Battle of the boxes; the little black beauty box stardust edition

Part 2 of the Battle of the boxes; July, we look at the little black beauty box stardust edition!

I was super excited to get this box! But I should have known that because it's the stardust edition, they were collaborating with Stardust by John Little.Anyways this is supposed to be about asian brands. Sad to say, I am not very familiar with some of the items in the box.

So this is what's in the box when I first open it. You can see it is full of items. And I think they arranged the box very nicely!

 After I remove the 'first' layer...

 After I remove the 'second' layer...

 And the last layer!

So as you can see I received about 9 or 12 items depending on how you count it!

This box retails for SGD19.90 and you can get it here.

I had nothing much to write about this box because the information card had no information about the products unlike bellabox.

General thoughts?
The box is really worth it!The lashes itself are SGD14.90 at Watsons stores. But some of the things I didn't like because I don't know if I will use it!(like the lashes and Kinohi... 69 Women's drink)

Read Part 1 here.

Spotted at Watsons; Revlon lash potion volume and length mascara

So I was browsing through Watsons and spotted this! I thought it was cool that it was bundled with a free lash curler!

I actually got this when I was in the states but gave it away.

Amazing how the same products are packaged differently in different countries!

Battle of the boxes; Bellabox July American Beauty

So this July I somehow ended up with not one.Not two. But three subscription boxes! So I thought that I should do something of a comparison/review of how these boxes fared against each other.

 This post will focus on bellabox and I am taking a break from my California haul posts.

I love the artwork on the information card this month. So this month's theme is American Beauty I guess in honor of the 4th of July. What really intrigued me was the implication that the item in the box would tend to focus more on American brands.

I  subscribed to March and April's Bellabox and unsubscribed myself soon afterwards. Then when I saw the ad for July's Bellabox I got suckered to resubscribing.

 First thing I noticed about this box was how light it was! And when I shook it, it rattles. This box does look kind of sparse. But the items here are stuff that I would use.

In the box:

1. SAGE + FASTEN COMMON SENSE EAU DE PARFUM

Do down-to-eath femninity with SAGE + fasten's signature scent Common sense. Prompted by the need to stay grounded and sane in today's world of madness, let this scent serve as a wake-up call to boost our inner Venus goddess. Flustered by too many things? Spiritz on this alluring concoction of florals (orchid and lotus flowers) and fruity goodness (mango, peach and lychee) and you're good to go!

50ml/$65, value: $5.20

Thoughts?
I feel like this is not a scent I would really use.It's a more mature scent. But I think it's because scents are pretty personal. Some are more attracted to certain scents but unfortunately this didn't do it for me. I prefer more vanilla scents like Gucci flora or even Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck Enchanted.

2. theBALM COSMETICS MARY-LOU MANIZER HIGHLIGHTER/SHADOW/SHIMMER
Boys best beware- MARY-LOU MANIZER is on the loose! The seemingly innocent honey-hued highlighter/shadow adds a sexy sheen to our finest features. Get glowing with this subtle light diffusing shimmer.

8.5g/ $29, value: $3.41 

 Thoughts?
I have always been facsinated with theBalm and always wanted to try something up by them. Heard so much good things about their eyeshadows and this highlighter. I have been to SASA to swatch them and found it incredibly pigmented.But the prices there are crazily marked up.
 
3. CLARK'S BOTANICALS DEEP MOISTURE MASK
 Available at noted retailers such as Lane Crawford (Hong Kong) and 10 Corso Como (Italy), Clark's Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask contains a high concentration of algae extract to revive that dry and tired look. Time to wake up to wrinkle-free, hydrated and nourished skin!

50ml/ $94, value: unknown as the volume of the sample was not written anywhere


Thoughts?
Nothing. I haven't even opened it. This is the only product that I wasn't thrilled to get. And how is it american beauty if its sold in HK and Italy?

4. JANE TRAN BOBBY PIN SET

Express your artistic traits through what you wear in your hair - you're born to shine and stand out among the crowd! Broaden your creativity and have fun taking your pick between two eye-catching designs in a set

$15, this angered me because $15 for what? these 2 clips? I checked the bellabox website and it is selling 6 clips/ $15.80. So I have no clue where they plucked this figure from. Using the $15.80 figure, these 2 clips are worth about $5.26


Thoughts?
This was the first thing I used. But well I don't think there was anything special about it tbh.

5. ORGANIX SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER
Organix, a hair care brand based in the USA, has a strong commitment to the integrity of its ingredients. Their hair care range includes ultra-rich shampoos, conditioners, creams and oils, and their bath and body range are infused with the most delightful scents. 

385ml/ $15.90, value: 4.96

Thoughts?
I love the scents on these shampoos.I am using a shampoo from this line.

As a bonus we got nail stickers!!!

So that was July's Bellabox. How would you rate it?

You can click here to check out Bellabox yourself!

Read my April Bellabox review here!

California Haul Part 2: Bath & Body Works/ Victoria's Secret

Singapore does not have a BBW although tons of VS stores have cropped up in Singapore albeit at super inflated prices. I have been to BBW in Dubai where again the prices were just as inflated.

For some reason I am in love with the hand sanitizers from BBW. They are so cute and smell so good! I got 10 of the pocketbacs. I gave like 5 away. One thing I did regret not getting were the holders!It totally escaped my mind. That's the thing with not writing lists of things you want to get! It is so easy to forget everything in the heat of the moment!

'

 I also got the one with the pump which I have on my dresser right now! And it is so addictive! Because its so easy to use! Should have gotten more dang it. I am not in love with the scent and if I could repurchase this I would but most probably in a different scent. But it was like on the shelves so I just grabbed it and went. I don't even know if I went around the whole store.

 I also got two of their anti-bacterial handsoaps. They are currently rotting in my drawer waiting to be used. I put handsoaps in the kitchen toilet because that's where I put on my contact lenses and I am kinda anal about washing my hands properly before I touch my lenses. I initially just took one but the lady at the counter was like you should get another one so I did!

 Over at VS they were having like a 75% off sale. So I got 2 of these body mists for like US$3.50 and US$4.50 each respectively which I am pretty gleeful about. I don't think Singapore carries either of these lines. I know for a fact they don't carry the PINK range. VS in Singapore is extremely limited. They only carry their perfume range, tons of the cosmetic bags, some underwear and a few beauty related stuff.

The thing about VS mists is that they tend to be really sweet smelling. I do like a sweet scent occasionally but sometimes I feel...overwhelmed.So when I smelled the PINK Surf Party, I was so excited that it wasn't a sweet scent!

But I think it's so cool that store in the US can offer like up to 75% off their items. Whereas during the Great Singapore Sale(GSS) VS only had like a up to 40% off sale. And even then after the discount, that like the original price of items if you buy it in the states.

If BBW reaches Singapore's shores, I can't imagine how high the mark up will be!

I also got some cotton undies from VS. The 5/$26 and some cotton bras, 2/$49. Not pictured because it just felt weird.

The thing about shopping in California is the taxes. 8%! Kills me. That's a lot of money! Thank god that in Singapore prices of goods traditionally are already inclusive of GST.

Read my California Haul Part 1: Clothes here

California Haul part 1: CLOTHES

So I have been neglecting my blog lately. Finally decided I can't put it off any longer. It's been haunting me.

Okay I didn't get much in terms of clothes because;

1. It was summer so the clothes were more summer inclined. I couldn't find many long sleeved type blouses

2. I HAD TOO LITTLE TIME TO SHOP. My brother planned this trip and sadly there wasn't much time for shopping as opposed to Disneyland and all the other tours.

 

As you can see I got pants. Walmart's selection of clothes that I would wear was pretty sparse. I did get some exercise pants there though. Like three pairs!The third is in black and was in the washing machine when I was taking this photo.They were marked down to $7 which is a pretty good buy I thought! I got ONE pair of jeans only for $14.80. Thee were so cheap and awesome!This was one of my bigger regrets because it was from forever21+ which I can't get in Singapore so I should have gotten a few more pairs as I originally intended. I also got a shawl from Levi's for a friend of mine. These were on sale for $4.97 from like $24.99! America has crazy sales and discounts in my opinions. Like you can get tons of coupons!

 I also got this top from forever21 for $19.90. I didn't realise that it was a men's top until I bought it and I was like -_- It has a flower print!!!And I found it at the women's section! How could I have known??? But it's a pretty top. And no one can see the label right?

The last item I got was this white top from H&M.It was on sale for $10.I love it except that it is so white. I am totally gonna stain it somehow. It feels like a lab coat actually.

So that's all I got there for clothes. Blogging about it is supposed to somehow immortalize it for me. I spent a lot of money and I really have no clue where it went sometimes. I go like I couldn't have spent that much right???

I loved going there but as a muslim I was pretty glad to come back to Singapore. Simply because I was excited to be able to eat chicken at Mcdonalds again! Food was pretty hard for us. I didn't feel so sad at having to leave the US. It's not a place I feel safe in compared to Singapore. And I like to think I am not biased or anything because I live here but I actually went to Dubai last December and I hated having to come back. I can imagine myself living in Dubai. I just can't imagine living in the states. Or maybe just California? Since it's not like I've been to everywhere in the states.

So I just want to explain the not much shopping thing as we really only had one day to shop. And we 'wasted' it at Anaheim Plaza. So the Anaheim Resort Transport(ART) travels to Anaheim Plaza hourly from 8am-noon and 5-8pm. There isn't supposed to be a bus from noon to 4pm.But on the map it says there is a bus coming back from Knott's Berry Farm to Disneyland passing by Anaheim Plaza at 12.40pm. Which is kind of contradictory to the no bus from noon to 4pm. So my brother left us there and took the 11.40am bus because he didn't like it much. My mum and I waited and waited for an HOUR for the 12.40pm bus which never came. We suspect they just didn't got to the stop. So we waited for the 5pm bus which when we finally reached the hotel at like 6pm angered my brother because he said we should have taken a taxi instead of wasting our time.

He actually went to the Outlets at Orange during that time.And went to Fresh Choice Marketplace to get food and went back to the hotel. So yeah I could see why he was angry. After I got back we went to Outlets at Orange and I got some BBW and VS stuff(up next!) but I couldn't really shop for clothes and stuff because it was so rushed. I would have loved to spend most of the day there instead.

I actually went to Westfield Plaza as well but on the worst day possible!A sunday!When the mall closes at 7PM. And the next bus would be coming only at 8pm. We reached there abut 5pm.The frequency is every 3 hours. It had all the big department stores like JC penny and Macy's and Nordstrom. Would have been really great if I had had time to shop there properly! Man, talking about stuff I didn't do saddens me.

But the shopping thing is a personal preference. Somehow in my head I feel like shopping has become really important to me. Which is not really a good thing. I love the memories I made on my trip. I am blessed to have been able to go there and visit Disneyland again with my mum and brother. It was spectacular. Hopefully I can go there again one day and bring my kids along.(when I finally have kids that can appreciate this type of things...so maybe 2 more decades?)

But right now if I do go to the States, I want to go New York! or Florida!

First look: HADA LABO Cleaser and Lotion

Let me introduce to you.....*drum roll*... HADA LABO. 

Background: I few weeks ago(more like months now, smirk smirk) I went to KL. At that time thinking I would never step foot on Japanese soil,(which I ended up doing for a total of 4 hours HARHAR) I was itching to get my hands on the HADA LABO lotion because I received a sample of it from my recent sample store 'purchase' and was WOWed. It made my skin feel so soft. Like a baby's bottom. Instead I found this duo pack so I decided to grab it so that I can try the cleanser as well!

Product: This has an ingredient called SUPER HYALURONIC ACID which I think is in a lot of night moisturisers but I think the one in the HADA LABO lotion is more concentrated. So basically this SUPER HYALURONIC ACID is a huge selling point and that a lot of Japanese skincare actually banks on this as well.

WHAT IS HYALURONIC ACID???

Well I am glad you asked.

" Hyaluronic acid(sodium hyaluronate) is a fluid that surrounds the joints and is found in skin tissue. Aging slows the production of this acid, so it is often supplemented as an anti-aging treatment. It is used as a filler for wrinkles(injections) and can be applied topically or taken in pill form. It is often added to moisturizer and works to hydrate skin."    -Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual

This was a Watsons exclusive product. I didn't see this anywhere in Singapore but I saw this in Johor and Kuala Lumpur so maybe its specifically for Watsons Singapore?

Price: about RM 55

Final first impressions: I noticed that this is made in CHINA. A friend went to Japan and got the HADA LABO lotion (the one made in Japan for about half the price its sold at in Singapore(SGD$22.90) which made me go like why??? T.T) I am sure there is no difference because I believe in Japanese Companies ensuring strict quality control.


Honestly I think if you have dry skin, you should try this out!

I am BACK from California!!!-HUGE HAUL COMING UP!

The title says it all!!!

I went to California. Did the whole Disneyland thing and of course some shopping.

I went to Sephora at Downtown Disney, Anaheim Plaza, The Outlets at Orange and Westfield(I went on a Sunday and it closed at 7pm!!!I was like WTH??? and the best part was that the next bus was at 8.30pm!), I also went to Hollywood and Highland centre I think it's called. I managed to get my comfort zone palette here at CVS after not seeing WnW at Walmart.

I am not gonna post anything yet for a few days/weeks.Not sure how I am gonna blog about all the things I got. My pile of to be blogged about is growing.

There are also things that I did not get even though I was planning on getting them which of course I regret not getting. I think I will put it on my wishlist and update it every month.

I may be posting some other random photos as well of my trip. I just wished I had more time to shop.

Here is a picture of Venice Beach which was an INTERESTING experience for me. Needless to say beaches here in Singapore are definitely not as colorful.