Those that read my previous review would remember that I said I was interested in trying some of Kiss Nail Dress’s 3D jeweled designs. I’m really lucky because this time the design I received is one of their 3D jeweled designs. The design I received has an ornate gold design accentuated with white and red jewels on a black background. It looks almost oriental and very unique. I like it very much. It says “limited edition” on the box and I can’t seem to find the design on the website so I’m not sure if this particular design is still available. It seems that Kiss Nail Dress changes their design quite regularly – which has pros and cons. It’s good if you always want to switch it up, but bad if you can’t find a design you really like again!

Each Kiss Nail Dress comes with 28 strips, a nail design booklet and a nail file, as you can see below in the photo.

Some of the problems I mentioned in my first review still apply. Although there are so many strips, however, not all the strips fit my fingers. Most are really big. I guess I can always cut the big strips down to size though. A good thing about Kiss Nail Dress is that they really keep well. The previous set of Kiss Nail Dress I received a year ago are still really stick and works just as well. They really do not dry out! Unlike Sally Hansen’s ones that dry out in less than a month.

A point to note is that these strips are slightly thicker than Sally Hansen’s, which means I sometimes find it hard to smooth them down. This might be something that gets better with practice.

Because the design I received is quite dressy, I decided not to use the stickers on all my fingers and instead mixed it up with Zoya’s Storm, a black holographic nail polish. I do like the result.

All in all, Kiss Nail Dress does a pretty good job. They come up with different designs that stands out from the regular nail stickers – especially love the 3D jeweled touch; their nail stickers last over a year even after opening. They are great to wear as accent nails – which means a pack of $6.99 can last you a really long time!

As I mentioned in my first review, I did not particularly like the Passion Peel Off masques. I don’t usually go for peel off masque, and if I do, I want to really be able to peel off the masque. The Passion Peel Off masque did not peel off smoothly – although I do not know if it’s  because I applied it wrongly or not.

This time, I received the Fruit Smoothie Deep Pore Cleansing Masque. This one isn’t a peel off masque, the texture of the masque actually do feel like a smoothie, it’s thick, like a yogurt, and it definitely smells good enough to eat. It says Raspberry and Mango on the packaging, but I definitely smell more than that. It smells very sweet. According to the website (http://www.montagnejeunesse.com/fruit-smoothie-face-masque-230), it also has pomegranate, peach and Vitamin E.

I definitely like this mask more than the one I received last year. For one thing, the package I received was filled with product. It said to “lavishly apply” and I did, as you can see in the photo above. Perhaps I have a small face, but even after covering my entire face, I still had half of the product left. So a packet is enough for two uses, way to stretch a dollar!

The masque is easy to apply. I washed my face and slathered the mask all over. Browsed the net for 15 minutes, and then proceeded to wash it off with a wet cloth. I tried rinsing it off but the mask was a little too thick to wash off with just water, but it definitely came off easily with a wet cloth. Are my pores much cleaner after the mask? I can’t really tell, but my face do feel cleaner and it looks a little brighter. I love that it is paraben free, which is always a good thing.

Overall, I would say this is a quick and easy mask for cleansing and face brightening. It’s not expensive – Ulta sells it for $2 a packet and I think you can find it in other drugstores as well. Definitely worth the purchase!

Before I begin this review, I have a little secret to share. I hate blowdrying my hair. In fact, I usually skip it. I can’t remember the number of times my parents have nagged at me when they see me walk around dripping water on everything, especially my Mom. She belongs to the old school that believes that leaving the hair wet will result in headaches and other ailments. Still, I’m just lazy and I always prefer to let my hair air dry. Perhaps it’s because I have long hair and it takes so long to blowdry; or perhaps it’s because my hair tangles really easily and every time I blowdry it, I always seem to be tugging at the tangles and losing more hair. The only times I blowdry my hair is when I shower really late and don’t want to sleep with a head of wet hair.

Therefore, when I received the Goody QuikStyle Paddle Brush (http://www.influenster.com/review/goody-quikstyle-paddle-brush), I was a little skeptical. I wasn’t sure if I was even going to use it and I doubted it will help much. However, the husband and I had a late night out and after showering, he suggested I give the paddle brush a try. And OMG, I was very pleasantly surprised as how well the Goody QuikStyle Paddle Brush work!

Goody markets QuikStyle as a “towel and brush in one” and it really works so. The microfiber bristles really absorbs water, and it took me half the time it usually takes the blowdry my hair. And somehow, the bristles seems to detangle my hair smoothly, unlike any other brush I use. It almost seem like magic!

One can see the rows of microfiber bristles above. They are really thick and quite soft. I am really happy with this brush – it really does what it says and it makes blowdrying my hair – a chore I previously quite dislike – something much more tolerable. According to the website, the microfiber is also antimicrobial, which is  great considering that I’m usually too lazy to blow dry the microfiber after using.

Upon searching Goody’s site, I discovered that Quikstyle also comes in a Half-Round Styler Brush form that should be great for styling the hair. I’m definitely considering a purchase!

According to Eboost’s website (www.eboost.com), Like the Orange flavor, the Pink Lemonade is supposed to be a “ Natural Energy Booster that’s tart and smart. EBOOST’s pink lemonade isn’t loaded with sugar and artificial flavors. Our effervescent powder packets are boosted with green tea, vitamins, super nutrients and Stevia, giving you a refreshing and energizing twist on a classic summer beverage.”

Seeing as I only had one packet to try out, I can’t say definitively if the Pink Lemonade works well as a energy booster or not. I did not really feel any different after downing a cup of the drink. I mentioned in my previous review that I liked the Orange Eboost because of its immunity boosting effects, I would assume that the Pink Lemonade does the same job, because they have similar ingredients, but I did not really test that out as I did with the Orange flavor.

Unfortunately,similar to the Orange flavor, I have to say that I do not like the Pink Lemonade flavor as well. It is quite sour, and it actually made me slightly nauseous for some reason. Perhaps it’s a little too effervescent? As you can see in the photo, the “foam” formed when I added water to the powder is almost the same size as the liquid. Although it “calmed” down after stirring, it still is very fizzy.

I have to say, I did not enjoy this drink at all. Even after some hours, I still feel a little stomach upset. In the future, I may purchase Eboost for the immunity boosting effects for my husband if we do not find better alternative, because that definitely seems to work for him. However, I won’t be taking them myself because I really do not like the taste of the drink.

I also like that it’s flexible, so you can add or take away ingredients as you like to make it work for you.

Here are the ingredients I use.

The base of the mask is Antho Organic’s Mermaid Cheek Face Mask. I love Antho Organic’s Facial Masks. They have four in total and I have all of them. They are basically powders that come in beautiful apothecary style glass bottles. The fact that they come in powder means they stay fresh for the longest time. You mix them up with whatever liquids or creams you want so, so each mask can be different. I love that flexibility and I love the mixing up part. It’s so fun! I also like that because this mask uses all natural ingredients that you can control, it’s safe to relax for about 20 minutes with it, so it’s perfect to use while soaking in a hot bath.

Mermaid’s Cheek is actually my least favorite of all their mask. The other masks smell like chocolate, strawberries and other fruits. Mermaid’s Cheek smell like rotten seaweed. It’s like the smell of a seal-filled La Jolla cove on a bad day. However, it’s the clarifying and balancing mask, which is the one you should reach for when you have a bad case of acne. As they say in Chinese, foul tasting medicine is the medicine that works. Note of advice, do not use this mask and seaweed bath salts together. Overpowering seaweed smell makes one faintly nauseous, not exactly the relaxing spa I was after!

The good thing is, the recipe I used this time masked the smell entirely! The secret is the Tea Tree Oil. Tea Tree Oil is well known for being anti-acne. Here, the Tea Tree Oil I used is from Desert Essence, a reputable brand.

And the final ingredient is yogurt. Yogurt is one of the staple ingredients in my DIY masks. It has antibacterial properties. The probiotics are great for treating acne and I find it very soothing for the skin. I prefer Greek yogurt for their thicker texture. It’s easier to mix into a paste.

I used two heaping tablespoons of Mermaid’s Cheek, two heaping tablespoons of yogurt and half a teaspoon of tea tree oil. I mixed them all into a creamy paste before applying. The tea tree oil and cold yogurt made the mask very cooling – I couldn’t smell the seaweed smell at all.

I applied a hair mask as well and soaked myself in a bubble bath for 20 minutes before rinsing everything off. There was a slight tingling feeling on my face afterwards and the next day, I did notice that my acne were noticeably smaller. But again, I have been doing anti-acne masks for the whole week and the particular  mask was the last of the group. It was however, definitely the most enjoyable mask and the ingredients are the least harmful. There were some peels that I tried that I although might be effective, but I also find way too drying. I also like that you can play around with this mask – add honey for more anti-bacterial effects, green tea for clarifying effects, add a little more or little less tea tree oil, or a little lavender for the scent. I usually like to add jojoba oil for more moisturizing effects, but didn’t this time. Feel free to trial and error, and see what works for you.

In conclusion, this is definitely the mask I would recommend for people that are also suffering from acne. May we banish them forever.

When it comes to the wintry month of January, I always tend towards soft, cool colors that goes perfectly well with the soft knit sweaters that are so comfy and warm to wear at this time of the year. December may be perfect for reds and glitters for the holidays, but I always come back to the soft colors in January.

This is a design I actually wore last November when the weather began to cool. I just bought a pair of fingerless mittens from the local Daiso – they are so soft and comfy, and perfect for wearing in bed while reading my kindle. They really kept my hands warm. So I decided to do a manicure to match and I loved how the design turned out. It’s very romantic, but not in a girly pink way.

I began by painting all my fingers except the middle finger of my left hand and the baby finger of my right with a base of Zoya Purity. I painted the remaining fingers with a base of Zoya Caitlin, a dusty purple. Then I broke out my Bundle Monster nail stamps and chose a variety of romantic-themed stamps, including hearts, floral, butterflies, roses and “love” calligraphy. And I began stamping my fingers randomly. I used Zoya Caitlin to stamp on Purity and Purity to stamp on Caitlin. I have to say, Purity on Caitlin turned out much crisper than vice versa.

I did a layer of Zoya Adina on fourth finger of each hand as accents. Adina is a duochrome purple. She looks plain purple in normal light and have a greenish sheen in certain lights. Keeping one finger plain prevents the design from looking too busy and the duochrome factor gives an added interest.

I really like this design, especially how it looks against the purple flowers blooming on a sunny November day!

I’m so happy to say that I have again qualified for the Influenster Holiday Voxbox. This is the second holiday voxbox that I received from Influenster. A year has passed by in a blink of an eye.

And here are the items I received.

Kiss Nail Dress

This is the second box of Kiss Nail Dress I received from Influenster. I previously received a cheetah print one in my Love Voxbox. I do like the design I received this time more. It’s a 3D version with an oriental gold on black design. I’ll definitely do a separate post on how it looks in the future.

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine

This is also the second NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine I received. In fact, I received the exact same lipshine in the exact same shade (Nude York City) a year ago in my 2011 Holiday Voxbox! Luckily, I do like this lip gloss so I don’t mind an extra.

Eboost

I received a packet of orange flavored Eboost in my August Natural Voxbox not too long ago. Those that follow my blog and read the following review should remember that I mentioned that I did not particularly like that flavor and would like to try another flavor from Eboost. And here, Inflluenster sent me the Pink Lemonade flavor! Influenster, you do read  my reviews!

Goody QuikStyle Brush

This is definitely the item I’m looking forward to try most of all. It’s supposed to be a brush that absorbs moisture with the microfiber bristles. The description says it’s a “towel and brush” in one. This idea intrigues me and I’ll definitely report back if it does the job or not.

Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask

Again, I previously received a Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask last year in my Holiday Voxbox. I did not particularly liked that mask, but I’m willing to give this one another try. This is supposed to be a Fruit Smoothie  Deep Pore Cleansing Mask. The good thing is it’s not a peel off mask like the last one which did not really work all that well.

Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal

Oatmeal in Peach Almond flavor. I do not particularly like Oatmeal. As per the Influenster food items tradition, I’ll got my husband to eat this and here is his review:

It was easy to make – just add boiling water (I have a Zojirushi boiler), stir, put on the lid and wait 3 minutes and stir. When I started eating, there was this artificial taste that was perhaps due to the over abundance of sugar. Some pieces of oatmeal stil seemed raw, but on the whole, the combination of crunch almonds and soft oatmeal and peach was alright. It could have been better, but I guess then it couldn’t be instant.

Sole Society Coupon

An extra that came with the box is a coupon that EVERYONE can use. So if you are interested in buying a pair of shoes, go to Sole Society and use the promo code INFLUENSTER25. It’ll take 25 dollars off your purchase. Most of the shoes there cost 50 dollars so that’s like 50% off. Sole Society is currently doing BOGO offer, unfortunately, both promos cannot be combined. So you can choose to buy one pair for 25 dollars, or two pairs for 50 dollars. I’m not really in the market for a pair of shoes right now though, so you guys enjoy! Promo code expires on Jan 31st 2013.

And that’s my 2012 Influenster Holiday Voxbox!

It’s being *cold* recently here in the Bay area. Temps are getting near freezing some days in the early morning. However, there’s still no snow in California. It sounds crazy, but I miss snow, and I miss the White Christmases we used to get back when we were living in the East Coast. It’s not likely that snow’s going to happen here, so I did the next best thing – snowflake nail art.

And yes, I missed snow so much that I did it twice!

For the first design, I started with two layers of Zoya Gaia. Zoya Gaia is one of my favorite base color for stamping and nail art. It’s a delicate, ethereal sheer white with light gold shimmer. It’s absolutely angelic. Next, I stamped snowflakes, using stamp designs from Bundle Monster and Zoya Purity. Zoya Purity is a opaque white that’s perfect for stamping with. Then I sponged a light layer of Zoya Kristen, a light, winter blue diagonally across two third of the nail and another darker layer of Zoya Feifei across perhaps one third of the nail nearer to the tips. I was trying for a gradient effect, which turned out well for some nails but looked a little too deliberate on some nails. I finished off with a layer of Zoya Sparkle Gloss topcoat for the icy sparkle.

The second design is much simpler. I just shortened my nails and did not have the space for stamping or otherwise. So I basically went back to my favorite winter blue color, Zoya Kristen. I begin with two layers of Kristen, and then freehanded a rough “french” manicure with Zoya Purity. Then I used a tiny nail brush to draw small strokes of white down, to imitate a look of falling snow. I ended with another layer of Zoya Sparkle Gloss. It’s really rough and I originally thought I hated it, but it grew on  me. The Sparkle Gloss really helped. I love this top coat, it gives every manicure a magical touch. It also helps that the base color, Kristen, is so pretty and it matches a sweater that I love. Wearing the two together makes my winter a little more comfy.

And that’s the two snowflake nail design I did during December to make my Christmas a little whiter!

Happy Halloween!

I’m not one for costumes or crazy make-up, but I do like being able to celebrate a fun festival in a subtle way – by doing a Halloween manicure!

For me, Halloween means orange and black, pumpkins, haunted houses, cobwebby spiders and bats. It happened that I have a couple of nail stamps with these Halloween themed designs and I decided to put them all to use!

For the base, I used Zoya’s Gwin. I got this polish when I bought the Reverie set, but have never used it before. I love the Reverie set because of the duochromes, they are so mesmerizing, but orange has never been a favorite color of mine, so I never got around to using Gwin. Therefore, I was happily surprised at how pretty it is. The color is extremely opaque and has a smooth reflective finish. The gold-orange-coral duochrome effect is absolutely beautiful. It’s definitely a unique Halloween orange.

I used Myrta on the accent for extra sparkle and stamped pumpkins, haunted houses, cobwebs and spiders on the other fingers. And I got comments on how “crazy halloweeny” my nails are all week, and it makes my day every time!

It began because I recently bought a number of green nail polishes and wanted to try them all, so I decided to see if I could incorporate them together.

I started with Zoya’s Evvie. This is a muddy grey-green color that reminds me of the swamp. It’s cool and muted, very suitable for Fall. I applied it on all four fingers except for the index finger.

For the index finger, I went with Butter London’s Trustafarian. I wanted a lighter color that would pop against the darker Evvie. And OMG, did Trustafarian pop! It’s a sage-y, light yellow-green, a beautiful and unique color. And when I got it out in the sun, I literally gasped. I forgot how fascinating holographics are to me and Trustafarian brought it all back. I couldn’t stop staring at it and kept making my husband look at my hands. He actually told me that I should avoid driving and holographic nail polish because he’s worried I’ll be too distracted.

Next, I couldn’t decide which of the two green glitter flecks I should use so I decided to go with one on each fourth finger. Zoya’s Manhatten Mixer turned out to be small green-yellow glitter with good coverage. Zoya’s Opal’s glitter are much larger flecks with bluish tones. I decided that I wanted a fuller coverage and layered another layer of Manhatten Mixer over Opal and I liked that combo very much!

Halloween is coming, and because of my immersion in Hong Kong vampire films that are nothing like Twilight, I always associate ghosts with green. I thought that the greenish glitter looked very ghostly indeed and wore this look for a couple of days. Then I got bored and decided to do stamps.

I recently received my Cheeky stamp kit that I ordered awhile ago (shipping took forever!). I flipped through it and saw this leafy design and thought it to be a perfect look for fall. I used Julep’s Sienna to stamp the leaf design on the thumb, middle and baby finger of each hand and I loved the final look! Sienna is supposed to be a metallic gold, but for some reason, it looks silver in most angles.

This is one of my more successful stamps and I really didn’t want to take it off. It looks just perfect for fall!