Review: Etude House Sweet Recipe Ice Cream Nails in 04

Hello! Today I will be reviewing  the Ice Cream Nails in 04 (Strawberry Star Candy) from Etude House's Sweet Recipe line.

Hitting Pan! MAC Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation

Woooo! So I've finally hit pan on a product xD which hasn't happened since grade 4 when I got one of those cheapie cellphone lipgloss palette

from a book order lol. Good times. And what's weird is that I might still have that exact lipgloss hiding somewhere...

I've had this MAC powder since September which retailed around $34CAD. I can't remember the price exactly. I really like this product since it meets my needs. It's coverage is full for a powder so it covers 85% of my redness and acne. It does a pretty good job with keeping shine at bay. Usually, my nose gets shiny in 2 hours after washing my face in the morning but the powder slows it down to around 4-5 hours. It hasn't broke me out nor oxidized on my skin so when I finish this one, I'll either get another one or try the MUFE Duo Mat powder.

This powder is great for those who needs high coverage makeup that takes less than a minute! Highly recommend!

Hope you enjoyed this quick post ^^

CinnaBunnie Loves: Etude House Miss Tangerine Sweet Shower Lips in #3 Miss Sunny Tangerine

I stumbled upon an Etude House while I was in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. I was so excited that I squealed when I saw it! The exterior of the store was so pretty: pink, feminine, cottage-like. I wouldn't mind living in a house like that! It was late August when I bought this small treasure. It was kind of shocking because the Miss Tangerine collection came out during spring 2011. They might still have some Miss Tangerine items left.

Claims: "Glossy, moist lipstick in fabulous Tangerine shades for juicy, tangy lips." This is an accurate description of the product.

This Miss Tangerine Sweet Shower Lips is basically a lipstick with a finish of a lipgloss.

Make sure that the product is sealed! I find that Etude House has seals on all or most of their lip products which is really nice~

Texture & colour: This lipstick applies smoothly and it just melts onto the lips. It provides a brilliant shine for a lipstick-almost glossy looking-that lasts for 30 minutes to an hour. It feels moisturizing at first but the moisture disappears with the shine. The colour, however, lasts up to 5 hours. #3 Miss Sunny Tangerine is true to it's name. It is a youthful and cheery reddish orange sans shimmer. This colour really flatters my golden skin. Since it wears almost like a lipgloss, the colour is not opaque but it is definitely buildable.

You can really see the shine when you rub off the first layer of product. 

The stain that it leaves behind is really lovely! I have a soft spot for corals and oranges. ^^

Ingredients

Application & packaging: Sweet Shower Lips uses a twist up mechanism in which you have to remove the seal. The mechanism only goes one way so you can retract the lipstick. If you twist up too much product, you will easily nick it when you put the cap on. I adore Etude House packaging! This Miss Tangerine collection is my favourite yet! I love the peach and orange packaging as well as the cute pictures on the sturdy box. I believe the cap and body of the lipstick is plastic except for the polkadotted orange band. It has a nice weight to it and does not look or feel cheap at all!

top: natural light/bottom: flash

 Price & availability: I bought this in Taiwan for around $220-350TWD which about $7-12CAD. I remember it being inexpensive :) Etude House is only available in certain parts of Asia including Taiwan, South Korea, and Philippines. This collection was released in March so it is very likely that many items are already sold out at stores. There are always products that can be bought online from Ebay and beauty stores.

left: natural light/right: flash

Flavour & scent: This lippie has a tangy citrus scent. It fades after being worn for a bit and the scent is not overpowering. The flavour resembles how it smells. Is has the same scent as my Orange Avenue lipgloss.

Overall: Etude House Miss Tangerine Sweet Shower Lips in #3 Miss Sunny Tangerine is made for me! I love the fresh and sunny stain that it leaves behind and it lasts for a decent amount of time. The packaging is super cute and the quality is great for the price! This lippie would get a grade of 100% if the moisture and shine last for 2 hours. But this is still LOVE~ 9/10

CinnaBunnie Likes: Tony Moly Ice Queen Multi Play Cream SPF30 PA++

Hello hello~! It's been a while since my last review so I decided to blab about the Tony Moly Ice Queen Multi Play Cream since it is currently blazing and shining in Canada! I first saw this product on the Muse and it really caught my attention because of the cute packaging and I was in need of a new facial sunscreen. This product is more suitable for the warmer months because this Ice Queen (get it? Ice cream?...No. Okay.) line is designed to be cool on contact so that your skin stops sizzlin'.

  Claims: "This multi-functional cream absorbs into the skin as it melts away like ice cream with the topping of firm and soft marshmallow. You can have moisturizing, sun protection, and makeup base effects all at the same time, with additional skin soothing and firming effects." You can see more details here.

Make sure it has an unbroken safety seal!

It is a play cream which means that it moisturizes, protects the skin from harmful rays (SPF30 PA++), and primes the skin for makeup application. For busy girls or ones that do not want to use 50 million products in the morning, this multi-functional cream is the perfect solution~!

Scent & colour: This cream smells delicious! It reminds of berries and vanilla. The scent is moderate in strength and it fades shortly after. It is a soft creamy white like vanilla ice cream.

 Application & usage: From the website, "Apply this cream before foundation with finger from center to edge of the face lightly." I got this from a box store so it came with similar instructions on a sticker label. I use this in the morning after cleansing, toner, and emulsion. I take a small amount (the size of a penny) and warm it up on my fingers (it's a habit which defeats the purpose of the cooling) and spread it on my face. I start with my cheeks, then my nose, chin, and forehead. You have to be careful with how much cream you use. If you use too little, there will be friction between your fingers and your face and it will be hard to spread the cream. If you use too much, it will feel greasy.

Packaging: I admit that one of the main reasons that I splurged on this cream was because of the packaging. How can you resist the cute jar with an ice cream scoop and chocolate syrup? The jar is plastic and is very bulky. Sometimes, I find it difficult to screw on the lid. When you open it, you can see that there is a plastic cover which I really like~ It reduces the amount of dust particles that get into it.

Price & availability: I got this from a store called MiuMiu in Pacific Mall in Toronto. It is one of those box stores that sell various brands of skincare and makeup products. They have Etude House, Baviphat, Tony Moly, Rhoto Hada Labo etc. I got this for $18CAD (price is sooo jacked up!). You can get this from Tony Moly stores in Asia or from online stores such as Izakkaya or Pretty and Cute.

 Texture & formulation: This cream has a fluffy whipped consistency that spreads nicely with the right amount. It does not leave a white cast and it absorbs easily. I have normal and oily combination skin so I find it greasy and shiny. I like to blot with blotting paper to remove the excess shine.

 Effects: It moisturizes my skin but because of my skin type, I find it too moisturizing. I think people with drier skin will enjoy this product ^^ Makeup such as foundation goes on more easily as it has something to hold onto. This Tony Moly Ice Queen Multi Play Cream also helps to prolong wear time for makeup products. On contact, it feels cool on the skin. 

Overall: This Tony Moly Ice Queen Multi Play Cream SPF30 PA++ is alright in terms of meeting my skincare needs. I don't like how it makes my face feel greasy for everyday wear but it is a good primer for powder products. It is a quick solution for multiple skincare needs such as sun protection, hydration, and makeup primer. It is not worth the price of $18CAD especially when the loonie is so high! 7/10

CinnaBunnie Loves: LUSH Dark Angels Cleanser

LUSH Dark Angels Cleanser

This is a small sample of LUSH Dark Angels Cleanser that I got with my LUSH purchase in February. LATE! I know...I am a noob that likes to procrastinate xD. This sample lasted me around 7 uses which means that a full size of 100g will last you for quite a while.

I lightened the photo so that you can see its texture better

Claims: Dark and tough, this one doesn't mess about. It's a black, squidgy scrub made with charcoal to absorb oils and exfoliate you skin. Nutritious avocado oils softens, glycerine keeps the moisture in and black sugar scrubs away. Dark Angels is a hardcore cleanser with a little bit of surfactant mixed in to remove dirt and grease.

This is the amount I use (approx 1/4 tsp)

Texture & formulation: In its solid form, it is very crumbly. Dark Angels forms a gritty paste when mixed with water. Dark Angels Cleanser is more like a scrub but it isn't too abrasive. Sometimes there are larger, jagged particles in there. I'm guessing it's the black sugar or something crystallized. The paste spreads easily but unevenly onto the skin. Make sure you don't add too much water or it will become too watery and messy.

Ingredients (source: http://www.lushusa.com/)

I like to add 3-4 drops of water for a thick consistency

Scent & colour: Once you open a the container, a sharp smell of lavender and volcanic ash hits your nostrils. Or it hit mine hard....with a vengeance :P I'm not exactly a fan of the scent but I can tolerate it. You either love it or hate it. Dark Angels remind me of MAC's Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask in terms of colour and scent. The colour is a really dark gray or charcoal (surprise, surprise).

The finished product

Application & usage: The paste is pliable and easy to spread although it doesn't go on even like peanut butter. Dark Angels can be a little rough for daily use, so I think it is best for every 2 to 3 days. You must be careful when using this as it gets really messy and leaves gray spots on the sink. Hence, I prefer to use it in the shower. Like I said before, 1 teaspoon is a lot and a little goes a long way. Just add a few drops of water, mix, and massage onto wet skin.

Not scary at all

Effects: This cleanser does what it claims in terms of absorbing oil, exfoliating, removing dirt, and locking in moisture. Just after one use, my whole face is a lot smoother. My pores become smaller as there are less oil and sebum. I think it will do wonders for clogged pores when you use this in conjunction with a nose strip. It sort of does a funny thing: after washing my face with it, my dirty pores and whiteheads seem to be highlighted in gray. They are closer to the surface too! As for removing makeup, it doesn't do anything. I still sparkle like Edward. Dark Angels doesn't hydrate the skin, but it doesn't strip the skin of moisture. Thanks glycerine!

A closer look

Price & availability: Like all of LUSH's cleansers that come in a roll,  they have to chop it up. Dark Angels cost $11.50CAD for 100g. It is available in any LUSH store or online. I believe there is no expiry date so the cleanser will still be fine after a couple of months. I would use it as soon as I buy it so it's as "fresh" as it could be.

Overall: LUSH Dark Angels is great for those with oily and combination skin. It does a great job with removing surface oils while retaining moisture and it makes the skin smooth after use. It does get messy so be careful while using it. I love it for doing it what it claims, but I will not repurchase it as it doesn't suit my skincare needs. 8/10

CinnaBunnie Loves: Orange Avenue UV Color Lipgloss in 08 Milky Pink

Not so long ago, my aunt helped me get some skincare and cosmetic products from Hong Kong. Thank you auntie!! She picked up this Orange Avenue UV Color Lipgloss in 08 Milky Pink. I've never heard of this brand and it seems like they don't have a website either (I used Google). The "UV" part in this gloss makes me wonder: does it change colour in the sun or does it have SPF? hmmm...it is something that will remain a mystery to me since I can't find much info about it. I'm positive that it doesn't change colours in the sun, sadly. Anyways, I'd like to share my thoughts about this particular lipgloss with you.

Texture & colour: The picture above describes this colour as a milky pink but the name is actually very misleading. I have a feeling that they misnamed it because it is definitely not "milky" to me O_o It is more like a ruby grapefruit pink with fuchsia undertones and silver shimmer. I must admit that I really like this colour for the colour and shimmer combination is really unique ^^ It applies sheer on my lips, giving it a slight "healthy lips" kind of tint and luminous shine. The shimmers are fine enough that it does not feel gritty on my lips. The downside that might bug some people is that the formula is sticky. The Orange Avenue UV Color Lipgloss is a tad stickier than MAC Lipglasses. The lasting power is about 2.5 hours with drinking and minimal snacking.

You can see the strip of fuchsia in the middle =]

Application & packaging: It is your standard lipgloss packaging that involves a doe-foot applicator. However, the applicator is extreme long: about 1/3 longer than your usual doe-foot. This factor can be helpful to those with plumper and fuller lips. Just one swipe will do the job thanks to the elongated applicator that carries a sufficient amount of product. I believe the handle is made out of metal and the actual tube is made out of plastic. The handle always feel cool to the touch which I find really comforting, especially in warmer weather.

Flavour & scent: If you read the name of this product and wondered if it smelled or tasted like oranges, then you are half correct :) There is virtually no taste (*licks lips* nope. Nothing) but the lipgloss is orange or tangerine scented (if only I can get my hands on some Etude House Miss Tangerine products...) which is very yummy. It does carry an artificial zing to it but pretty much all fruit-scented products do. The scent isn't strong or cloying.

1-3: natural light/4:flash

Price & availability: I believe that my aunt got this at Sasa in Hong Kong for $18HKD (if I remember correctly) so thats about $2.25CAD which is very inexpensive for an 8mL lipgloss. The only website that I found where you can actually order is this one, but the price is jacked up to 10 bucks (probably USD). They have a lot of colours to choose from. Orange Avenue also makes BB creams (here's a brief mention about it in a video)and foundations (mrs.cheapcheap精 blogged about it here, the packaging looks really cute!) 

top: natural light/bottom: flash

Ingredients

Overall: I really love the unique colour and I've gotten compliments when wearing this lipgloss. It is not overly shimmery and it is not frosty looking at all. Orange Avenue UV Color Lipgloss in 08 Milky Pink is made in Korea and is very affordable. The scent is very alluring to me and it deserves an 8/10. I took two points off because it isn't readily available and the ingredients aren't exactly natural.

Bunnie Likes: LUSH Love Birds Soap

Source: http://www.lush.ca/

Just in times for Valentine's Day, no? Or S.A.D. (single awareness day haha)

Being a LUSH fanatic, I always have to get my hands on the limited edition goodies. Or else my heart will twist and turn...TORTURE! It's definitely one of the prettiest soaps I've ever seen. I love the pastel colours with a pop of jelly red ^^

 The Love Birds soap is part of the 2011 Valentine collection which means that it is limited edition (grrr). With my luck, I didn't get the intricate and colourful part of the soap.

Top View

 Claims: "We've got something even better than Love soap this year. Love Birds is a creamy cake of jasmine and vanilla loveliness that everyone should try without hesitation. It has a softer scent than Love, with a powdery sweet fragrance that reminds you of young love." -http://www.lush.ca/

Side View

 Scent: LUSH had a very close description to this soap. The notes of jasmine hit you first but then you can detach a soft swirl of creamy vanilla tone to keep things a little sweeter. There is also a little zest from the lemongrass to produce a slightly refreshing splash. It's definitely powdery in a sense, but still fun and floral.

Texture: Love Birds is more creamy than the clear soaps if you know what I mean. It makes this soap firmer so it takes more force to cut it. It is not as buttery as Snowglobe from the 2010 Christmas collection. It makes a mediocre lather because it isn't as dense and foamy as I'd like it to be even when a foaming net (a net that produces a lot of foam but isn't actually used on the skin) is used. 

Cut-up Chunks

 Application & usage: I don't need much of the Love Birds soap in the shower, just a small chunk does wonders when used with a foaming net. However, when you rub the foam on your skin, it dissipates quickly so the fragrance doesn't cling on to the skin. I always find that there is the downside to LUSH soaps. The scent never lasts. I prefer the bath products like bath bombs and bubble bars as the scent lingers for a longer time.

Effects: I've noticed that Love Birds is more moisturizing than any of the other LUSH soaps that I've used including Honey I Washed the Kids, Lady Catrina (LE Halloween 2010) and Snowglobe (LE Christmas 2010). I can go a day or two without lotions or creams after shower. LUSH claims that it is softening but I really haven't noticed my skin turning softer due to the usage of this soap. Click here for the ingredients.

Price & availability: This costs $4.95CAD for 100g which is less than the most of the permanent soaps. It is actually quite inexpensive in my opinion. All LUSH stores and LUSH online. Currently, the Love Birds soap is sold out on both the Canadian and American website.

Overall: LUSH Love Birds soap is not my favourite scent but I do like the fact that it's more unique and moisturizing than the other soaps that I own. All LUSH soaps makes my skin kind of squeaky feeling and this does too. If LUSH can up the foam factor and scent lingering ability, it would be more than just a 7.5/10

Bunnie Loves: NYC Kiss Gloss in Coral Reef

This limited edition shade Coral Reef came with the 2010 summer collection called "Sun Soaked". Before I bought this at Rexall Pharmaplus, I went on makeupalley to see if it was worth buying. I was intrigued when so many ladies said that there are supposedly green iridescent shimmers in it! I think I purchased a bad or weird tube because mine was perfectly shimmer free... 

 

Claims: "Tasty, Sheer Color with Vitamin E Conditioning. New York Color Kiss Gloss is a lip gloss that's bursting with flavor! Squeeze and slick on shine with a hint of sheer color. Delicious dessert flavors make your kisses irresistible!" -http://www.newyorkcolor.com/

Flavour & scent: All the claims remain true until it reaches this. When it comes to "bursting with flavor", it's more like being infused with an artificial wine smell and chemically infused sweetness. It's disgusting. No, really. If you put too much on, it seeps into your mouth and it's sweet, sour and artificial all at once! Worst than the after taste of aspartame. 

 Applicator & packaging: This lipgloss comes in a simply squeeze tube so you don't waste as much product. The slanted applicator allows the gloss to glide on smoothly and gives you control. Appearance wise, it isn't very impressive but it's alright. It'd be nice if they had a gradient covering fading from white to clear so you can see the actual colour without making it look as cheap.

Permanent Shades (source: http://www.newyorkcolor.com/)

Texture & colour: Coral Reef is a beautiful medium coral that can appear as a warmer pink on the lips. Pigmented lips may have a harder time for this to show up. It gives a shiny to glossy finish depending on the amount you use but it is not sticky, just emollient which I find very comforting to my lips. It makes them smooth and soft with use and it gives my lips a hint of glossy pink. 

swatched lightly/multiple coats

Price & Availability: As with most NYC products, they are very affordable and you can get it at most drugstores. They usually have special promotions so you can look out for those! I got this for less than 5 bucks (CAD) ^^

Overall: I still really like this gloss because the quality is pretty impressive especially with the low price. It provided lips with smoothness and hydration along with a juicy color! 8/10 It would be even better if my tube had green iridescence in it...