Two Thousand Things : April 2010

, by Yuri

Jenulence Review & Giveaway

Got another mineral makeup in the mail again, yippie..! I love using mineral makeup because I know for sure that it would not gives us that extra load of toxic substances that are usually found on over-the-counter or department-store cosmetics.

Jenulence is one of those company that offer pure, fresh and natural makeup. Their tagline is " if you can't eat it, don't use it on your skin! ".
Now, who doesn't want to buy cosmetics and skincare products from company with a tag line like that?

Jenulence is a family owned company whose products are 100% natural. There are NO artificial ingredients in their products. All of their products are environmentally friendly, biodegradable and never tested on animals. They use only food grade oils and aromatherapy grade essential oils that come from organic or wild sources in their skincare products, and only pure cosmetic grade minerals and pigments to manufacture their mineral makeup.

Jenulence has a wide collection from Mineral makeup to Natural skincare to Men's products, Bath and body, and also handmade wooden sauna sandals.

I got a small package from Jenulence containing two eye-shadows in Tea Rose and Purple Night. Both are fabulous colors, I love it! I fell in love with the "Tea Rose" color when I was browsing their website and decided to try that color. But when the package came Jenulence surprised me with another eye shadow color which is "Purple Night" that goes great with the tea rose color!

The eyeshadow collection on Jenulence are divided to three different kinds: Shimmers, Mattes, and Sparkles. The two eyeshadows I received above are Matte. The eye shadows are handcrafted from pure cosmetic minerals and pigments without any additives, dyes, waxes, fillers, talc or preservatives. They are also hypoallergenic, non-drying and long lasting.

The Tea Rose is a pearlescent bright rose color matte eye shadow. And the Purple Night is a dark rich brown-ish purple matte. Here are the sample of the eyeshadow color on the jar and on my skin:

I love the soft and translucent color on my eyelid. It applied smoothly to the eyelid and it stays on the lid quite long. I have an oily skin so makeup tend to leave my face sooner than expected but with these Jenulence eye-shadows I found that I can get through breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea with the eyeshadow still intact in my lid. At around 5 in the afternoon the color is a bit fading because of the oil and heat of the sun all day, but it still there! My other eye-shadows would have gone by noon.

I also love the sifter jar which makes it more easy to apply with brushes, and it makes it more efficient too so you don't have to be afraid of losing much powders anytime you use it.
I love the pigment on the color too. It's not too soft yet not too strong that makes you look like you over-do it, in fact it looks just right.

Another thing I love about Mineral eye shadows is they may be applied dry or wet, and they can also be used as a mineral eyeliner. Just use a wet eyeliner and tadaa... an instant eyeliner. I love using the Purple Night as an eyeliner with the Tea Rose as the eyeshadows. They quite compliment each other.

The eyeshadows are $6 on Jenulence website and they also have Sample Kits and Sale items page that you might wanna see too. In the Sale items they have some kabuki brushes and other pretty brushes up for sale!

SWEET DEALS!
Jenulence has kindly offer a special 20% OFF coupon code to my lovely readers!
Just use code "CARD215" on your oder.
Offer expires on May 31, 3010

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
Jenulence would like to offer one lucky TwoThousandThings reader a set of 2 eyeshadows in the color of their choice!

Please pay attention to The RULES before you enter.

RULES :

(To be eligible for this giveaway contest you MUST do the MANDATORY below. You only need 1 Mandatory entry to enter, but you could also have Additional entries to maximize your chances, please remember to leave each entry in a separate comment box or it won't be counted)

To ENTER (MANDATORY) : You must visit Jenulence, take a look around at the store and then come back here and tell me in a comment on this post, which item would you love to try. (1 entry)

For Additional entry :

Be a Follower of Two Thousand Things via Google Friend Connect - must be a visible follower. (2 entries, write a separate comment box for each entry)

Subscribe to my email subscriptions so you won't miss out on future posts and giveaways! (find link in bottom right sidebar). (2 entries)

Subscribe to Jenulence newsletter. You can find the subscription box in their website homepage, just put your email address in the box and tell me in a comment below what's your email address. (1 entry)

Join Jenulence facebook Fan page and tell me your FaceBook id. (1 entry)

Follow Jenulence on Twitter and tell me your Id. (1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link back here, leave the URL of your post in a NEW separate comment box. (2 entries)

Follow Two Thousand Things via these options: RSS / BlogLovin / Twitter then in a NEW separate comment write your id. If you're already a follower then just tell me your id/name and which subscription are you using. Don't forget to write in separate comment box for each of your subscriptions. You can find all subscription links at the right side bar. (1 entry for each subscription)

Tweet about this giveaway and give me the link to your tweet. (1 entry)

Be a Follower or subscribe by email to my Review&Giveaway blog Tigerlily's Book. If you're already a Follower or already subscribed by email please leave a comment telling me your id/email (must be a visible follower). (1 entry for each)

Grab my badge and post it in your blog's side bar (find my badge at the bottom of the left side bar, just copy the html provided and paste it in your blog), don't forget to give me the link. (3 entries)

NOTE : Remember to include your email in the comment box so I can reach you if you win.
Your entries will be visible after my approval so All entries that does not apply with the rules will not be counted and I will not published the entry!

This giveaway will end on May 17, 2010 at 24:00 pm.
Yeah baby, this giveaway is open for WORLDWIDE!
Winner will be announced here on May 18, 2010.

I will use random.org to pick the winning number. If the winner does not respond within 48hrs then I will have to choose another winner and will announce it again in my blog. Good luck to everyone! ^__^

This giveaway is also featured on FreeGrechen.

DISCLAIMER:

I did not receive any form of payment for this review and this is written based on my own honest opinion. The only compensation I received is the free product(s) provided by Jenulence for review purposes only, and this compensation DOES NOT influence my opinion at all which I expressed in this post.
-----------------------------------
IMPORTANT!
The sponsors are the one who is fully responsible for sending the giveaway prize to the winners therefore I will not be held responsible for prizes that are not sent by the sponsors or for any lost shipment of the prize.

276 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

1 item 4 ways

1 ITEM 4 WAYS

Okayy, after a loooong pause of not having "1 item 4 ways" posts so I think it's about time for a new post on that subject! This time there's something a little bit different though, I used to do my 1 item 4 ways using looklet.com but I've been having problems with Looklet and they still haven't replied any of my mail which is kinda sad so I've stopped using looklet ever since. So this time I'm using polyvore instead. I'm gonna used my own set to express my take on the item or how I would wear the item, while the rest of the sets is other people's take on the item.

Okay, today's item is a nautical inspired striped skirt! And I'm gonna give you some inspirations on how to wear the striped skirt in 4 ways. Here we go...

The 1 item is this nautical striped skirt from Karen Mille n.
Caution: I'm gonna use the term "chic" on every subject below ;p

CASUAL CHIC
The first set below is my set. With nautical stripes I'm thinking casual day out shopping and walking around the city, so I dressed this skirt with a white top (but not just a simple white top oh no it's not, it has a caged detail at the shoulder and a cute opening at the back). I thought the striped detail on the flat shoes bows would accentuate the skirt more. Don't forget the cute sky blue necklace to "color" the white top.

Items in this set:
Jersey Top with Shoulder Cage, $295
Stripe Bow Tied Flats, $40
SMALL PACKABLE LEATHER TOTE BAG, $550

CHIC MEETS TOUGH
This set below is how Bethiesue08 would dress it. I love the chic meets tough look on this one. You can pair the striped skirt with a trend item such as this ruched puffed sleeve chambray top. And to toughen it up a bit just add a tough looking leather boots and multi-layered chain necklaces.

Items in this set:
Saxo puff-sleeve blouse, $185
Venise fringed vest, $180
Criollo Leather Boot, 220 GBP
Fielding leather tote, $550

LAIDBACK CHIC
The striped skirt can also be paired with a long sweater, like brionessa2008's set here. It's laid back but still looks chic with added accessories such as the gold studded belt in a totally different color and a high-heeled wedge shoes from topshop.

Items in this set:
Rock & Roll Sweater, 90 AUD
Velcro Sandals by Unique, $290
2084-W174 Long Slim Cream Heart Purse, 225 GBP

NAUTICALLY CHIC
You can also pair stripes with stripes! Just keep it a similar striped pattern and do less, don't do a full striped look, for example: with this skirt a sleeveless striped top would look better than a long-sleeve striped top. Or you can cut the stripes by wearing a jacket or blazer. If needed, you can put on a matching belt to pull the look together. This set by Milano Cookies is one good example on how to wear striped with striped. She even makes it look like a dress!

Items in this set:
BB Dakota Tatum Stripe Top - Navy blue, $60
Shrunken Blazer, $110
Kate Spade Felice - Pale blush patent, $130
Yves Saint Laurent gold leather 'Y-Mail' clutch at Bluefly, $315

There you go ladies, my latest edition of 1 item 4 ways. If you want to see previous "1 item 4 ways" posts you can see the link on my right side bar under the "Inside Two Thousand Things"., or you can just simply click here... ;)

PS. Don't forget to enter my giveaways on Tigerlily's Book! I have three giveaways going on right now: a $25 Gift Certificate from PromosLogos, 100pcs of customizable postcards from UPrinting, and a free box of EvoraPlus - a teeth whitening and breath freshening mints.

^_~

2 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

Beauty Stuffs

GIELLA Custom Blend Cosmetics - Review & Giveaway! -CLOSED

I am so lucky to be able to try another make up brand that are non-comedogenic or non-pore clogging, fragrance free, and allergy free! I'd like to introduce you to GIELLA. Giella is a cosmetic brand specializing in custom blend cosmetics. It has been seen in the high fashion and beauty magazine such as Glamour, Nylon, etc.. The GIELLA Philosophy is to guide their clients through the process of selecting and applying the perfect combination of products to achieve a basic palette on which we, as the clients, can create the image we desire.

When creating a basic palette, Foundation and Powder are the starting points that give a flawless canvas; and Highlighters and Bronzer give the added glow. One of Giella's number one seller is the Custom Blend Foundation. Yes, you heard me right, custom-blend! That means, you can customize your foundation to meet what you want or what you need. I mean everybody has their own preferences, right? And not to mention that every women has different kind of skin condition therefore different kind of needs. So with this custom blend feature from Giella, I can say that this is a rare service which is absolutely brilliant.

With GIELLA you can custom blend your foundie by using their simple and easy to use custom blend bar. There are options of adding some mixers in your foundie, such as adding tea-tree oil or lifting serum, or maybe add some kukui nut oil in it.
And then you can decide whether you want it to have either Medium or Full coverage. And then you can also add some shimmers in it, it all depends on what your skin needs!
When it's done, you can also choose what kind of dispenser you prefer: Glass bottle or Pump. Sigh, women always have too many options (don't we?) ^o^

Aside from their #1 best seller foundation GIELLA also has a wide range of cosmetics, from Powders (loose powder, pressed powder and blotting powder), to Bronzer, Cheeks and Eye Colors, Mascara, Lipstick, Lip Pencil; and also Nail Enamel and Cuticle Oils.
GIELLA also offer a range of Skin Care such as Cleansing Gel, Body Wash and Moisturizer. They also have many kind of Make Up Brushes, Tweezers, to Cosmetic Bags, Make-up kit and Travel kits. It's like a complete one-stop beauty store !

I didn't try their foundation but I do try their pressed powder which is a mineral powder that contains no oils or fragrance. Here are the products from Giella that I got to try:

I received these three items from GIELLA :
Pressed Powder, Mascara and a Concealer.

PRESSED POWDER & CONCEALER:

I have been discontinuing the use of my current pressed powder because I noticed that they gave me these little white bumps (clogged pores?) on some areas of my face. Aargh it's really bugging me because every time I use my pressed powder I will get those annoying sporadic little white bumps. And that's why I decided to quit using that powder. It was a bit traumatic for me to use any popular brand compact powder ever since that experience, maybe because I know they might contain some chemical ingredients in it that might clog my pores or do worse damages to my skin.
But then I read about GIELLA powders which is not only non-pore clogging, it's allergy-free too! So I ordered mine in my skin color. After using it for a couple of weeks, I found that I am quite satisfied with this pressed powder. It's light yet covers well. It contains minerals that reflect light and minimizes surface imperfections. And it can be worn alone as a foundation. What I like is the generous size of the powder. I also love that it comes with a hidden container underneath to keep your powder sponge/puff.

I also love the light-as-air feel of the powder and it feels soft to the skin too, not cakey at all! We can use either a brush or a puff to use the pressed powder but I personally prefer using a fluffy powder brush. It applies smoothly to the face either by brush or puff.
The container might be a little bit bigger than my old compact powder but the wide surface would make it easier for us to apply the powder especially if we're using a brush. A bigger compartment means a bigger mirror too! (which means good to us women ;p).

Originally I asked for a pressed powder and a mascara but Giella also sent me a bonus of concealer! I don't have a proper concealer so this comes as a very useful item in my beauty case now, thank you Giella! Just like the powder, the concealer also feels light but yet it covers really well. I also love the unique compartment it comes in. You just slide it to the side and it will open. Oh I love unique packaging.. :) oh and the concealer are customizable to your needs too!

MASCARA:

As for the mascara, I was looking for a new waterproof mascara that can give me a longer and thicker looking eyelashes. You see, my current mascara (from another well-known big cosmetic brand) is waterproof, thick and all, but I think it's "too" waterproof and maybe "too" thick, because it's clumpy and it's really hard for me to clean it every night! It's been a torture for me to clean my mascara in my eyes because it would take repeated washing and cleaning to strip it off completely, it's just too strong.
When I asked to try the Mascara, I have no idea it would be the end of my torture ^o^ After trying Giella Mascara for a couple of weeks, I am quite satisfied with it. Not only it contains silk powder that gives rich, full lashes in each stroke, it's also made of a Non-flaking water-based polymer formula that is smudge-proof and water resistant. It also contains a special lash-building brush that lifts and separates lashes to make them look fuller. And it has Vitamin E too so it will condition lashes and make them more 'velvety'.
I have a result that I wanted when using this mascara, my eyelashes were lifted, look longer and a bit thicker from their original shape, and most importantly it's not clumpy at all and it's easy to clean too! YEAY!

Not "too" thick that makes it clumpy but my eyelashes does look thicker than they originally is :)

I didn't use an eyecurler when I use this Giella mascara but you can see that my eyelashes were lifted. Imagine what an extra curl from the eyecurler can do to my lashes after this.. :)

Tips from Giella!
Keep rolling the brush, underneath the lashes, roll your hand down and lift your lashes up. Keep rolling and rolling, almost blinking into the brush. You can really get thicker lashes this way as you are building depth at the base line.

All and all, Giella is one cosmetic brand that is truly unique and worth to try. Where else could you get a custom blend non-comedogenic, alergy-free cosmetic for your skin? ^__^
Remember that it's like a one-stop beauty store where you could get different kind of make up and kits. Why don't you buy a couple of her stuff and then buy this cosmetic case for me ? (-lol, just kidding -although I really want one haha) :

WIN! WIN! WIN!
GIELLA has kindly offer TWO of my readers a custom-blend lip gloss / lipstick for each winner!

Please pay attention to The RULES before you enter.

RULES :

To ENTER (MANDATORY) : You must visit GIELLA, take a look around at the store and then come back here and tell me in a comment on this post, which item would you love to try. (1 entry)

For Additional entry :

Be a Follower of Two Thousand Things via Google Friend Connect - must be a visible follower. (2 entries, write a separate comment box for each entry)

Be a Fan of GIELLA on GIELLA's Facebook Fan Page, leave your id/name. (1 entry)

Follow GIELLA's twitter to get the latest update, leave your ID name. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my email subscriptions so you won't miss out on future posts and giveaways! (find link in bottom right side bar). (2 entries)

Blog about this giveaway with a link back here, leave the URL of your post in a NEW separate comment box. (2 entries)

Follow Two Thousand Things via these options: RSS / BlogLovin / Twitter then in a NEW separate comment write your id. If you're already a follower then just tell me your id/name and which subscription are you using. Don't forget to write in separate comment box for each of your subscriptions. You can find all subscription links at the right side bar. (1 entry for each subscription)

Tweet about this giveaway and give me the link to your tweet. (1 entry)

Be a Follower or subscribe by email to my Review&Giveaway blog Tigerlily's Book. If you're already a Follower or already subscribed by email please leave a comment telling me your id/email (must be a visible follower). (1 entry for each)

Grab my badge and post it in your blog's side bar (find my badge at the bottom of the left side bar, just copy the html provided and paste it in your blog), don't forget to give me the link. (3 entries)

This giveaway will end on May 3, 2010 at 24:00 pm.
Yeah baby, this giveaway is open for WORLDWIDE!
Winner will be announced here on May 4, 2010.

DISCLAIMER:

I did not receive any form of payment for this review and this is written based on my own honest opinion. The only compensation I received is the free product(s) provided by Giella for review purposes only, and this compensation DOES NOT influence my opinion at all which I expressed in this post.
-----------------------------------
IMPORTANT!
The sponsors are the one who is fully responsible for sending the giveaway prize to the winners therefore I will not be held responsible for prizes that are not sent by the sponsors or for any lost shipment of the prize.

243 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

Fashion/Shopping-related

Betsy McCalls

I love playing paper dolls when I was a kid, I bet you do too! :D
I remember every time the school bell rang I would find myself hurrying to the front of my school gate where there is a small vendor selling different kind of toys that never ceased to amused elementary school students ^o^ Me and my brother (and the whole class!) would stumbled between the seller's colorful toys and stationery, me and the rest of the girls would usually browse the paper dolls (and once or twice a week i would buy one or two ;p). I have a drawer full of paper dolls in my room, it's my favorite past time as a child (that's before I knew Barbie ;p). So when I found these really cute Betsy McCall paper dolls while I was browsing the internet one day, it makes me remember my golden days of when I used to make up never-ending stories with my paper dolls, changing their clothes every so often. (sigh) the nostalgia of it... (please forgive my melodramatic side here..)

Anyway, my old paper dolls doesn't really looked like Betsy McCalls but these paper dolls are as enticing as any paper dolls would be. I love the vintage dresses and backgrounds in Betsy McCalls, bet you're gonna love it as much as I do :)
Here we go..

(the first Betsy McCalls debut)

(look at the international dresses Betsy has!)

(even Betsy has a bond! -lol)

Betsy McCall was announced in April of 1951 and first appeared on the pages of McCall's magazine in May, 1951. Betsy was introduced as a young girl in age of five going on six with brunette hair. In the upcoming months a lot of characters has also been introduced, such as Betsy's mother and daddy, Nosy -Betsy's dachshund dog, her cousins -Barbara, her neighbor friend Jimmy, etc..
I don't think they still produce Betsy McCalls paper dolls anymore. Wait a minute... do they even still make paper dolls anymore? Is there even a paper doll anywhere that you could buy? I don't think today's little girl plays with paper dolls anymore, do they?? It's so sad....
Anyway, here's more Betsy to cheer you (me) up..