International Make-up Shopping (Nordstrom & Borderlinx)

I recently purchased MAC makeup from the Nordstrom website. Since Nordstrom doesn't ship cosmetics and beauty products internationally, I had to use a shippping forwarder. My friend told me about Borderlinx. You register for FREE and they give you a US & UK address for free!
I prefer buying makeup from the states because it is cheaper compared to here in Saudi Arabia. For example, a MAC lipstick is only $15 (56 SAR) in the states but over here in KSA, MAC sells it for 98 SAR, that's 42 SAR difference! Recently, I purchased $270 worth of makeup (12 items), had it shipped to my Borderlinx address, payed ONLY $25 shipping from the US to here in KSA, and I still saved $60 buying from Nordstrom compared to buying here in KSA! Shipping was fast too! I received my items within 3 days!

What I like about Borderlinx is they repack your shipments to save you from shipping costs. My items originally came in a box from nordstrom, and they repacked the items in a plastic DHL package to save space and weight. They charge shipping based on size & weight, you can even check the price on their Intl. Shipping Calculator.

Be sure not to order prohibited items (listed here) because your shipments will be on hold. I accidentally ordered MAC brush cleaner (didn't know there was alcohol in it. Anything containing alcohol or flammable substance are prohibited) and they e-mailed me that my package could not be shipped. I had to either have them send the item back to Nordstrom, or dispose it. Sending the item back to the sender costs $20 so I decided to let them dispose the brush cleaner.

So if you want to shop from US websites and need a US address, register at Borderlinx now! 

Regretting My Recent Purchase (MAC Pro Palette)

I just got home from a long day of shopping. I stopped by MAC earlier and was excited to get the new empty palette! I wanted to buy the single ones with the clear cover so I asked the lady if they have it, and she said yes! She showed me the inserts of eyeshadows and blushes together with the empty palettes, single and duo. Wow I didn't know they had the duo here in KSA! I got even more excited! I told her I didn't want the inserts cause I plan to depot my other non-mac stuffs as well. So I asked her for the prices.

The single palette with the clear cover was 150 SAR ($40).
(photo from maccosmetics.com)

The duo palette was 230 SAR ($61).
(photo from maccosmetics.com)

At that moment I had no idea how much the palletes were in the states all I know that it was a little expensive based on Dustin Hunter's youtube video about the palettes. I bought the duo and got home really excited!

(MAC old palette on the left, MAC new palette on the right)

After depotting my eyeshadows and blushes, I went online and checked http://maccosmetics.com for the original prices. As soon as I saw how much the palettes were, I was shocked!!! From the MAC website, both single and duo palettes were $8 each!!! I paid $53 more than the original price!!!! I could have bought a lot of makeup with that amount! So now I am in deep regret. I should have checked the website first before buying the palette so I was able to know how much they were in the states. :(

Oh well..... Lesson learned. Research about the product before buying!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Al Khubar,Saudi Arabia

How to Trim, Shape, and Fill In Your Brows

My friends always ask me how I do my brows so I decided to do a video tutorial on it. :) This is how I usually shape my brows. I sometimes set it with MAC Beguille brow set or MAC Girl boy brow set after filling in with Dip Down. Hope you enjoy this video! :)

MAC 'Illustrated' by Rebecca Moses Brown Face Kit (Swatches & Video)

MAC Rebecca Moses Face Kit (brown)

If you've read my previous post, you'll know that I recently purchased the brush set and this palette from MAC's newest collection, 'Illustrated' by Rebecca Moses. I was excited cause this is my 1st time to purchase a palette from a collection. It was $49.50 ($101 value) at the Nordstrom website.

This palette includes:

1 blush (melba)

4 eyeshadows (clockwise: orb, all that glitters, show stopper, smoked sepia)

2 lipsticks (Ravishing clean, Myth light)

1 duo brush (275 SE medium angled brush, and 316 SE lip brush)

The 275 SE brush is so scratchy! I own a 2009 275SE but it was so soft, wider and fluffier, however the one included in this palette is very very scratchy and thinner.

Rebecca Moses Face Kit blush and eyeshadow swatches

The blush & eyeshadows are pigmented but you can barely see orb on my arm cause it's close as my skin color. I thought smoked sepia would be more of an orange brown but it's more of a rustic/dirty brown. I think show stopper was the only e/s I had a difficult time applying to my lid I feel like I need to scrape the eyeshadow on the pan to be able to get a good color pay off.

 MAC L/S comparisons

MAC L/S comparisons

And now, my FIRST youtube video :) Tutorial on how I use this palette. Hope you like it! :)

MAC 'Illustrated' Collection by Rebecca Moses All Over Brush Kit (Nordstrom Exclusive)

MAC All Over Brush Kit ('Illustrated' by Rebecca Moses)

Nordstrom recently launched this collection few weeks ago, and I had to make sure I get my hands on this brush set and the brown palette (photos and swatches on my next post). The ribbon design of the brush roll is just so pretty and girly and I just love the combination of brushes included in this kit. 

I bought them online at Nordstrom for $49.50 and had them delivered via Borderlinx since Nordstrom don't allow beauty products to be shipped internationally. I only payed $25 of shipping fee together with another 12 items of makeup. Still cheaper than to buy MAC here in Saudi Arabia!

 I was just wasn't crazy with the outside design which I thought are kinda creepy, but I love the matte black brush handles.

 According to Nordstrom:

M·A·C presents a brush roll featuring exclusive illustrations by witty fashion designer, Rebecca Moses and special-edition brushes shaped with full-size brush heads.

Kit includes:
- 168 SE Large Angled Contour Brush (1 1/4"W x 5"H).
- 287 SE Duo Fibre Eyeshadow Brush (1 1/4"W x 5"H).
- 224 SE Tapered Blending Brush (1 3/4"W x 5"H).
- 219 SE Pencil Brush (1 1/2"W x 5"H).
- 266 SE Small Angle Brush (1 1/2"W x 5"H).
- Brush roll crafted with pocket, flap to protect brushes and two small open pouches secured with an easy and efficient ribbon closure (6 1/2"W x 4"H; 8 1/2"H when open).

The 168 SE is used for applying blush, or bronzer to contour the face.

The 287 SE is great for applying gel e/s or paint pots to give a lid a wash of color and to help blend the product in.
The 224 SE is great for blending the harsh edges of eyeshadow and for blending concealer.
The 266 SE is great for applying gel liner on the top lash line or for creating a defined brow.

 Here's a side by side comparison of my MAC 168SE from 2009 Nordstrom exclusive and from the 2013 collection. The new brush is a little denser and more compact where as the one from the old collection is more loose and fluffy.

Here's a side by side comparison of the MAC 219 SE and the full sized 219. The brush are exactly the same! I know most people say that MAC travel brushes have bad quality compared to the full sized ones, but I own 2 brush sets from different collection and I'm happy with it and didn't think it was created poorly.

I think this brush set is great especially when traveling, and if you want to try MAC brushes without breaking the bank, this is a good deal! :)

Magnifibres: Brush On False Lashes

It's every girl's dream to have long, volumized, curled lashes. So when I browsed Lookfantatic's website and saw Magnifibre's, I just had to get it and try it for myself.

Magnifibres £17.00 at www.lookfantastic.com 

According to Magnifibres' website: Say goodbye to falsies with this no glue, no fuss and no mess alternative. The 100% natural fibres create captivating, luscious lashes that are glamourous yet natural-looking. Simply apply your usual mascara, then while it's still wet apply the Magnifibres onto your lashes. Wait 30-60 seconds, then add another coat of mascara to conceal the fibres. Voila! Show-stopping lashes are now yours.

1. Bare Lashes 2. One coat of Benefit "They're Real" mascara 3. One coat of Magnifibres 

4. Another coat of Benefit "They're Real"

As you can see, I don't think there's any difference using Magnifibres (left) and 2 coats of mascara without Magnifibres (right). I used the product according to the instructions and was really disappointed with the results. *sad face* I expected so much with this product but after using and trying it with different mascaras, It still didn't do what it claimed to do.

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub

According to LUSH:   Indulge in the sweet-and-salty taste of this delectable lip scrub. Sugar and fine sea salt exfoliate away dry skin while jojoba and coconut oils restore essential hydration to the lips for a smooth, softened pout. Use Popcorn on its own for a luxurious (and delicious!) lip treatment, or before applying your favorite lip color for perfectly soft, kissable lips. Just try not to eat it straight from the pot!

FEATURES

• A lasting impression: A little Popcorn goes a long way, so this wee pot holds dozens of uses.
• Here to stay: Popcorn was so popular over the holidays we had to keep it around!
• Smooth moves: Kiss dry, rough lips goodbye! Popcorn leaves lips satiny smooth.

How To Use: Scrub your lips with our sugary Lip Scrubs to make them smooth and tempting. Take a pea-sized amount and scrub your lips soft, then lick off the excess!

 I got this on sale during my vacation back home. It was originally 495php and I bought it for 247php ($5.70)

I used it as directed. It really tasted like salty caramel popcorn! I scrubbed my lips till the dry flakes were off. Here's a before and after photo.

As you can see my lips are so chapped and became a lot smoother after scrubbing. The dry parts on the upper lip were gone. Be careful not to scrub too hard cause it might cause your lips to bleed if you have  really chapped lips.

I really love this product and would definitely purchase again! :) Have you tried LUSH lip scrubs? What's your favorite?

Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick 107

This is my first Rimmel lipstick and I'm so glad I tried it. It's matte, has great color pay off, and affordable! I bought this at Centrepoint for 45 SAR. I was able to get only one color from the collection cause they only had 4 shades at the counter and the other 3 was quite similar to my other lipsticks, but after trying this one I might get the nude one next time.

Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish 107

Comparisons: MAC Most Popular, Rimmel Kate 107, MAC Ruby Woo

As you can see on the swatches, 107 is like an opaque, and matte version of Most Popular. If I just put it on lightly on my lips and apply a clear gloss on top, it would look almost similar to the MAC one but Most Popular is slightly pinker.

Rimmel Kate 107

My daughter said I looked like an evil step mother on this photo bwahaha I think it's because of the strong eyes and lips. I used Sleek "Oh So Special" palette on my eyes which you can see the swatches here and I used Rimmel Kate 107 on my lips.

Sleek "Oh so special" on the lids and Rimmel Kate 107 on the lips

If you are searching for affordable matte lipsticks, I recommend getting these Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish lippies. :)

Sleek "Oh So Special" (Swatches)

This has got to be my favorite palette from Sleek makeup. I'm a fan of plums and corals when it comes to eyeshadows and this palette can go from day to night. If I were to travel and could only bring one palette, this would definitely be it. 

 Sleek "Oh So Special"

 Swatches (natural light no flash)

Swatches (with flash)

No primer was used on all of the swatches. See how pigmented the colors are? But  even though the color payoff's great, I still wouldn't recommend not using a primer because the eyeshadows are pretty powdery and might fall off your lids at the end of the day. For $9.99 this palette is a must have! :)

Here's a simple EOTD I did yesterday using this palette.

Sephora Nail Patch Art "Chinese Blossom"

I did a review of the Sephora Nail Patch art a year ago which can be found here. I want to share with you a new design I got from Sephora called "chinese blossom."

I used:

1. Sally Hansen "hard as nails" nail hardener as a base
2. Sephora nail patch art
3. Nail file
4. Essence gel-look top coat


1. I applied the base & let it dry for a few minutes.
2. Fit the nail patch to your nails and tear the white part, then apply. (instruction sheet included in the nail patch art)
3. As I said on my past review, instead of tearing the patch, I filed the excess to give a cleaner look.
4. Apply top coat.


On my past review I didn't write anything bad about this product, but now I'm going to share with you a slight con of the nail patch.

See the gap? The nail patches were a little narrow for my nails. I suggest applying a nail polish of the same color as the nail patch before applying the actual nail patch, or like what I did here, I applied a black polish on the gap using a nail art pen after applying the patch.

Overall I'm still satisfied witch this patch and it still took a long time  before I experienced any chipping. In case you were wondering how I get them off, just like glitter polishes, soak a cotton ball into nail polish remover, put it on your nail, and wrap it with foil. Wait a few minutes and wipe off. :)

Sleek Makeup

I've been seeing bloggers raving about Sleek Makeup for the last 2 years but it was only recently that I've decided to see for myself what the hype was all about. I placed my order on their website sleekmakeup.com on April 19, and on their website, you can see the status of your order. Mine said "Processing" for 2 days so I really wasn't sure if my orders went through cause I've read on their FB page and other blog posts that many people were having issues with their orders like they still haven't received their package after 2 months, some of the items were missing, some of the orders wasn't processed even though the amount of the purchase was deducted through their credit card, etc. So I e-mailed them on April 21, and they responded the next day and said that the items were already shipped. The only downside of purchasing from them is that they don't provide you with tracking numbers. Luckily, I received my items after 15 days from the dispatch date. In case you didn't know, sleek makeup is a UK makeup brand and they ship internationally. Shipping was only $5.09!

My orders were nicely packed and the eyeshadows were in good shape. :)

 Face contour kit in Medium ($8.49), Acid palette ($9.99)

 Bad girl palette ($9.99), Au naturel palette ($9.99)

My most fav palette of all, Oh so special ($9.99)

I'm happy with the items and will definitely purchase again from their website! I will probably do separate posts for swatches and looks using these palettes. :)