. Easy to apply. I like the product as well. Most of the Be A Bombshell products are great quality.

HSI Professional Argan Oil Leave-in Hair Treatment

I love Argan Oil & what it does for my hair, so I'm really looking forward to see how well this works for my hair, especially for my ends.

em michelle phan Lash Gallery Lengthening Mascara - Brown

Unfortunately, I am not a big brown mascara user, so I highly doubt I will be using this at all. I might give this one to my mom if she would use it. However, the mascara does have lengthening benefits.

So, that's all for this month. I do like this bag better than the last one.

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

lubyou

-mickee