Haul: Maybelline Shine Sensational Lipgloss
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: April 26, 2012
I picked up a couple of these yummy flavored and scented lipglosses (containing 11.3 ml / .38 oz) from Maybelline for KD 3/000 a pop.
I purchased Berry Bella (Raspberry flavored), Sweet Indulgence (Macaroon flavored! Yes, you read correctly, MACAROON! I die!), Cherry Kiss, and Peach Sorbet. These glosses come in 18 different flavors/fragrances but not all of them made it to the shores of our little Kuwait.
As you can see from the photo, Berry Bella and Sweet Indulgence contain micro-glitter while Cherry Kiss and Peach Sorbet are more of a jelly consistency so the Shine Sensational glosses come in different finishes but for the most part these are translucent meaning they only add shine so if you’re looking for color, look elsewhere.
My favorite out of the bunch is Sweet Indulgence because it truly does smell and taste like gourmet macaroons. How can I not love a product that not only smells but also tastes exactly like those delicious french pastries?
I purchased Sweet Indulgence online because this particular shade, along with many others, are not available for purchase in Kuwait. I purchased an extra one for a giveaway on this blog 
Side note – my mom walked in on me taking the above photo and thought I was nuts, “Why are you playing with your food?” *sigh* The things I do for my blog.
From Left to Right: Minty Sheer, Peach Sorbet, Cocoa Fever, Crushed Candy, Sparkling Grape, Watermelon Punch, Cherry Kiss, Berry Bella
The above two photos were taken at Boots (Souk Sharg).
Also available (just not in Kuwait) in these shades : Cherry Bloom, Freshly Sliced, Glamourous Guava, Mad About Melon, Crazy For Caramel, Berry Dazzle, Cranberry Crave, Treat Me Sweet, Sweet Indulgence, Tempting Toffee.
Review: China Glaze For Audrey
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: April 24, 2012
Today I thought I’d share with you my favorite nail polish of all time called For Audrey and it’s by *drumroll please* China Glaze!
Originally, this item was released in 2007 as part of a limited edition collection called Something Blue but it was so popular that they made it part of the permanent line. The Something Blue collection was Tiffany inspired.
The nail polish itself was named as a tribute to the timeless beauty and fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn and her role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
For Audrey is a gorgeous robin’s egg blue with a creme finish that looks lovely on everyone, especially during the summer. Here’s what it looks like on short nails (I’m a nail-biter so most of the time, they’re pretty short).
I strongly suggest you google China Glaze For Audrey to see what it looks like on longer nails. Kudos to all those who manage to get immaculate swatches of their nail polish up. It’s a lot harder than it looks.
I can never find this in Kuwait so I order it online through amazon whenever I run out. Sometimes my stuff gets confisticated (because aramex considers nail polish a no-no) and sometimes it makes it through. If you do manage to find this locally though, I believe it will cost you about KD 3/500 which is the regular price for a single bottle of China Glaze nail polish.
Repurchase? Yes, I have, many times before in fact, for years. I especially love wearing this on my toes during summer. It just looks so pretty under water, especially with a tan!
Beauty Fun Fact: That pretty blue shade you see on the packaging of Tiffany & Co. jewelry is actually a registered trademark meaning nobody else can copy that exact same shade unless they don’t mind get sued.
Haul: Bath & Body Works
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: April 23, 2012
This time I decided to check out the Bath & Body Works branch in Marina Mall as opposed to the Avenues and I’m so glad I did.
I found more of those little fruit containers. I picked up 1 more strawberry and 2 lemons for KD 2/500 each.
Aren’t they absolutely darling?
I picked up 2 more minis for KD 2/000 each and got the 3rd mini free. Bali Mango mini body lotion (smells divine! I need this in a bigger size!), Hawaii Coconut mini body lotion (obligatory coconut-scented product for summer), and Rainkissed Leaves mini Body Spray (I enjoy green scents and the name suckered me in as well).
I left Rainkissed Leaves mini body spray and Dancing Waters mini body spray (from my previous haul) by a table near my window, thinking that the A.C. would protect them but they both turned. Now they smell disgusting, like Pif-Paf bug spray. So do not leave your body sprays or perfume in direct sunlight otherwise they will turn, and start to stink.
They were having a buy 2 get 1 free, on the hand soaps so I picked up 3 of those. From the Fresh Market Collection I chose Apple and Blueberry and from their normal line I picked up Ocean Citrus (Lemon-y goodness!). You’ll notice from the photo that the first two antibacterial hand soaps are short and stout but they contain more product (259 ml / 8.75 oz to be exact) than the taller antibacterial hand soap (which only contain 236 ml / 8 oz) and that’s because the first 2 are foaming hand soaps while the taller one is a deep cleansing hand soap containing exfoliating micro-beads. These retail for KD 1/500 each.
Also from the Fresh Market Collection, I picked up a small candle for KD 3/500 in the scent Sweet Berries.
We’ve already established that I love anything that’s berry scented plus the shabby chic packaging looked cute.
There’s always a buy 2 get 1 free deal on wallflowers and their refills (those things that look like light bulbs) but since the wallflower itself costs more than the refills you get the lowest priced item for free. I picked up these 3.
You just plug it into an electrical outlet in the wall and it diffuses the scent from the refill into the room. You have to screw in the refill into the wallflower first, though. I picked up this purple wallflower for KD 2/500.
These wallflowers are much more discreet than those non-brand name ones you get from the local co-op that make whirring noise (which can get pretty annoying after awhile).
The refills retail for KD 2/000 each. I picked up Pineapple Orchid because the Sales Assistant insisted that it was awesome and he uses it in his own home and I’m so glad I did. This smells like juicy, sweet pineapples! Divine! The wallflower refill I got to pick for free was Seaside Escape since my older brother took the candle I had previously purchased in the same scent.
I decided to try some things from the True Blue Spa line like this Airbrush Tan. I believe this is the full size (113 g / 4 oz) for KD 5/000.
Also from the True Blue Spa line, is this ultra-girly hand scrub!
It’s all pink and cutesy!
It comes with a protective plastic inside covering the product itself so you know it hasn’t been opened before. Just lift the tab up to remove it.
This is what it looks like with the top off. It also smells great.
I picked up 2 sugar body scrubs from the True Blue Spa line. These come in at 170 g/ 6 oz a piece and retail for KD 6/500 each.
This comes in the scent Need a Margarita and it is the single best-smelling scent I’ve ever smelled in my entire life! If they made more products in this scent, I’d buy each and every one of them! Seriously, this tropical citrus scent smelled so yummy I had to get a backup right then and there!
The protective foil seals this shut in case you wanna travel and take this with you or just in case you’re worried someone might have stuck there finger in there before you bought it. You break the seal yourself.
Lastly, I picked up a teal cuticle trimmer that comes in a transparent pouch for KD 3/000.
Honestly I think I prefer the Marina Mall branch rather than the Avenues branch because the Sales Assistants are less pushy, the products are not as dusty, and there’s always a better selection of products and good deals.
Haul: Bath & Body Works
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: April 22, 2012
- In: Body | Fragrance | Hands & Feet | Lips
- 1 Comment
I went to Bath & Body Works again to pick up some more products to try out, not that their candles aren’t great and all, but they’ve got a variety of products, as well.
Like this strawberry for example. Do I need it? No. Do I even know what I’m gonna use it for? Not an inkling. Did I buy it? Hell yeah! I mean for KD 2/500 who could resist?
Just look at it. This thing is stupid cute!
I’m thinking maybe I could store my earrings in it or bobby pins (maasha) or something…
Since I really like the Twilight Woods scent, I picked up this body lotion and shower gel duo for KD 2/500.
I thought the mini body lotion (3 oz) I had previously purchased was as small as they come but it turns out the duo came in yet an even smaller size (2 oz).
I also picked up 2 mini body sprays to try out, Twilight Woods because we’ve already established that I love this scent and Dancing Waters because initially it had this fresh, citrus-y scent that I’m also a fan of, plus the name sounds lovely and the matching blue scheme all played into it. These were KD 2/000 each. I got to choose 1 more item for free so I chose the Dancing Waters mini body lotion (3 oz).
They were having a good deal on PocketBacs. 7 PocketBacs for KD 5/000 so I picked up 7 and gave 2 away. Normally these are KD 1/000 each (29 ml / 1 oz).
I got Twilight Woods, Dancing Waters, and Fresh Market Apple.
I also got 2 from the I LOVE collection. I love Cake (buttercream), and I love Shoes (stylish strawberry).
Dancing Waters mini body spray, mini body lotion, and PocketBac. The reason why I picked up several products in the same fragrance line was because these are mostly alcohol which evaporates quickly so the scent doesn’t last that long. Layering the products (using the body lotion then spraying the body spray over it) will make the scent last longer. Try layering alcohol-based products and you’ll notice a difference, trust me.
Twilight Woods mini body spray (back), special edition mini shower gel and body lotion duo (sides), PocketBac (front). I absolutely adore this scent! I just can’t get enough of it. I love layering this scent (showering with the shower gel, then moisturizing with the body lotion and finally misting with the body spray) so it lasts all day (or night)!
Lastly, the product I was the most excited about purchasing, and yet another gem from C.O. Bigelow, the Rose Salve. This cost KD 2/500 like all their other lip products but you get a hefty (22 g / .8 oz) meaning this will last forever, seriously. Why, you ask, am I most excited about this salve? Because it’s magic! Okay, not really. It’s because I’ve been meaning to get the Rosebud Salve from Smith’s Perfume Co for a loooong loooong loooong time but could never manage to find it anywhere (*gasp* in Kuwait? Shocker! si? non!). Now that I have this, I no longer need to get that because I believe that this is a perfect dupe!
I do not like flowers. I do not like the way they smell. Following that logic, I should not like floral-scented products so I never knowingly purchased any floral-scented products until now, that is. I wanted this so badly, I was willing to ignore the fact that this had 9% rose extract and I’m so glad I did because apparently I like the scent of roses. They smell nice, clean and powder-y which is news to me. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for other rose-scented products in the future. That said, this not only smells nice, clean, and powder-y but it also has a hint of vanilla in it making it smell sweet. Basically, this salve smells wonderful!
Regardless of the bright color, this goes on clear and can be used anywhere and everywhere from your lips to your cuticles, and elbows think along the lines of Elizabeth Arden’s 8 hour cream, or y’know… just regular ol’ vaseline or if you’re really old-school, petroleum jelly. I love everything about this Rose Salve from the vintage tin packaging and the print to the rose/vanilla scent. Oh, and it feels pretty good on the lips too. It doesn’t just sit there. The salve actually absorbs into your lips make them all soft and pillow-y.
Haul: Bath & Body Works Slatkin & Co. Candles
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: March 28, 2012
- In: Fragrance | Haul
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I picked up a few candles from Bath & Body Works awhile ago at the Avenues Mall. I don’t know if I mentioned this before but I’m a hardcore scented-candle aficionado and way back in the day, I could only get my fix from Ikea which never failed to disappoint me with their abysmal scented candle selection. All they had was vanilla and it smelled nothing, but nothing, like vanilla. Then, this amazing candle-oriented shop opened up in Souk Sharq (Sharq Mall) right next door to Starbucks. It was called “Wax Lyrical”, I believe. They had the coolest candle paraphernalia ever! I’ll never forget my first purchase from there. It was this ridiculously gorgeous candle holder, shaped like a japanese pagoda and it even had a japanese character on it. They closed up shop to make way for a Claire’s, the little girls’ accessories store because apparently you can never have enough of those. Not that I mind now, I mean it’s right next door to MAC cosmetics and I do get my blink-and-its-over trend-jewelry pieces from it so… but I was a touch miffed, way way waaay back then.
From this angle, the candles kinda’ look like flavored yoghurt or maybe subconsiouly I’m just craving some Froyo. Here’s what I picked up: Dark Kiss, Mint Chocolate (which is a repurchase, read my review here), Pineapple Mango, Seaside Escape, and Island Nectar.
With a name like “Dark Kiss” I’m pretty sure that this is yet another marketing ploy by Bath & Body Works to cash in on the vampire-craze. Clever, no? What they say:
Master perfumers have blended voluptuous berries tempting blooms sensual incense and night musk for this daring and seductive fragrance. It is a modern tale of forbidden love that will unleash your most primal passions.
I love most scents that have any kind of ”berry” in them and quite frankly this smells like some sort of blackcurrent candy which I also have a penchant for. Love it! The scent really remind me of “You Snap The Whip” Body Butter Bar from Lush which I hauled awhile ago.
I hauled “Dark Kiss” in the largest size available (which is 411 g/14.5 oz and cost KD 7/000). Plum flower, purple background, standard emo/goth theme but then there’s the textured fuchsia lip print consisting of tiny stars (suspiciously similar to those hideous lip tattoos from Violent Lips) which makes it that much more special.
Again, this angle seriously makes me crave some Froyo or Pinkberry!
Repurchase Dark Kiss? The candle I got is huge so candle form, no. Body Lotion, Shower Gel, and other products? Yes!
I got the Mint Chocolate Candle before in the 113 g/4 oz size for (KD 4/500) and loved it so much that I repurchased it in the 411 g/14.5 oz size for (KD 7/000). Just to be clear, I picked it up in the medium 1 wick size, burned it, loved it and now repurchased it in a large 3 wick size. I think it’s the largest available. Once this runs out, I shall be repurchasing this. If you’re interested, here’s my review of the Mint Chocolate Candle.
Repurchase Mint Chocolate? Fo’ sho’.
I purchased this in the medium size 113 g/4 oz priced at (KD 4/500) because I wanted to try out some random candles and this looked interesting and going by its name, I assumed it would smell beach-y. It had a nice clean scent and after burning it, I could detect the smell of sweet coconuts.
The image on the sticker is the pattern of a seashell in swirls of of blue, white and orange-yellow. I think it’s gorgeous and regret not getting this in a larger size as I’m pretty sure that they’ve reformulated this scent and changed the packaging now.
I got these little ones 45 g/ 1.6 oz for KD 1/000 each. They both smell wonderfully tropical to me. The Pineapple Mango has a picture of a cute pineapple on it while the Island Nectar has a gorgeous image of an orange flower on a white sandy beach against a backdrop of aqua waters. I’d love to vay-kay there!
So to recap, I picked up 5 candles (2 large-sized candles, 1 medium-sized candle, and 2 miniature-sized candles) for a little over 20 KD.
Yet Another Update
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: March 18, 2012
Hello lovelies! Did you miss me? I know I missed you! Here is what’s new with me.
I’m a brunette, now. Thanks to the ombre hair trend, the transition from blonde to brunette was relatively pain-free. Oh, who am I kidding? It was an absolute delight (more on that in a seperate post). Things that looked unflattering on me as a blonde, now work for me as a brunette (if I do say so myself). By that same token, things that used to look flattering on me as a blonde, no longer work for me as a brunette. I’m slowly regaining my footing and finding my way which, will no doubt take some time, after all, I was a blonde for 10+ years.
Another recent change is that my familia and I moved houses. Now that transition was entirely unpleasant. I procrastinated until the very end. Then when I finally decided to pack, I chose to start with my makeup, seperating them by brand, no less. Obviously, I’ve never moved houses before. Obviously, I gave up halfway through. I didn’t have the heart to go through the rest of my things partly for sentimental reasons and partly because it seemed like the more I packed, the more stuff I had left to pack. Going through a lifetime of accumulated junk in a little upwards of a week was a daunting task so I just donated the majority of it.
Oh, and I also got engaged
’till next time, luvvies!
Collectibles: Versace Stunning Luminous Eyeshadow
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: November 22, 2011
The recent Versace for H&M debacle which I opted out of going (for those who did not get a chance to go, it’s covered here by Confashions from Kuwait), as unpleasant as it was, reminded me of one of my first perfumes as a tween, Red Jeans by Versace which came in a red tin packaging, and if I recall correctly was what started my whole obsession with gourmand (sweet, fruity, food-y) fragrances (and tin packaging), which in turn made me muse about Versace cosmetics I’ve acquired over the years, which inspired me to start a new series on my blog called Collectibles showcasing perfume/cosmetics that are too pretty to use i.e. Collectibles. Phew
Please note that what I might view as a “collectible” won’t necessarily be what you have in mind when you think of a collectible. My version of a collectible consists of products that I just can’t bare parting with including but not limited to products that have seen better days (way past their prime), products I’ve used and sometimes finished completely but love the packaging, products I feel sentimental attachment towards, and products that are just too pretty to use. Also note that my “collectibles” might not necessarily be luxury, designer, high-end products. It might be a really good budget product I found in a drugstore while traveling, or products from an indie company, or a gift given to me by a dear friend, etc…
Brand: Versace
Name: Stunning Luminous Eye Shadow Mono (Not sure if they make these anymore)
Shade: V2014-O (I prefer shade names instead of just boring numbers)
Packaging: It comes in a compact in gold with the Versace logo embossed in a protective transparent, dome-shaped, screw-top lid (3 grams/.10 oz). I like the packaging which is why this hasn’t been thrown out and sits on my vanity table looking all pretty.
Properties: The Versace eyeshadow is yet another finely milled eyeshadow, not unlike the Chanel eyeshadow, this eyeshadow is crazy soft but also suffers from some fall-out issues. When I applied this on my eyes, some of it ended up on cheeks and I liked the effect so I started using this particular shade as a highlight.
What they say:
A new compact mono eyeshadow developed to create varying shades of different colors. Six intense, brilliant colors that are easy to apply for a versatile dual-use product: applied dry, it creates a natural look; applied wet, it creates more intense, long-lasting color. Distinguished by a striking pearlized effect, Stunning Luminous Eye Shadow exalts the natural color of the iris with its intense, long-lasting radiance. Easy to apply, this creamy product glides on smoothly.
As you can see, a Versace eyeshadow (3 grams/0.10 oz) compared to a MAC eyeshadow (1.5 grams/0.05 oz) is literally twice as big.
Here’s a swatch on my hand with natural lighting.
Here’s another swatch (with flash).
Review: L’Occitane Verbena
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: November 16, 2011
- In: Body | Fragrance | Hair | Review
- Leave a Comment
We already have several L’Occitane Boutiques in Kuwait but it never occured to me to go in any of them. For example, at the Avenues, I’d just head towards The Body Shop or Boots totally ignoring L’Occitane. While traveling, one of the hotels I was staying at had provided L’Occitane toiletries (please tell me I’m not the only one who gets all excited when finding awesome toiletries at hotels) so naturally I snagged those. Back in Kuwait, I rushed over to L’Occitane to make sure they carried the Verbena line which I had quickly fallen in love with, bought a bar of soap and a candle just to get an idea about their prices and continued to use the stuff I’d accumulated from the trip. Now that I’ve run out, I think I’ll be visiting L’Occitane much more frequently. On to the review.
Brand: L’Occitane
Name/Shade: Verbena Body Lotion (30ml or 1Fl.oz.), Verbena Conditioner (30ml or 1Fl.oz.), Verbena Shampoo (30ml or 1Fl.oz.), Verbena Shower Gel (30ml or 1Fl.oz.), Extra Gentle Hand Soap with Shea Butter (Bar) (50g or 1.7oz and 100g or 3.5oz), and finally Soap with Verbena Leaves (25g or .8oz).
Price: Bar of Extra Gentle Hand Soap with Shea Butter in 100g KD1/750. Everything else mentioned was free, provided for by the hotel I was staying at as shower/bath amenities.
Purchased from: Avenues (again, I only bought a single bar of soap from the “Verbena” Line). Another purchase was the Honey & Lemon Scented Candle (in the top right corner in the following photo). Everything else just came with the room.
What They Say:
L’OCCITANE Verbena is formulated from a premium quality Verbena extract from Corsica, which is particularly fine and pure. The lemon fragrance energizes and revives the senses, thereby helping to banish tiredness and stress. Products include fragrances, shower gels and soaps.
Packaging: The Body Lotion, Conditioner, Shampoo, and Shower Gel provided, came in transparent, plastic, silver-flip-top, non-breakable bottles. The bigger soaps were wrapped in Kraft Adour (looks like cardboard paper, more on that later), and the litte leaf soaps (oh-so-adorable) were encased in a semi-transparent packaging. The packaging on these products although simple, struck me as elegant in their simplicity. I simply adore the vintage print.
Unlike the packaging of the bottled products, where all the information is printed on stickers stuck on the front and back, the soaps on the other hand have all the info you might need, actually printed on the packaging (Kraft Adour) which brings us back full circle to something else I wanted to mention. They have this whole spiel on the official site about how they use eco-friendly packaging and promote recycling and ya’ know what? They actually practice what they preach. “Kraft paper is a natural bio-material; unbleached, biodegradable, recyclable and the product of
renewable and actively renewed resources. Kraft paper decomposes naturally within a few weeks, just like leaves fallen from a tree“. That makes L’Occitane even more endearing to me.
Scent: I heart this scent! All the products in the Verbena Line smell divine! Each product has it’s own little variations but over all the scent is uniform; light, crisp, citrus-y, and fresh. Some of the contributing ingredients besides organic verbena are lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange. They describe it perfectly on the site as “uplifting”.
Properties: The products I tried out were mostly travel size so I couldn’t really tell much of a difference. That said, after using the shampoo and conditioner my hair was scented with “Verbena” which truly is a wonderful scent and my friends told me so, every time there was a light breeze. The shower gel and body lotion are favored by both males and females. The larger soaps contain shea butter and rosemary which is great for the skin. Last but certainly not least, those darling, leaf-shaped soaps contain crushed verbena leaves which makes them great for exfoliating. I know that for a fact because usually after sharpening my kohl pencil I run it across the back of my hand a couple of times to dull down the tip so it’s not too sharp but it takes ages of scrubbing to remove but with the soap with verbena leaves, all it took was lightly running it across the back of my hand and the kohl swatches were gone. Best of all, it’s gentle and not the least bit scratchy or painful (I’m looking at you, Lush’s Honey Soap). As a matter of fact, all L’Occitane products are safe, gentle, non-irritant, and actually soothing to even those with the most sensitive skin.
Beauty Fun Fact: On the hit show “The Vampire Diaries”, Vervain is used to protect humans against vampires.
Repurchase? Yes, I’m down to a single bar of soap. So I plan to purchase the entire Verbena line including the Verbena Eau de Toilette, Verbena Candle, Verbena Deo, Verbena Towelettes, Verbena shower products (in larger sizes), and maybe most importantly the Verbena Salt Scrub.
L’Occitane en Provence Boutiques are located at the following; Avenues, Fanar, and Tanagra (Al Kout).
New Updates
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: August 17, 2011
Hello lovelies, hope you are all having a lovely Ramadan!
I’ve added two new features to the sidebar, Facebook and Twitter.
Like my page on Facebook if you would like to have a chance to interact with me, vote on what kind of posts you would like to see on my blog, receive blog updates (new post, etc..), and be eligible to win prizes/giveaways. That said, I will be having giveaways on my blog as well.
Follow me on Twitter if you want updates on sales, deals, new collections, and more. I come across those all the time but do not feel that they deserve their own blog post so Twitter really is the best option for everyone.
Thank you!
Ramadan Nail Designs by Minx
Posted by: LuLu Luvs Makeup on: August 1, 2011
Blessed Ramadan everyone! Here are some Ramadan-inspired designs by Minx. Ironic, no? For those who need an explanation, Muslim women are not allowed to pray while wearing makeup or nailpolish, unless it’s that time of the month (shark week lol) when women are not expected to pray at all. As a matter of fact all muslims are supposed to perform a specific cleansing ritual also known as ablution before each and every prayer, and if a person is wearing nail polish, then the water won’t reach the person’s nailbed during said cleansing ritual making the ablution invalid. Others believe that it’s okay to wear nail polish and pray with it on, provided that you wash your hands and clean your nails thoroughly before applying said polish. It’s still a controversial topic. With Minx, it’s sort of the same concept because water won’t be able to reach your nail.
What do you lovelies think?
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