The Body Shop Teal Tree Oil Blackhead Minimizing Mask Review

The Body Shop Teal Tree Oil Blackhead Minimizing Mask is a green mask made with tea tree oil which is known to combat oily skin. The mask is used to unclog pores and helps prevent blacks while controlling shine.

It's recommend you smear the mask on, let it sit for 15 minutes, and peel off. I purchased this to use on my nose as I read on MUA it was some sort of miracle worker for removing blackheads.

Umm nope.

The mask is a wet white silicon mask that turns a light shade of green when in contact with your skin. Once on it just feels like a cold, wet, gooey mess. Once it dries it doesn't quite "peel off" so you're left rubbing it off

Tarte Indelible Wink Review

Tarte's Indelible Wink has been around a while in a standard black color however for Fall Tarte has introduced a new Plum shade that's quite sexy for a smoked eye look!

Our liquid liner & shadow set is sure to make you feel like a vixen. Maybe you’ll play it safe with a sleek, budgeproof line or go a little edgy with a smudged, sexified look.

Line ‘em and leave ‘em in 5 seconds flat.

How the get that indelible wink (and keep ‘em coming back for more):
1. Starting at the inner corner of the eye, line your upper lid with the liquid liner—keeping the liner tip as close to the lashline as possible.
2. Using the powder liner tip, gently retrace over the liquid liner—this will smooth, set and blend the line.

Color Descriptions:
Black: True black liquid liner and matching matte shadow
Charcoal: Charcoal grey liquid liner and matching matte shadow
Brown: Deep brown liquid liner and matching matte shadow
Plum: Deep purple liquid liner and matching matte shadow

When it comes to skin care I'm a creature of habit. I haven't changed what I use on my face in years and years. I've been a Lush skin care guru for many a fine year now and if you tell me of some new and exciting skin care that works wonders for you, chances are I'll turn up my nose and go back to my beloved Lush.

I also happen to be the world's cheapest person on the planet when it comes to skin care. I hate dishing out big dollars for moisturizers, toners, eye creams, etc...that promise me the world and fail to deliver. It's the worst feeling when spending $100 USD on an eye cream that can't even come through on the small promises it makes such as de-puffing my eye area!

I ventured out of my well worn skin care path for over a month now and discovered the pleasures and joys of using The Somme Institute Skin Care System. I know, I know the first thing you are probably concerned about is price and I am too. Sadly this completely system does not come cheap but honestly do we really mind shelling out our hard earned dollars on something if it works? I don't mind in the least. If it works, if it keeps it's promises, and if it delivers I will pay millions for it!

In this case The Somme Institute Skin Care Collection comes through and the Muse can't be more pleased with the results!

I was able to test this great collection out for over a month as I had mentioned and I'm dismayed to say that when I originally got it I was somewhat scared of the price and the promises but all that aside let me explain the ups, downs, pros, and cons!

This is a simple 5 step system that gets your skin from blah to wow in a very short time! You KNOW how picky I am and if I'm telling you it's good that definately means it is good!

5 Steps to Great Looking Skin:

• Nourishing Cleanser
• Transport
• Serum
• A-Bomb
• Double Defense
• BRAND NEW to the Line: Eye (I cheated! It's 6 Steps!)

I think I'll start by mention

Prescriptives Camouflage Cream Concealer Review

Diorskin Extreme Fix Review

God knows how long it's been since I originally purchased Dior Extreme Fix. Hmmmm I'd say I got it February?

"But Muse why did you take so long to blog about it?"

I've had my lab coat on and have been extensively testing this before giving you my final word and thoughts.

Well...maybe I don't have any final word yet since I can honestly say I'm not even sure if I like it or not.

I've been using this every single day for at least 3 months or more and I can't make up my mind if it's a Hit or a Miss!

What the hell is Diorskin Extreme Fix anyway? What's it do? Who needs it?

This is a translucent finishing powder. I know, I know big fat deal who cares! Tried one powder you've tried 'em all!

Not really in this case the powder happens to be packed full of fun silicons that promise to make your foundation last and last and last. I purchased this after reading a rather rave review from my mate's blog at Divalicious Glamazon. I also happened upon some startling wonderful reviews on MUA where it received a rating of 5.0!

I'm not really show if I love this yet in all honesty. It just feels like a glorified finishing powder to me. It hasn't really made my

Aquafina Advanced Hydration Overnight Recovery Moisturizer Review

I haven't used drugstore skincare since I was at least 14 or 15 years old however I did make an exception to the rule when I seen that Aquafina had out a new skincare line. I mean seriousl

Random Acts of Iris

This post is ridiculously long over do. It should have been posted months ago but the Muse gets swamped to say the least!

My good friend Iris, who lives in Singapore, sent me over a package of yummy goodies a few months ago. I meant to blog these because I wanted to gush over what she got me but I've been so terribly swamped that I didn't have the chance.

Now I do.

Excited aren't you?

First of all I should say Iris and I have the strangest little friendship. Although we don't talk often because we are always so busy with life, the universe, and everything we still manage to stay good friends. I'd like to think it's because we are so much alike. Iris is very special to me and she's just done too many things for me to count. She's always gone out of her way for me. Listening to me rant about my blog, lugging home ridiculously large packages of Japanese cosmetics and sending them out to me via airmail, randomly sending me lovely little packages, answering my endless questions, the list goes on and on.

I sound like a chick flick right now but I'm just thankful that even though we can go months without saying a word to each other when we do talk it's like no time has passed at all. I'm lucky. Sincerely lucky.

Thanks Iris. For being you.

Now for the good part.

Last Fall Paul and Joe had released it's newest Sparkles Collection and one of the prints was a really cool, flattering orangy Fall cat print. I love Fall and I love Halloween. The print reminded me of both and I fell in love with it.

At the time they also had a GWP with purchase that included this print on a tote style purse that I fell in love with. I e-mailed Iris right away asking for a CP. Sadly, I ended up skipping for some reason or another.

But obviously Iris didn't forget because many months later a large envelope pops into my mail and inside is none other than the purse tote that I so deperately wanted.

Look!







I realize some people are thinking how terribly loud it is...but lord knows I love it. *Happy Sigh*

Inside the tote was a Pupa quad as well in a delicious array of lovely browns that's most flattering on thise Muse's eyes.





So you see, the moral of the story is, good friends are simply awesome and we should always be thankful for having some in our life!

New Resolutions 2009

I hope everyone is having a Happy New Year so far! It's probably going to be a rough year ahead for the world but hopefully we'll all come out of it smiling. I like to make resolutions for the New Year but like everyone I don't always stick to 'em but I definitely try and a majority of the time I normally stick to around 70-80% of the list I make out for myself! So I don't have too bad a track record when it comes my resolutions for the year!

I'm a little late with this but read ahead to hear what I resolve to do for the upcoming year!

Get Organized, Scale Back, Only Buy What I'll Use

Whoa did you read those three statements? I must be nuts! Especially that scale back part!

Fact of the matter is I noticed I've accumulated a ton of cosmetics since blogging. Granted I've always had a load of cosmetics even before that but after blogging this past year it's been a bit nutty to say the least. I'd really like to only buy what I know I'll use or items that are unique. This basically means that just because MAC has introduced a new aqua eyeshadow I do NOT need to add it to the 50 plus aqua shadows I already have. It's hard to admit how ridiculous I am sometimes but ridiculous it is. I just want to control my cosmetic urges a bit better just because the aqua eyeshadow is LE does not mean I need it considering I have the same shade in another shadow that laid claim to being LE as well. It's insanity I tell you! This year I'm going to try to approach cosmetics with a choosy and careful attitude. Pick what I know I'll use, don't be swayed by LE's, think before I buy, take note what I already have and don't dupe it "just because", and finally try to go for unique items and avoid the rest.

I'm an organized freak by nature and everything in my house from books, to clothes, to shoes, makeup, and dvds are all organized to perfection. I like my belongings to be in perfect condition and to be organized in a neat, tidy fashion (can't say the same for my desk at my office). My makeup collection is organized perfectly and I know just where everything is however I have too many boxes, small organized, cabinets, etc....everything is spaced out and I hate that. This year I'm aiming to buy a few draws or cabinets or something and put my ENTIRE collection into that one spot. I hate having a hundred of different organizers...I just want one maybe two at the most that has a slew of draws where I can organize individual items and just keep everything together in a neat, tidy, and small space.

I'd really like to scale back my collection this year as well. I haven't been through it in a few months because I've been so busy but I want to get through it and see what I don't need/want/or hasn't been used and just swap it away or sell or donate it to friends. It's silly to have a slew of items that are not being used when I can use them as swap bait or any number of the other things I mentioned. I really aim to scale back some of what I own this year and maybe make room for all the "unique items" I'll be buying (hehe I made a funny there!).

More Me Time

This one probably sounds shallow but I actually don't have enough "me" time. I'd love some free time during the week or the weekend without my friends. I'm always with them.....feels like 24/7...and I'm missing out on some quality time doing things that I love doing such as reading (I'm a big geek for books), watching TV shows (I have dozens of shows piled on my Tivo), gaming, and just chilling out a little bit. I simply adore all my mates but going to dinner every night, shopping, hanging out, etc...every single day gets a bit much. I'd love to make some time for me and I aim to do that this year.

Weekends with the Muse

You might have noticed from Friday Afternoon all the way to Monday morning you don't get a single Muse from me. This is because I'm extremely busy on the weekend doing this, that and the other thing. My weekends are packed with activity and I just have no time to blog. This weekend I did quite a few posts and I felt good about it so this year I aim to use the schedule feature on blogger and have posts written up during the week that I'll schedule to post on the weekend. I'd really like to dedicate some extra time to do these posts during the week so they'll be ready for Friday, Saturday and Sunday postings when I'm away.

E-mail

Oh e-mail....the bane of my existent. I know it'll never happen but I pray daily that one day I'll catch up with all the e-mail this site generates. I love you all so much and I'd love to be able to answer every single e-mail you send me but if I took time out to write each person back everyday I'd honesty have no time to post anything on this blog...I'd just be emailing people. First off if you ever wrote me an e-mail and never got a reply...I apologize....The site generates ridiculous amounts of e-mail daily and I can't keep up. I'm so sorry. I hope to someday get a better system and get organized and to finally answer all the e-mails that await me...but for now do be patient. This year I hope I'll get more of a handle on my inbox and start clearing it out. I know a few people e-mail me for cps and get me this, get me that...and again I'd love to run around town and shop for all of you but sometimes I just don't have the time. I do offer out of the kindness of my heart but a majority of the time I can't always fulfill the request...I'm deeply sorry about that. If you need me for any reason the best way to contact me is leave a comment or twitter me! You'll get a way faster reply ;) Promise.

I guess that's pretty much the extent of what I resolve to do this year! I've already made a good solid effort

Pieces of Life: The Strange Edition

Little snippets about the Muse's life at the moment!

Currently topping my Tivo:

Say Word!


Thanks J.J. I'm finally not too LOST!


On my iPod:


Currently Reading:

Favorite Food of the Moment:

Pieces of Life: The Hello Kitty Edition

Everyone is going absolutely mad since MAC Hello Kitty has taken the blogging world by storm with the official MAC images. It's getting exciting now isn't it? Especially considering how gorgeous MAC Hello Kitty Kouture is looking (but damn expensive! eep!)!

I've been bitten by the Hello Kitty bug myself for over 20 years! Eep! In that time I swear I've collected so much rubbish that's Hello Kitty themed in nature! A toaster, a mini fridge (for my skincare), various clothes, jewelry, watches, makeup, hair accessories, a jail broken cell phone from Japan, a mouse and keyboard, a mini ipod, stickers, stationary, a digital camera,...you name it and the Muse probably has it printed with Hello Kitty.

Check out a few great Hello Kitty finds after the jump!

You may have already come across the Hello Kitty credit card from Visa....yes, Visa offers a Hello Kitty credit card. What's not to love about whipping Miss Kitty out of purses and paying for our cosmetic purchases with it right?

You probably didn't know this but if you happen to have a bank account with Bank of America they offer a service called "My Expressions Banking" which lets you customize your banking services with a favorite character or personal photo. Of course, you guessed it, they have a Hello Kitty theme! I've had the service for a while and absolutely adore it. It includes Hello Kitty checks, a Hello Kitty debit card, and personalize banking statements with Hello Kitty on it! Oh my god the cuteness is too much to handle! I adore that my debit has a sweet, pink Hello Kitty on it and I get so many compliments on it.

I do all my banking online so checks and such are kinda pointless however if you write out alot of checks do visit Checks in the Mail for a slew of personalized Hello Kitty themed checks, checkbooks, and address labels!

If it's obscure Hello Kitty you seek the Muse highly suggests searching the debts of Etsy. I heart Etsy with a passion and the amount of Hello Kitty themed items that can be located on Etsy is surreal. From soaps, to stationary, key chains, totes, and just about anything else you might be wanting!






Write whats hidden here

Lush Yummy Yummy Yummy Shower Gel Review

Missing in Action

Hey guys!

You may have noticed I haven't been posting much the last few days. I've had a few technical issues and I'm also getting ready to launch a new and improved blog for you which is taking a little bit of my time to get off the ground.

Give me some time and I'll be back in fighting force shortly.

Stila Holiday Collection 2009

Whoa tis the season to be early! But we love when get to hear about Holiday 2009 as early as September 1st right? The Muse knows she does.

Stila Holiday 2009? I'm on it.

Check ahead for the details!

The Stila Holiday Collection 2009 features four limited edition sets that bring together old favorites with new offerings making Stila Holiday 2009 as unique as a snowflake.

Stila Kitten Set ($18) Sephora Exclusive
The set features Stila Kitten Eye Shadow and a brand new Stila Kitten Lip Glaze.

I already have Kitten but I'm curious what they mean when they say a brand new lip glaze hmmm...better than the one I already have?

Stila Mini Lip Glaze Set ($25)
Includes eight shades of Stila Lip Glaze four of which are brand new, limited edition shades. LE Colors are Pinkle Twinkle, Marmalade, Candy, and Plum Fairy, Old Favorite Colors are Starfruit, Kitten, Cranberry, and Blackberry.

I normally pick this set up for myself almost every year plus a few as stocking suffers, looking forward to seeing the new shades and snagging one as it's a really good deal.

Stila 24K Luxe Lip Gloss Collection ($30)
Includes many of the shades released this Summer which are Radiant Sunset, Precious Coral, Golden Charm, and Vintage Merlot. This set is exclusive to Anthropologie.

I'm actually very excited about this as I simply adored these glosses so anyone that missed them it's a good excuse the grab them now in a set.

Stila Smudge Pot Set ($32)
Includes Kitten, Black, and brand new shade Starry Night with a mini brush for application.

Again another great deal. If you haven't hauled any Stila lately or missed out on Kitten this Fall it's a good time to snag these all together at a bargain price.

I imagine that this isn't the only thing we will see from Stila this Holiday Season. We'll have to be patience for the rest but this Muse is every hopeful maybe we'll see a palette or two as well? Fingers crossed!

What do you think of Stila Holiday 2009?

Share your thoughts!

Musings of the Day: Running Low? Restock!

Wanna Muse?

Today's Musings is about replenishing your stock of "things I use everyday". You know what I mean...you reach for 'em daily, like mascara, foundation, primer, etc....

I recently had to make a list of items I was running low on so now is a perfect time to Muse about what I need and hear what you're running out of and need to replace.

Check it after the jump!

I placed this HUGE crazy order for BB Creams with a very dear reader and friend (thanks Bora) and inside was many BB Creams I hadn't tried or had to replenish as I ran out...yes, I do run out of BB Creams, crazy right? I use 'em so often that I run out a fair bit so it was a rather good excuse to get some others as well which I hadn't tried.

On top of that I am also hitting pan on Benefit Lemon Aid ummm totally can't live with out it, it's like the air I breath. Also running low on Urban Decay Primer Potion so lucky I snagged some during the Friends and Family Event but dude what the hell? It didn't have the new applicator....does the large version not have it yet?

Aside from that I'm good to rock and roll. No mascara, powder, or base makeup refills needed here nor any color cosmetics. Just the basics I listed.

How about you?

What are you running low on?

Tell the Muse!

Lush Karma Promo Code: Free Stinky Karma

Lush has the Muse told you today that she loves you? She truly does. Has she also said how much she hates Karma? Seems it's so bad you have to give it away.

Jump for it.

Ahhh the sweet errmmm gross smell of Karma. Let me tell you about Karma. Picture this, oranges and dirt. Yes, indeed that's about the extent of what Lush Karma smells of.....some like to refer to it as a hippie like blend, me I may be too young to appreciate the scent of hippies. Honestly, I'm a free loving spirit but if hippies smelled like oranges and dirt in 1960's California I'd probably never had made it, damn.

The good news?

For those who absolutely adore Karma you can get a free Karma product of your choice at Lush simply by spending $60 bucks and using promo code FREEKARMA.

This Muse?

I'll enjoy it from a very far distance.

Share you love for Karma or your dislike.

I'm a listenin'!

Fun Fact: Karma is one of Lush's most popular scents (who are these people that love it so much!?)

Bath & Body Works' New Fragrance Widget

Anyone try the new Bath & Body Works' New Fragrance Widget? What I'm a geeky I adore stupid stuff like this.

Basically it works like a quiz asking you questions and the likes and than it proceeds to customize the perfect fragrance for you.


Check out the deets after the jump and find out which fragrance it picked for me.

The application basically allows you to create a customizable fragrance profile in a few seconds and offers you the perfect scent selection that it believes you'll love. It chooses characteristics that you describe to help you find your ideal scent.

After fiddling around with it a few times it recommended me Bath and Body Works Signature Collection Mandarin Mango. Obviously it works as I adore fruity, sweet blends. Mandarin Mango isn't so much sweet as more fruity, the harsh edge from the mandarin gives it a slightly sour base which dominates much of the blend but the fruity base of mango also provides that juicy, sweet feeling to keep the fragrance light and fresh. Likey. It's funny as I'd probably past this up for my normal scent at BBW so this totally allows me to try something different that was recommended to me, cheers!






You can try the widget (or install it on your blog and the likes) by visiting www.bbwfindyourfragrance.com

Stop back tell me what it chooses for you!

Curious minds.