A Stellar Stila Giveaway!

[Note: My apologies to those who previously entered! There has been a slight change in the giveaway rules so please re-enter the updated giveaway!]  

Many of you may or may not remember but this giveaway was supposed to happen many months ago... I ended up forgetting about it (oops!) but while I was clearing out my room the other night, I found two neatly wrapped prizes ready to be won & shipped! 

This giveaway is also split into two prizes; one for an international follower and another for a domestic (US/Canada) follower. Hopefully this giveaway will make two Makeup Kismet followers very happy!

International followers will have a chance to win the following:

- Stila Party In A Box (All Over Shimmer Powder in Kitten & Lip Glaze in Kitten) 

- Annabelle Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencil in Acaidasiac & Licoriche
- Annabelle SmudgePaint in Skyline

& U.S./Canadian followers will have a chance to win the following:

- Stila Daydream Palette

- CANMAKE Cream Cheek in #6 (Nut Cream)

Both Winners will also receive:

- 1 Face Q Caviar and Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Mask
- 1 My Beauty Diary Chocolate Truffle Sheet Mask
- 1 My Beauty Diary Earl Grey Tea & Macaroon Sheet Mask
+ extra surprise goodies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for the rules...:
1. Giveaway will end on April 17th, 2012.
2. This giveaway is open internationally. 
3. Must be 18 or have parental/guardian permission to enter.
4. Must be a follower through Google Friend Connect, Bloglovin' or Twitter or email!
However, I will disqualify entrants if their accounts are strictly for signing up in blog giveaways.
5. Must leave a comment below (about anything!) with your Twitter handle (if you followed through Twitter) and email address that I can contact you with!

Additional entries:
1. Post about the giveaway on your blog (+1). It can be a post, sidebar photo (with a link back to the giveaway), but only do one! There are no extra entries if you do it all.
2. Tweet about the giveaway and leave a link in the comments below (+1).

Good luck!

I'm Feeling Empty - Part 5

Do you know what time it is? It's empties time, fool! And this time there's a truck load of tossed items too. Despite finishing a bunch of the "good stuff", all of the "bad stuff" has resisted emptying. Thus, I was forced to toss a pile of crap in Round 5.

Emptied



Tossed

Tally
Full Size: 9
Deluxe/Travel Size: 8
Samples: 15
Sheet Masks: 10
Tossed: 7

Products I Hate(d) Emptying but Will Repurchase:

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate (reviewed here), Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Lemon (reviewed here), Bison Wakilala Bright Up! Essence (reviewed here), Lush Angel's Delight soap, Lush Lemony Flutter (review to come), Lush Fresh Face Mask in Cupcake, Caudalíe Premieres Vendanges Moisturizing Cream (definitely purchasing the full size!).  

Everything else? Nothing worth mentioning or re-mentioning, especially the items being tossed. Tossed items are either a) old or b) old and crappy. The Mentholatum Acnes Tinted UV Milk was actually quite nice but I turned too dark for it after I tanned last year. Since then, the UV Milk hasn't seen any love and the product turned sour to punish me.

Honestly, this round of empties felt quite blah. It brings me no joy to empty truly amazing products and tossing things I spent hard earned cash on. I also feel like my emptying mojo is depleting again... Help! Tell me what you've emptied recently! 

I'm Feeling Empty - Part 4

Ever since 2012 started, emptying has been a quick process. There was one week where I managed to empty four full sized body products at the same time. This could possibly be my best record so far. And now that it's a quarter way into the new year, it's time for another epic empties post!

Skincare


My Beauty Diary Sheet Masks - My new rule is that every 10 sheet masks will count as one full size product. The count today? 10.

Hada Labo SHA Facial Wash - I still really, really love this cleanser and I am sad to see it go. However, the AHA + BHA cleanser is much more effective so I'll be repurchasing that one more over this one.

Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel - If you haven't read my review on this fantastic gel moisturizer yet, do it now. It will be the perfect moisturizer during the Spring and Summer. It's refreshing, lightweight and cheaper than my old HG - Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief!

Lip Care

100% Natural Lip Roll-On Coconut* - This isn't actually emptied but I'm tossing it on account of it is a strange lip oil?? I feel nostalgic each time I use the roll on but the actual oil inside isn't moisturizing and rather greasy.

Sweet Leaf Bath Co. Pomegranate Lip Balm* - Also unfinished but I'm tossing it out. My lips used to love beeswax-based lip balms but not so much anymore.

Nivea Milk & Honey Lip Balm - The only lip balm that is actually emptied! I quite like this lip balm and when I thought I had lost it, I bought another tube of it. Soon after, I found the first tube under my car seat. It's cheap and it works, what else can I say?

Hair Care

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray - This is my second can of Suave's dry shampoo and while I don't use it often, it seems to run out very quickly. It's cheap, it works, I like the scent but it is not available in Canada as far as I can tell. I bought four back ups the last time I crossed the border.

Korres Hair & Scalp Scrub - Discontinued but I'm not mad or sad about it. This stuff sucked big time.

Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner - Average conditioner, not much to say about it. It weighs down my hair if I use it too often and it doesn't fight the frizz too well.

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter - I love this stuff to death! It's the best deep conditioner/hair treatment I have used to date. It's lighter than most conditioners but I still get that deep hydration my hair craves. It fights the frizz, the scent isn't too salon-ish.

Body Care

The Body Shop Earth Lovers Apricot & Basil Shower Gel - I thought I liked the smell of Apricot & Basil until half way through the first bottle, I realized I don't. And by first bottle, I mean that it's the first of three to go.

Lush Honey I Washed the Kids - "Mmmmm" is all I can ever say when I smell Honey I Washed the Kids. The scent doesn't last long but it's enough to make me want to eat my own arm off.

Soap & Glory Scrub 'Em and Leave 'Em - UGH. Have I mentioned how mad I am that Soap & Glory prices were raised? I have? Well I'm still pissed. For $20+, I say pass on this body exfoliator. It melts quicker than I can spread the stuff over my body. Between Scrub 'Em and Leave 'Em and Scrub, Actually, the latter is much more worthwhile. It works and the squeeze tube packaging is easier to handle in the shower.

eos Refresh Hand & Body Lotion - I will forever hate the smell of this lotion but forever love the formula. If you've ever tried the hand lotion, they're exactly the same. As I hand lotion, I own and use better but as a body lotion, it's great for the warmer seasons. The lotion delivers the perfect amount of hydration without any residue. It spreads easily and it's also fast-absorbing. Though, the SO whom has acute dermatitis can't use this lotion. Each time he's used it, he break out in itchy hives.

Deluxe Samples

Elizabeth Grant Biocollasis Complex Gentle Cleanser - When Luxe Box was still called Loose Button, I jumped on the subscription band wagon. In my box was this cleanser. The cleanser has a thin, fluid consistency similar to the Korres White Tea fluid cleanser. However, this cleanser turns into a foamy, drying mess. Although the cleanser is touted to re-balance the skin's natural pH, it does the opposite for me. Do not recommend.

Avène  - No idea what this stuff is called but it's one of Avène's makeup removing lotions but with a gel texture. I hate it.

Sonia Kashuk Eye Makeup Remover - Love, love, love! To be fair, I will officially review this eye makeup remover when Canada opens its first Target.

Korres Vitamin E Face Primer - No matter what moisturizer I used underneath, this primer would always pill. Instead of a smooth canvas, I ended up with little bits on my face and my foundation would look uneven and streaky.

One 'n Only Argan Oil - My hair dresser gave this oil treatment way back when my hair was damaged to no end. Of course, I forgot to use it until now and even with my healthier hair, I find this argan oil to be "meh". Dimethicone is the very first or second ingredient listed in the back while "argan oil" is further down. This probably explains the "meh" response my hair had.

Pond's Evening Sooth Wet Cleansing Towelettes - Surprisingly good but I won't be repurchasing. Pond's still tests on animals *sadface*

Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser - No good. NO GOOD!

Nexcare Acne Dressing - I am waiting for the perfect angry pimple to review the Nexcare Acne Dressing, I swear. These little sticker things are magnificent and everyone and anyone needs an emergency pack on hand!

Samples

Lastly, the samples I managed to plow through (not many) since January. I mainly focused on hair shampoo & conditioner packets and now it's time to go through some tinted moisturizers and foundation samples. I have many skincare samples to go through too but I'm happy with my regimen at the moment. Time to tally!

Full size: 10
Deluxe/Travel size: 8
Samples: 14
Tossed: 2

I will admit that there are moments where I want to simply throw out a product but when I can help it, I do my best and persevere and that is what makes emptying such a rewarding experience for me. But that's just me.

What about you? What do you like about emptying and how well have you been doing with your emptying challenge?


* Items marked with an asterisk were a part of a giveaway prize. 

I've Got Mail - June Edition

Who else was forced to wait an extra week or two for important mail or packages?
Among many, I was forced to wait but fortunately, one of two packages made it to my doorsteps the week before Canada Post went on strike.

All the way from Australia and sent by the lovely Adeline of Through Beauty Eyes, I received her one year blog anniversary giveaway prize:


I am/was most excited about the fact I'd be receiving something sent all the way from Australia.
It's not often I can say, "Oh hey, a parcel all the way from Australia". I have never ordered anything from the land down under but maybe that will change in the future.
So the giveaway prizes were jam packed in an extremely cute Rilakkuma square cosmetic pouch, also one of the prizes. It's a lilac colored pouch with stars and Rilakkuma heads spread out. The Rilakkuma heads are wearing a sleeping cap which I find is the cutest factor.

Inside the pouch was a mix of mostly foreign make-up goods. My excitement lies deep within the 'Made in Australia' goodies; Face of Australia, Australis and, Lucas Papaw Ointment.
Adeline included her holy grail eye liner as a prize - Maybelline Eyestudio Drama Lasting Gel Eyeliner in Brown - which also claims to be Japan's "No. 1 Eyeliner in Japan". I don't doubt it's HG-material nor a #1 product but I wonder if it's any different than the Western-produced Maybelline gel eyeliner. Perhaps I'll do a comparison post?

Deep within the pouch was a Palmer's Body Gloss which is a ultra rich body lotion that leaves my skin looking luminous as it contains very fine shimmer. It's probably going to look very good with a tan which means I better slap on some SPF & get baking!
The My Beauty Diary Mask in Cooling Mask included will help my sunburned face if I over bake! A few Korean pieces buried even deeper: Etude House Bling Bling Eye Stick in#06 Great Bear Star), Etude House Collagen Moistfull samples and, VOV false eyelashes!

Also included was a Prestige lipstick in Penny (gorgeous golden bronze shade) and Rimmel Color Rush Mono Eye Shadow in 310 Goddess (mossy green with a velvet/Perlé finish). The only thing un-photoed is the Easter egg chocolates & mint taffy's Adeline threw in. I ate them before I even swatched everything *oink*.

Yet another package from my significant other which ended up arriving late all thanks to Canada Post:


If you follow me on Twitter you should already be in the know about this "special" package I've been expecting. Any package from my SO is special and important but this one is the last one for a long while, seriously! No more spoiling this brat, no more he says!

Soompi's "Samples? Freebies? Coupons? Savings?" thread will be the bane of the SO's existence. I am always lurking the thread and when I came across this Laura Mercier deal back in May, I couldn't say not.
A combination of deals on Laura Mercier's website had me spiraling out of control. First the free shipping on $50 & up orders (easy). Any order over $85 at the time got a bonus 5-piece deluxe sample kit. Add in a $25 off $75 purchase code, plus a free full size foundation primer with the purchase of two face products and 3 regular samples...  How could I not ask for a half-year birthday present?

Conclusion: Extremely good deal = justified. Spoiled brat + satisfied = well-behaved.
Best part of the package was the Jack Black duo and travel size slant tweezers by Tweezerman:

The SO made an order on Sephora for himself yet somehow I ended up being a part of the order. I can't say I mind much but hopefully this isn't the last time he makes an order for himself because a guy with good hygiene's will know how to wash dishes well for the future! If I cook, someone else has to clean.

That's all I received for June and I couldn't be any happier!
What did you receive in June or are expecting for July?