winter beauty reviews

During the holiday season, I took advantage of Sephora's winter sale to snag some highly coveted beauty products!

a) Dr. Brandt Pores No More Cleanser

retail: 35 USD

I heard many great reviews about Dr. Brandt's Pores No More product line. However, I was hesitant to drop $35 on a 3.5 oz bottle of cleanser. When I saw the cleanser for only $10 during the Sephora sale, I was on that like white on rice. Since the product received such high praise from friends, I had high expectations. My verdict: worth the hype. Pores No More soothed my sensitive skin, cleared blackheads, and even tightened my pores. Just make sure you don't get the cleanser into your eyes: it stings like no other product. I was so in love with Dr. Brandt's Pore No More Cleanser that I bought another bottle as a backup!
My rating: ★★★★

b) Hello Kitty Graffitti 5-Piece Brush Set

retail: 49 USD

I picked out this Hello Kitty brush set because... well, it's Hello Kitty! Who doesn't love Hello Kitty? The brush set include a face brush, eyeshadow brush, blending brush, angled eyeliner brush, and a lip brush all packaged in a reusable HK container. The container measures ~6 inches tall and can be used for storing pencils, mascara, tweezers, as well as travel-sized brushes. The brushes were smaller than I imagined (3.75 - 4.5 inches in length), and the bristles are too soft to pick up a good amount of pigment. While the HK-shaped container is cute, the brushes leave me desiring more. This set makes a cute novelty gift for HK lovers. But if you're looking for something utilitarian then look elsewhere; there are better, cheaper brush sets available.
My rating: ★★★

c) Tokidoki Luminosa Powder

retail: 22 USD

One of my friends gave me this highlighting powder because she knew how much I love Tokidoki (and anything kawaii). I've had limited success with Tokidoki's eyeshadow palette and glitter eyeliner, but the Tokidoki Luminosa powder works great with my makeup. The shimmer adds a soft glow to my face, and the powder stays on throughout the day. The cute packaging is a definite plus!
My rating: ★★★✰

d) Tokidoki Vanita Mirror
retail: 25 USD

The Tokidoki Vanita mirror comes in 3 different designs: 24 Karat (black), Kabuki (silver), and Kaiten (brown). I bought the Tokidoki 24 Karat compact mirror after my Marc Jacobs one broke. The compact has a regular mirror and a 3x magnification mirror that close together with a strong magnet. The compact is much heavier than I imagined, but it is very durable and has survived numerous drops onto the ground with barely a scratch. I picked this up for $15, but I've heard of other people finding it for only $5.
My rating: ★★★✰

Sephora by OPI Blasted Nail Color

retail: 9.50 USD

I bought this for one of my friends because she loves the crackle effect. According to my friend, OPI's blasted nail color is comparable to China Glaze's crackle nail color. The nail polish is long-wearing, fast-drying, and chip-resistant.
My friend's rating: ★★★★