Bauble Bar Order #3

Bauble Bar usually does collaborations with jewelry designers and Gorjana was being featured!  There was a cute and fun chevron-shaped bracelet that I was on the fence for awhile about ordering because it was rather expensive, especially since it was from a designer collection.  It was listed at $45, but after vault points, I paid $42, which is still expensive.  >_<  Oh well, things worked out--I didn't know it then, but this turned out to be my favorite bracelet!  The I-never-take-this-off-not-even-when-I-shower sort of bracelet (and it hasn't shown signs of wear)!  Haha.  

 I placed my order on 6/19/12 and received it on 6/25/12!  Yay!  That being said, in that one-week shipping period, the box sure got destroyed.

The puncture went all the way through the cardboard box!  Luckily, Bauble Bar packages their jewelry in those little black pouches and covers the pouch with the tissue paper and postcard-sized advertisements.  Haha.  

My Chevron Charm bracelet!  Safe from its long journey!  I believe it is 18k gold-plated.  I love how dainty this bracelet is, but the charm is very bold on its own.  It is an understated, but eye-catching piece.  It works for everyday wear and is office appropriate.  Also, according to the description, the chevron shape is seen as a sign of change in Native American culture.  Of course that tidbit of information also factors into my love of this piece!  I view it as a good luck charm!  Change always brings opportunities, whether they are good or bad, is dependent on how you view them and what you make of them!  Here's to change, opportunities, and luck!  :)  

Oh yes, and before I forget, do you have any pieces of jewelry that you never take off?  Any special reasons or memories related to your favorite piece of jewelry?  Hopefully, this will make it into my heirloom jewelry that I pass down when and if I have children of my own.  Haha.

Bauble Bar Order #2

Hello.  The not so very diligent blogger >_< returns with a post on my second Bauble Bar order.  I ordered these necklaces on 6/15/12 and received them on 6/22/12.  I absolutely love the simple, yet bold, shapes and colors of these necklaces.

The packaging.  I love that all Bauble Bar pieces come in their very own black velvety snap case--even though I don't really store them in that case.  It's nice to know they attempt to protect your jewelry from damage.  I also like the colorful postcard-sized advertisements they always seem to include in packages.  Not sure the purpose they serve, but they are colorful amid the black box, tissue wrap, and jewelry bags.  Lol.

The Indigo Triad Collar necklace was $32, but I used $4 in Bauble Bar's "vault points" loyalty program, so I only paid $28.  The Red Geo necklace was $28, but $26 after I used my vault points.  Technically, these are Bauble Bar orders #2 & #3 placed mere seconds apart to be able to immediately use my vault points!  It is nice that there is free shipping, because otherwise I would not have ordered in that way.

Detail pictures of the necklaces.  I was surprised by the indigo necklace, which looks opaque on the website, and against the jewelry pouch, but is actually a bit translucent.  A nice detail.  Also, the red necklace looks like a bright red-orange-coral, but it is actually bit deeper and darker--not as bright as the top picture.  These necklaces are very versatile and can be worn both day and night, which is nice.  I also think they may be office friendly, but that depends on your office environment and field.

I am going to start editing pictures and writing up blog entries for my third Bauble Bar purchase and my fourth GMarket haul, since I have purchased so many things in the interim and am actually waiting for my fifth GMarket haul!  I am thinking of doing a collective, maybe mostly picture post of my Bauble Bar and Haute Look hauls.  And off to work, I go.... 

Bauble Bar Order #1

I "recently" decided to place an order on BaubleBar.com (I know it's been around for awhile!) after seeing Bauble Bar mentioned in several magazines and seeing the lovely promo pictures for the Man Repeller Arm Party bracelet set ($50)!  I was curious as to whether the quality and/or style of the jewelry justified the prices--which are rather expensive compared to Forever 21, but luckily there is a $10 new customer discount that I used to bring down the price of the set to $40.  I excitedly placed my order on 6/2/12 and waited impatiently for roughly 2 weeks, when I received it on 6/14/12....

Here's the order form and my responses for the Man Repeller Arm Party.  I should note that I was expecting golds, bronzes, espressos, corals, and turquoises as per the promo pictures.  

However, when I received my Arm Party set, I was less than thrilled.  In fact, I was rather disappointed since the set was $40.  Specifically, I wasn't a fan of the white enamel mixed with the turquoise and coral.  I also didn't like the tiny rhinestone bracelet, which seemed to get lost amidst the other larger bracelets.  Although 3/5 bracelets were okay, it was still not enough to warrant the cost.  Moreover, there was something stuck in the white enamel bracelet, which made it seem messy.  So, I decided to contact customer service to exchange the set, which according to the website, an entire set had to be exchanged rather than individual bracelets.  

I contacted Bauble Bar's customer service, and received a prompt reply.  Customer service was very helpful and even offered to help create my ideal set!  Excitedly, I decided to mail back (return shipping is free!) my first Arm Party set along with a note with my ideal color choices and await my second set.  I waited a bit longer than I had expected due to slow shipping:  I mailed my return on 6/15/12 and it arrived at Bauble Bar on 7/5/12!  However, exchange shipping was much faster as my exchange shipped out that very day (7/5/12) and arrived on 7/9/12!!

My new Arm Party set!  I was very excited to see how it turned out with my specific requests!

My new set!  I love that there are warmer colors and bigger bracelets!  I think the set "fits" better together, but each piece is detailed enough to stand alone.  Also, I love the back detailing on the turquoise stone bracelet--it has a gold filigree-esque design!  The only issue I had is that wearing the Arm Party all together results in a lot of ties, which I tucked, but that is a little time consuming.  Other than that, I really love this set. Although, after wearing it once, the coral rhinestone-studded bar bracelet broke--the cord came undone.  :/  However, I think I'm going to look for a metal chain to put it on since the jewelry piece is still intact.  The other bracelets are all okay, so perhaps it was just defective?  In any case, it is something to consider since cord is not as sturdy as a metal chain bracelet.

Also included in my second set was a handwritten note, which was very sweet and also demonstrates the friendliness and helpfulness of Bauble Bar's customer service team!

Overall, despite not liking my first bracelet set and even having a bracelet in my second set break, I had a really good experience with Bauble Bar.  I enjoy their jewelry designs, which are a bit more "grown up" than Forever21--or at least, I find them easier to incorporate into more looks (but that could just be me).  I appreciate their free shipping and return shipping.  And lastly, their customer service is very responsive and good at problem resolution.  In fact, before I even received this "first" Bauble Bar order, I had already placed my second and third orders--I placed these separately as to immediately use the "reward points" that Bauble Bar awards for every purchase that is relative to the amount spent.  And, since this post, and the next two Bauble Bar posts, are several months late, I have already become an avid Bauble Bar fan.  I will attempt to post a collective haul post soon with pictures and brief reviews of the pieces I have bought.

Pretavoir.co.uk Chanel Sunglasses!

Ever since I saw Chanel's 5171 sunglasses with their cute white bows on either side of the temples, I fell in love!  The sunglasses were adorably cute and flirty--the bows are just the right amount of sass for the otherwise simple and classic oversize frame.  However, I did not like their price tag.  The sunglasses retail from upwards of $250.  :(

After a bit of online "window shopping" I happened across Pret a Voir, an online (they also have a physical location if you live in Glasgow, Scotland) sunglasses and glasses seller that had them for cheaper!  The catch?  I had never heard of Pret a Voir and it is a UK-based business--it would be very difficult if there were problems with my order and I wasn't sure if they were selling legitimate Chanel sunglasses.  However, I did my research and there were several sites with good reviews of Pret a Voir, which coupled with their fantastically (relatively) low price, ultimately led me to purchase from them.  I bought them for about $230 USD after shipping and currency conversion, whereas in store and after tax it would have cost me around $305.

That being said, and without further ado, here are my Chanel 5171 sunnies!

They came in a Chanel cardboard box filled with a lens cleaning cloth, cloth bag, hard case, warranty information, and authenticity card.

 They also had properly spelled lettering and coding on the inside of the arms which tells the manufacturing location (Italy), product number (5171), and product color (C5013C).  

 According to my research on fake Chanel 5171 sunglasses, the Chanel logo on the case is glued on and there is no indentation so that the logo lies more flush with the surface of the case.  Also, although I didn't take a picture of it, authentic Chanel sunglasses have writing etched onto the lenses themselves.  I believe they etch Chanel onto the lenses, but I don't have my sunglasses on hand to verify it.  :x

Cute little white ribbons!  This style comes in a variety of colors, including one with a black frame with black bows, but the most popular is the black frame with white bows.

The Chanel logo is on both of the white ribbons in authentic pairs.

In any case, after tons of research (kudos to this forum), I'm confident that my sunglasses aren't fake and I am very pleased with my purchase.  I will definitely consider buying my next pair of sunglasses from Pret a Voir!  Oh and a few things I forgot to mention, customer service was very friendly and helpful, and international shipping (~12.95 GBP) was rather quick.  The only caveat was that I had to call to place my order since Chanel (and I believe one other brand) does not allow online selling of their sunglasses.  Other than that, the service and convenience was terrific!  One final consideration, if you decide to buy from Pret a Voir, consider going into a store to try on the sunglasses to see how they look and decide on frame colors.  Happy shopping!!

HauteLook Order #2

I am so behind on updating this blog.  It's horrible.  I made my second HauteLook purchase--before I even received my first order.  Haha.  I got a bit obsessed with Gorjana jewelry, which has been showing up on both HauteLook and BaubleBar (await a future post!).  This time, I bought the Graham Leather Studded Double Wrap bracelet in black/gold for $28 (retail ~$70 in its heyday) not including shipping.

Shipping and delivery was much quicker this time!  I placed my order on 6/18/2012 and received it on 6/28/2012.  I also got a little surprise in my box!  More on that later....

Underneath everything in the shipping container was my tiny little Gorjana box.

Isn't this bracelet just darling?!  It's so cute and dainty!  The leather and studs are not overwhelming; it is totally wearable.  I love the tiny pendant by the closure, which just has a simple g stamped on it--no gaudy designer name or branding to detract from the bracelet.  The only issue I had was trying to put it on--you really need to bend the leather by the closure to pull it through, but it is very secure.  All in all, I am very pleased with this purchase:  adorable styling + real leather +18k gold plated brass!

I almost forgot, my surprise sample!  I was actually really baffled when I saw this in the box because I wasn't expecting a freebie.  Many U.S. sellers just don't offer freebies and samples the way Asian sellers do.  Not to mention, this product didn't seem to relate to the item I purchased, but I'm not complaining.  I've only tried it once and it is a very nice light daytime moisturizer.  I can't say whether it lives up to all its claims, yet, but I will tell you all later when I've had time to test it!

Alright, I finally feel semi caught up with all my purchases.  Be on the lookout for a couple of BaubleBar reviews and two GMarket hauls (Well, it's more like one massive haul since I placed the orders within days of each other.  Haha.)!

HauteLook Order #1

I know HauteLook has been out for awhile, but I've always been hesitant to jump on the bandwagon.  I'm not even sure why.  Perhaps, it was the thought of crazy "discount" prices that still managed to be way out of my price range.  Or maybe, I was afraid of falling into a crazed frenzy to grab anything designer just for the name--despite the fact that these were potential designer rejects, and thus, discounted.  Anyways, I finally caved and purchased this Amrita Singh Mira handbag in black for $56.95 ($49 + $7.95 shipping).  I placed my order on 6/1/2012 and received it exactly three weeks later on 6/21/2012  (Yes, this post is rather late... :/).

After three weeks of anticipation, I finally received my package!

The bag arrived in a very flat box--almost the shape of a very skinny laptop box.  The small handles were originally clipped to the same side--if you've seen the stock photos the short straps are on the ends of the bag, which look very weird and awkward.  I re-arranged them to clip to the opposite sides of the bag and lay flat against the bag; they are slightly short in this orientation, but not so bad as to be a deal breaker.

  

This bag has a lot of straps.  The shoulder strap (studded) is the only strap that is permanently attached to the bag.  The long shoulder strap and the smaller handles are detachable. 

I like the buckles and gold detailing and the side zippered pockets.  The side pockets are functional, but I'm not sure what I would put in them.

Side-view.

Other side-view.  Haha.  I like how plain, or subtly designed, this bag is, so that it can match a lot of outfits without being overbearing.  This bag is a very soft faux leather and doesn't keep its shape too well.  It does, however, fit a lot.  In order to take pictures I stuffed it with my Etude House lip pillow!  Haha.

Amrita Singh.  It was a decent deal at $49, but I wouldn't pay the $250 list price because it wasn't even real leather.  Also, the stitching on the inner liner (which I forgot to take pictures of...maybe later) was somewhat messy--not overly, but then again, for $250 it shouldn't be messy at all.  I feel like some of the non-designer bags I've found off GMarket have much neater stitching.  It is sturdy; I'm not afraid that the straps (all 3 sets) will break.

Overall, it is fun to shop on HauteLook because there are always different deals.  It can be hazardous if you're a shopaholic not only because everything "seems" like a good deal--cheaper than retail!--and can cause you to buy unnecessary items, but also because of that 15 minute countdown timer once you add something to your cart.  I honestly clicked purchase so quickly because I was afraid my bag would be sold out--in fact, these Mira handbags, at least in camel and black, were still around a couple weeks later.

Another nice thing about Hautelook is its flat-rate shipping.  I hate sites that have a different shipping rate to Hawaii and Alaska.  I know it does cost businesses a bit more to ship things further than the continental U.S., but Hawaii and Alaska are still part of the U.S. and shouldn't be discriminated against.

Lastly, despite being called HauteLook I was surprised to find E.L.F. cosmetics on their site.  I'm not saying that E.L.F. cosmetics aren't high quality, they just don't seem to fit HauteLook's image.  (Not to mention, I'm not even sure how much of a discount can HauteLook give on already inexpensive cosmetics.)  That being said, if you are easily swayed by designer brands and names, I would double check on the brands and designers that HauteLook lists because they don't all seem to be well-known or high-quality.

*Edit*
After using this bag for a bit, I thought I would give a little update regarding my thoughts on this bag.  The straps are slightly awkward on this bag, especially the long shoulder strap.  It looks cluttered if you clip it to the circular ring where the shorter shoulder strap is permanently attached, but I feel the bag falls a bit awkwardly if you attach it to where the shorter handles--either diagonally across or both on one-side because of the way the weight of your bag is distributed.  That being said, I don't really use the longer shoulder/cross-body strap, but that also means your stuff isn't as easily accessible while wearing your bag.  If you are the type to dig around through your purse while it is still on your shoulder or arm, then the shorter shoulder strap and detachable arm straps may get in the way.  Other than those slight annoyances, though, this bag is nice and has held up well.

Holika Holika Heartful Moisture Lipstick & Etude House Dear My Darling Blooming Lip-talk Swatches

Alright I finally got my laptop up and running after Dell replaced my motherboard/video card.  Yay!  Here are the swatches of the lipsticks I own from Holika Holika's Heartful Moisture and Etude House's Dear My Blooming line.

My collection of lipsticks.  (Indoors, no flash)

Close ups of the lipsticks, ordered by similar shades.  (Indoors, no flash)

And now, in no particular order, swatches of each shade with comparisons to lipstick color and application/pigmentation color.   I would say all these pictures are with roughly 1.5 coats of lipstick.  Haha.  Both of these formulas were really creamy and smooth to apply, especially the Holika Holika ones.  They also have a nice sheen to them and don't sink into any of my lip lines or make my lips look dry; I know that it's difficult to tell from these pictures.  Also, all these photos were shot indoors sans flash.

 

This came out surprisingly more pink than I expected.  I still like it though.  :)

 This is my "my lips but better" shade!  Haha.

Holika Holika's RD808 and RD807 look pretty different in tube, but for some reason show up similarly on application.  I even had to double check that I was tagging the right picture!  Lol.

If you were planning on shopping from both collections and didn't want dupes, I created this color comparison chart.  That being said, be mindful that if your natural lips are lighter, darker, or a different tone than mine, the lipsticks might come out slightly different on you.

Here are the lipsticks swatched on my arm.  As you can see, Etude House's RD302 comes out slightly warmer on my lips than my arms.  For reference, I have a neutral undertone, but prefer warmer shades.

GMarket Haul #3

Yay, my third GMarket haul!  Also probably my last haul for awhile since I decided to do a Project 20 Pan (after I placed this order, of course!).

This box seems smaller than the others, although it's not.  Perhaps it's because I ordered less stuff?  In either case, the estimated weight was 7.27kg, whereas the actual weight was 1.96kg.  All these shipping overcharges are slowly building my GAccount balance.  Hopefully, I will have enough in it for a free haul soon.  In case you've never used GMarket before, estimated shipping charges that are billed are not refunded via your payment method.  Instead, it accrues in your GAccount, which you can either 1) apply to a future purchase if the amount is greater than the amount being purchased or 2) withdraw to a bank account for a fee.  I believe the fee is quite hefty, probably to protect GMarket from exchange rate losses, so it's probably better to leave it in your GAccount.

The partial overview shot.  The three bags I bought came with freebie stickers and floral-decorated card (lower-left).  Holika Holika items came with 5 freebies:  box of cotton swabs, Black Caviar Wrinkle Recovery Skin, Black Caviar Wrinkle Recovery Emulsion (bottles center), Water March Moisture Full Cream, and Face 2 Change Cream Starter (packets lower-right).  The Holika Holika Holy Berry Tint #2 is a GMarket free gift--I'm assuming that means it's separate from sellers gifts.  

The rest of my items.  The bright pink behind the blue lunch bag is not part of this haul, just using it to prop up the bag for the picture.  It's part of Etude Houses Dear My Blooming freebie from my last 2 hauls.

Lately, I have been loving headbands.  I bought all three of these from this seller.  They were packed very nicely.  Each headband was individually cellophane-wrapped, then all three were put into another plastic bag, and finally packed into a box.  These were also very cheap--they were roughly 5,900-8,900 KRW each ($5-$9 USD), but they are very beautiful.  I believe they are handmade, at least, that is what the label says on the two rhinestone headbands.  The black rhinestone headband also comes in the tulip version Kim Tae Hee wears in the drama My Princess.  If I had found GMarket sooner, I would have purchased it from this seller, too!  (I purchased mine on eBay for roughly $20-$25 USD and the quality is the same.)   

How sweet! The seller gave me some hair ties and a rhinestone bobby pin as freebies!

Holika Holika was having a 30% off sale!  So of course, I purchased a couple more of their eyeliners--I had previously purchased their Jewel-light Waterproof Eyeliners from Pretty&Cute.com for $8.99 USD.  These were being sold for 3,430 KRW (~$3 USD) after the 30% discount.  Original price is 4,900 KRW ($4-$5 USD).  This is such a steal especially since I love the formula and colors!  (I haven't found an American drugstore brand with the same quality and price point!)  They are very creamy, easy to apply, and long-lasting!  I previously had the colors #2 Black Crystal, #4 Purple Amethyst, #5 Brown Amber, #6 Olive Peridot, and #8 Pink Topaz.  I purchased #7 One Karat Diamond, #9 18kt Gold, #11 Light Brown Amber, and #12 Olive Jade.  Oh, the only thing that I don't like is the back metal piece at the end of the eyeliner sometimes comes off, but I just tape them back on so that the eyeliner inside doesn't fall out, dry out, or get dirty.  

I also decided to purchase two more Holika Holika Heartful Moisture Lipsticks since I loved the last three I purchased in a previous haul.  I got CR301 and BG401.  I believe I have all the colors except for the orange one.

My stippling brush died and so I replaced it with Etude House's Dual Fibre Cheek Brush (Glow).  I read some good online reviews about it and can't wait to try it for myself.  I also ordered the Oblique Shadow Brush because it has a pretty unique angled, but rounded and fluffy shape.  I can't wait to see how it performs.  First impressions of these brushes are pretty good; they both seem very soft.

These are the Face Shop's Mini Pet hand creams.  I bought them because they are so cute!  I already have one of each from Etude House's Missing U line and these were the next cutest (I don't like bees).  I haven't tried them yet, but I hope their formula is lovely as their containers.  I bought these hand creams, as well as the Etude House and Innisfree items from this seller since I could save on delivery fee.  I was hesitant at first because I usually like buying directly from the company/official seller to get the freshest products at the cheapest price, but I double checked the prices and they are the same as the official sellers.  :)

Etude House's Golden Ratio Face Glam in #1 Gold and Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder.  Haven't tried either of these yet, but read some pretty good reviews about them online.  Etude's face highlighter is said to be a dupe for Benefit's High Beam, but is much more affordable.  It's roughly 12,000 KRW (~$10-$11 USD), which when converted to USD is less than half the price of Benefit's highlighter!  It also has a pot of cream highlighter in the top of the cap.  The top of the cover flips open to reveal a small mirror and cream highlighter, while the entire top spins off to reveal a scoop that is attached to the lid for the liquid highlighter. 

Bought this wooden deer paper holder and the bags from this seller.

Isn't it so adorable?  Hopefully, this will help me neaten the mess I call my desk.  

Cute little bags!  I love buying bags with lots of organizational pockets.

I saw this Iconic Design Frame Pouch on eBay and I wanted to buy it, but it was so expensive.  I believe it was selling for $25-$30 USD.

These bags actually retail for 16,800 KRW ($15-$16 USD)!  Mark up is crazy!  But, just to be fair, that mark up includes shipping since most eBay sellers have free economy shipping.  

This is what the bag looks like when it is opened up.  It has a frame along the top so that the bag can open very wide and stay open.  It also helps to keep your cosmetics and items in place and upright.

Not a very good picture, but the inside has a single slide pocket on one side, and two smaller slide pockets on the other.  

This is a La Pomme by Indigo Handy Bag.  It's also called a "convenient portable pouch" in the advertisements.  (I really love all the picture ads that online Korean sellers have to show their product and all its many uses!)  I bought this because it was a good size to fit my camera and phone.  Essentially, this could be a wristlet if necessary or a smaller cosmetics bag for my purse.  It's on eBay for roughly $35 USD, but from GMarket I got it for 13,930 KRW ($12-13 USD) after GMarket coupons.  It's usually 14,060 KRW, which is roughly $14 USD.

The inside is a nice blue gingham print with an aqua/teal/mint green (?) zipper.  One side has a zippered compartment and the other side has a slide pocket.  I love that it has a zippered compartment because if I use this as a wristlet, I can securely store my credit cards, license, cash, etc.  Also, the center divider is nice because if I put my camera in one section, nothing else will scratch it.  And finally, the other reason I love this pouch is that it has slight padding to reduce the impact of any bumps my camera or phone may face.  :)

Ah, this Iconic Lunch Pouch is so cute!  I think it will fit my Kotobuki Panda Bento box!  

The back of the packaging to show how it is used.  It can fold up pretty flat and you roll the top down to create its handles!  It's sold for 14,800 KRW ($13-$14 USD), but I got it for 13,650 KRW ($12-$13 USD) after GMarket coupons.

It lays flat and has a contrasting zipper!  The ends extend slightly beyond the top of the bag, to make the handle; it is not a rectangular bag.

The inside is lined and insulated to make it easier to clean, as well as keep your food cool (or warm, I suppose)!

This is how it looks when closed.  You roll the top down and clip it together.  I'm sure it won't look as crinkled when there's actually something inside to help it keep its shape.

If you have any questions on the items I bought, let me know!