Updates: Major Product Haul is in the Works, and the Status with our TATCHA Review.

    With the month of September coming to a close, many of you are probably wondering what's been happening with our page, or maybe you haven't, which is fine because we're gonna tell you anyway, newsreel style! The official start of fall has the writers at the collective in a bit of a tizzy, what not with the actual coursework in college beginning to really pile on and the dedication of having two jobs and five other blogs to manage kind of getting to us.. But that's okay! When we need a getaway, this is the place we come to and blow off a lot of steam in a constructive and positive manner. We've only hit twenty-two posts with this new site, and our goal is to give you guys at least three new entries a week; that's twelve per month on average, so we think we've exceeded the mark! We're going to be building our other categories in the month ahead, and adding an interface for bloggers to request solicited (but free) promotion of their pages (you didn't think those ads in the sidebar were there without a reason, did you?)
    As for our TATCHA review, we have some surprising news... Admin S has begun her evaluation period with the skincare line, and because want a detailed review of this product for you guys, we've decided to defer the release date of the review until she has finished. We're sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused our readers, but we promise that we're putting as much detail into this entry as we can get! Although it's a very good line of products, we are trying to cover the bases for dry, oily, sensitive, and combination skin types, as it is important to pay attention to that with these, products especially.
     We mentioned a major beauty haul is in the works right?? We got some good buys in this week, and we can't wait to start our product haul for you guys! Some of the items on the list are from brands like, Nicel, Mario Badescu, Perry Ellis, AMBI, E.L.F., N.Y.C., and more! We also have some exciting new D.I.Y. articles in post, so be on the look out for their official release date. At the end of the month, we are considering having a giveaway, but we need to know that enough of our readers will be interested in participating! If you would like to win something from the collective, mention us on twitter, ask us on tumblr, or comment in the disqus field below. We are eager to hear from you~

(@cloud9kollektiv)

AMBI Even and Clear Targeted Mark Minimizer!

      Here it is, as promised! Over the past few months, I've been doing a lot of research into what ingredients help visibly reduce the appearance of discoloration of the skin. I wanted to find a product that would work for any skin type and provide prescription strength results in a short period of time; That being said, I was not particularly wooed by many of my prospects. Many creams and moisturizers on the market are capable of providing deep moisture, clinical strength protection, problem area solvent, and good bang for-buck-quantity, but not usually without the mitigated caveats: the ingredients are not good for your skin, they contain additives that are well known comedogenics, can cause skin to develop extreme sun sensitivity, chemically unpleasant smell, etc..

We have arrived on Bloglovin'!

Hey!

      We've been working to bring you more excellent reviews and adding more ways for you guys to get social with us; that's why we've officially added our page to the Bloglovin' service! We're still working with the interface to reach a happy medium, but you should still swing by and show us some love in the mean time~

Hey Guys! Love E.L.F. Products?

      They're having a sale on their 83 piece Studio Makeup Set! If you enter the code '83PIECE' at checkout, you get the set for only 3.50USD.  This offer ends October 1st, so hurry~ I own this set and I can say personally that it is a very good investment to make! The colors work well regardless of your skin tone and they go on smooth. They're very soft, however, so be careful with you're swabbing the colors to use less pressure than you normally would, okay? The blush and bronzers are very good, and the brushes provided are decent, to say the least. Here's a complete list of what all you'd be getting:

Do you wish you could have all the tools needed to accentuate your very best features? Now you can, with our Professional 83-Piece Makeup Collection! This convenient, complete makeup collection for eyes, lips and face allows you to be your own makeup artist whenever you want & wherever you are.

This 83-Piece Studio Makeup Set is an all-in-one palette that includes all of the must-have makeup essentials, so you can create the perfect look that reflects your own personal style.

When it comes to our Professional Makeup Kit, our customers say it best: "There is every color of everything you need for a fantastic look. Best of all, it's all in one package that's great for traveling!" "Great variety of colors and a great buy!" "I love this!! There is virtually every color in here, and all the colors have great pigmentation!" "The pricing is just too good to be true!"

One of the best values for any makeup lover, the makeup artist tested, 83-Piece Makeup Collection is only $35! Purchasing all this makeup separately could cost as much as $250!

The Studio 83 Piece Essential Makeup Collection includes

• 64 Eyeshadow Shades
• 8 Lip Gloss Shades
• 4 Blush Shades
• 4 Bronzer Shades
• 1 Lip Brush
• 1 Eye Brush
• 1 Face Brush

Dimensions:
Closed: 6.5" x 6.625" x 1.3125"
Open: 13.5" x 12.5" x 5" 

     The MSRP is 35.00USD for this product, so that's almost 90% percent off! Obviously the shipping will make the order about 9.00+USD,  so just a heads up. Ugh shipping.. Okay anyways, here a link, and here's to good deals! Bye~
EDIT: You must purchase at least 20.00USD of other merchandise for all of the sales currently in effect for there discount codes to work!

Four Facials to Maintain Healthy Skin for the Fall!

     Colder weather is officially upon us in the West coast (except California, where it's 52 degrees at night in the summer), and that means a couple of our favorite holidays are growing nearer with each passing day: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and National-Don't-let-Your-Skin-Take-a-Beating-From-the-Cold-Weather Day! If that last one sounded fake, that's because it is; however, the meaning behind this fanciful (and practical) holiday is no laughing matter. In the colder months, many of us experience an allover drying of not only our facial skin, but the skin of our hands, neck and feet. This dryness, conjured up as the body's natural response to the sudden weather change and due in part to the overall lack of humidity, can cause harder to reverse damage to the skin if a long term solution is not sought out. Don't worry We've got you covered with four facial masks that we use when the weather brings those yearly tidings of dull, chapped skin. Best of all, they are useful regardless of your skin type (though, we did put this together with dry skin types in mind):

Updates: Getting Slightly Off-Topic can be Healthy, Right?

      Hey guys! Guess what just came in the mail???? More skin care products! I'm excited to try them hehe. This time they're from Mario Badescu. There's like eight things here right now, oh my gosh I don't want to wait to try them ;; but I'm using the Tatcha right now and I don't want to upset my skin -boo boo ;;- Nothing else has shown up yet, it's so weird, I thought this would be the last thing to come. I wish my lip balm was here already :(.

Sana Extra Heavy Black Eyeliner!

      When I think of all the eyeliners that I've ever used, it becomes kind of confusing to me that I ever used a pencil liner in the first place. Pencils, speaking very subjectively (and frankly), require sharpeners and can crumble when you go to use them (but you can just pop it in the freezer for two minutes to perk up their pliancy). Automatic liners need no such thing and come in a variety of different applicators: brush, stick, felt tipped pen, etc... the list goes on, really..
      Today, I want to share my experiences with a very awesome Extra Heavy Black Eyeliner with you guys. I bought it a year and a half ago on a whim, and it's one of the best (and most expensive) drugs store buys that I've ever made! These thing usually expire after a year (yes ew I know I should have trashed it by now) but this one still works quite well! I'm considering buying it again so I can do a video demo for this item, but there's just one problem with that: the store I bought if from is usually out of stock and I can't seem to find it online! I've even visited the original website for this baby and well, it was in straight up Japanese with no options to buy it in English, only Japanese.. So, I guess it's Japanese only (crying on the inside), but I haven't given up! Haha, okay now for the actual review:

How to Keep Your Skin Looking its Best Underneath Makeup!

      We all spend a lot of time making sure our skin looks it's best, regardless of what's in our regimens to help us achieve a flawless complexion: cremes, foundations, concealers, primers, tattooing, extensions, photo shop, toners, masks, etc.. but we should also be taking care of our skin from the inside. It makes sense to start with a skincare regimen from the inside when one takes into account that nearly all skin problems start far beneath the surface of the skin! That being the case, we've gathered some of the best tips we've heard so far into a comprehensive list to help everyone, no matter what their skin type, achieve skin that looks and feels it's best, even without all that makeup:

Update: Tatcha's in the Mail!

     Hey guys!
My Tatcha came in the mail yesterday~ I'm so excited to use it. It came with all kinds of goodies so I'll be trying them out before I post the review. Should I post pictures? I don't know ahh~ Oh anyway, be on the look out for our third installment of what's bb cream? in addition to this review, plus one for Mitsuba Pour Femme!

Mitsuba Pour Femme!

      I come bearing product shots that are actually mine this time! haha. They're kind of blurry because I took them with a blackberry. Not the best quality, but I've got some pictures xD I'm not usually a perfume person but this one smells very clean and has a distinct, subtly sweet smell to it~ It's perfect for when I go to work on the weekdays as a mask for the overly forest-y smell of my right guard. I don't remember if I can wear perfume to work, but I guess I'll find out next week, huh?

As for the ingredients:

      SD ETHYL ALCOHOL 39C, DEMINERALIZED WATER, FRAGRANCE; POSSIBLY FD&c YELLOW #6 , D&C RED #33, FD&C BLUE #1.

Because of the possible content of FD&C chemicals, I don't recommend spraying it directly on your skin; I spray it on the front of my unmentionables while they're hanging to dry haha. The smell lasts for about 12 hours; after that it'll will linger on for a bit before you can no longer smell it (which is when you should re-spray it). I think the bottle is a bit heavy for it's contents, but the sturdier the better with fragrances; and the coloring is probably protecting the perfume from reacting with with light!

      I bought mine from a perfume store in a mall, and I haven't found a place where it's available online, yet anyways. But, If you pick it up, tell us what you think of the smell! EDIT: Can be found on google shopping application for $9 USD, which is about how much I paid for it.

Benefit's 'Benetint'!

  

       There are few things in life that can ruin the start of the day so much as a bad lip stain; it can literally mess your whole day up, or it does mine anyway. I mean, I put stain on when I don't want to share my color with my cups and eating utensils, and I don't want something that smells too strong or is sticky, taking too long to dry and making my lips sticky. Very few products that I've tried go the distance like Benefit's Benetint! It covers all the criteria for an enjoyable lip stain as outlined in our previous article about how to enjoy your lip products.

Updates: Eyes, Lips, and Face Product Review haul coming soon!

Hey guys,

     We know we haven't posted in a long time, but we have a whole bunch of new goodies coming in the next week so be on the lookout! Product reviews for Benefit, Ambi, e.l.f., Tatcha, and Garnier are in the works! We're also working on expanding our style and fragrance section; We hope you're as excited to read up on these products as we were to demo them!

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

      Lately, I've had the Joneses for a really good mascara. I don't wear it too often these days, and that's because I can't find one that I'm one hundred percent, head-over-heels in love with. I've gotten recommendations left and right to try some Eastern dupes for popular brands that are comparable if not better by default, but I'm just really not up to dealing with the shipping and the wait for the product ( international shipping= grumpy me. They hold your package in NY for like 2 weeks, Why?) Mascara used to be my go-to item if I wanted  a minimal-effort-but-good-finishing-touch added to my daily ensemble, but all that ended when that hot little number, pictured above, was discontinued. That's Max Factor's very own 2,000 Calorie Mascara, and it was the best mascara that I've ever used, to date. I literally used to go through tube after tube of it because I used it so often, and shared it with my mom (ssh I know, that's unsanitary, blah blah blah).

Maybelline Volume Express The Falsies Waterproof Mascara

      So here's to my endless pursuit to replace 2,000 calorie, huh? Well I can say without a doubt that this was not one of my better attempts, but there's still some good to reveal here. Let's take a look:

Leopard Prints, why to try it at Least Once.

So, here's the first dress for the style column! flashy right? Haha~ okay so here is the back story on this little number:

      I was out on a shopping excursion with my mother when I spotted this dress at a front of a vendor's display. I normally don't buy clothing from open markets just because I don't see anything I like, but on that day in particular, there were several vendors who were carrying very nice pieces. When I asked the shop keeper what size the dress was, she only had smalls left, so I had no intention of getting it. Still my mother was paying for it, so the worst that could happen would be me trying it on and it not fitting; but it did so I bought it, and here we are, writing about how awesome this dress is and how glad I am that I bought it. I'd link you to it if I could, but I haven't found a similar for a reasonable price, sadly. But there is good news in all that, right? I've actually worn it, and it's cute on too! will post pictures in the future, when I have a camera that isn't my cellular.

Why?:

      Every should find an animal print that they look nice in, even if they do it just once. It's good to experiment with different patterns, especially if one's wardrobe consists of mostly neutral or denim-centic colors. The patterns can add to the dynamic of your outfits and draw attention away from stains (should you wear something and be unaware that it's dirty, but I'm just thinking out loud here).

Favorite Feature:

The frill at the bottom.. and the hem is so smooth.. It's like wearing a cloud. Seriously, the fabric is super comfortable. I've never worn tulle that didn't feel like chicken claws on my skin, but this dress just does me one better in every way I assess it. Okay so, I'm going to just leave this one here now; I know I promised to post it at the end of last week, but I partied, plain and simple. My bad. ANYWAYS~ Be on the look out for the next addition to the style column!

Cheers!

Beauty Review: True Match Super Blendable Makeup

     L’Oreal true match Super Blend-able foundation in soft sable, C6. I have had one of the best experiences with this product! It does everything a foundation should do and holds up to my oily/combination skin. The following items are a part of a criteria that details the makeup's performance:

Style 101: No way in Heel.

     Lately I've found myself becoming more and more infatuated with this shoe; I'll admit that when I first caught wind of it, I was not intent to listen to the people saying it was very cute, or very safe in general. First of all it has no heel on it. Heels are already bad for your feet, no matter how smokin' they make your legs look!  Seeing celebrities, most notably Gaga, sporting these heels left a lot devoted fans and independent fashion thrilll-seekers looking on in awe.. and confusion. How does she walk in a shoe that has no heel? After some preliminary research (we googled it basically), we've come up with this:

      The seemingly "heel-less" shoes is actually an architectural work of art, so to speak. If you look closely, the shoe has all the support that the wearer would need distributed at the base of the shoe; the difference is that the weight of the wearer is distributed more evenly, and in a wider space than the addition of a traditional heel would. This eliminates the need for a chunky heel to support the weight of the wearer. Freaking brilliant, right? I thought so too~ Unfortunately, I have yet to find a pair of my own, but I haven't given up searching yet! Visit Lesruba Design's page for more information about this obscure and on-the-rise trend, plus some additional media and a roster of places to buy the shoe. Happy hunting!

What do you think of this trend, is it gross or totally in?

Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray!

      When I'm talking with my friends about makeup up and the like, they often have questions regarding what type of makeup would best suit their skin, what brands carry makeup with good staying power and better coverage, what to do if their foundation doesn't match, what's primer for, yadda, yadda, yadda. Not once have I ever had a friend ask what the point of a setting powder or spray is, and that fact to this day still confuses me; it's like one of the best things to ever happen to makeup. It makes makeup last longer, what could be better by comparison? I'm no veteran when it comes to the product, but I do have a favorite, and it's Urban Decay's very own 'All Nighter Setting Spray'. The tricky part with this product is which size to get; I personally had the travel size because I wanted it to fit in my purse for when I went out, though I found that there was little need for me to re-apply the spray.

Application:

 The spray diffuses evenly on  your skin and leaves a light, build-able film should you decide that you want to apply setting powder as well. There is no greasy feel to the product and the smell is tolerable. It could even be described as fresh smelling. I was pleased with the light weight feel of the spray, many of the setting sprays I've tried made my skin feel weighted down.

Durability:

 Though it's recommended that you re-apply as needed, usually after a few hours, I found that there wasn't a need for me to reapply the mist; the spray helped keep my makeup in tact for over twelve hours, much longer than I needed it to. It even kept my makeup from transferring to other surfaces, even my lipstick, but I don't recommend getting it on your lips! It doesn't taste good.

Price:

 The product is.. expensive. But what's the point of whining about the price when it's such good item? It's 12.99 for the travel, and 29.99 for regular size. You decide how much you need; I don't wear foundation often so I don't need as much.

 Pros:

•  Long lasting after first application, x>12 hours.
• Light weight, non-greasy, protective barrier for the makeup and skin.
• High durability, prevents transfer of makeup onto other surfaces.
• Doesn't leave a shiny film on face.
• Light enough for build-able coverage.
• Wonderful for oily skin types.
• Stands up to natural oils in skin.

Cons:

•  Price per ounce.
• Dispenser will degrade over time, wasting some of the product.
• Warning: do not hold closer to the face than 10 cm, will result in adverse results including concentrated, shiny areas.
• Not so great if your skin tends to be dry.

Tips:

•  Apply a setting powder after using this spray to help extend the wear of your makeup, obviously not right after; let it dry first!

• Transfer containers if the sprayer stops working after a while, because it might happen, so be prepared (and congratulations to you for having it for that long).

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars, I am recommending that you all try it. If you want a second opinion on it, swing by the company site and read from over 600 similar reviews; couldn't hurt, right?

As usual, if you have any recommendations on setting spray that are better, from your experience, or you just had a different experience with this product, don't hesitate to shoot us a comment about it. That's all for now.

Beauty Review: Urban Decay's "De-Slick in a Tube"!

     Okay so I have a love/ hate relationship with Urban Decay. I usually love their primers, shadows, and eyeliners because their texture-upon-application quality  is very good for the price. Not only that, but their colors compliment my skin tone very well! But I have some beef with this particular product. But first, a review directly from the brand site:

Product 411: What's BB Cream? 02

Skinfood's Line of BB's.

      In our last installment, we covered attempted to anyways, the purpose of the coveted bb creams. Truthfully, we think it's a wonderful product, but we do have beef, so here goes:

Op-Ed: Top Eight Lippies on our Fall Wishlist.

     The end of long, Summery days is drawing nearer, so that means its time to swap up color palettes for fall, or not; we don't make the rules, it's just our preference ;). With that, here are the top ten lipsticks on our Fall wishlist:

Product 411: What's BB Cream? Part 01

      We cover a lot of products that we expect would be common, but few are as misunderstood as the coveted bb creams. We've seen a lot of going back and forth about the product as well, people who don't know what it is and mistake if for a tinted moisturizer, people who have good intentions when they try to inform what the product is, but who don't present it in a very positive, or objective, light. So, we're gonna give it a shot!

DIY: How to get a Good Idea of Whether or not a New Hair Style Will Suit You.

      Wanna try a thirty day free trial of a hair style without actually cutting/dying/re-styling your own hair? we're here to help! This entry contains some useful tips about how to ‘cheat’ your way into a new hairstyle. Making a transition between hairstyles can be a scary thing, especially if the transition’s results are semi permanent, i.e. a new color or drastic change in the length of your hair. But before you jump the gun and chop all of your hair off or dye it some awesome color, you may want to take the new style on a test drive, and there are ways to do that!