Beauty

Dior Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Shimmering Sculpting Powder 001 Review and Swatch

August 9, 2016

I know it’s true love when I keep a makeup product in its original packaging in my favorite drawer, and use it with ultimate care for fear of spoiling the design – that was my relationship with the Dior Glowing Gardens Illuminating highlighter (reviewed here). So when I spotted this gorgeous Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Shimmering Sculpting Powder 001 from the Skyline Fall 2016 Collection, there was not a second of pause before I added it to my basket (bought here in Australia)! It is just as pretty as the Glowing Gardens release with a slight difference in color, so can also become my backup.

Texture wise, it is consistent with the limited edition highlight powders from the previous releases. The powder is extremely finely milled, buttery soft and silky smooth to apply. There is no fall-out during application, and the powder is easy to blend to create a soft glow, or can be built up for a more glamorous sheen. The powder blends into the skin seamlessly, so it doesn’t enlarge the pores, and it illuminates the skin without visible shimmer and glitter.

On first glance, it looked quite similar to the Glowing Pink from memory, but after I have seen them side by side, this powder is more peachy and a tad warmer than the Glowing Pink. I would describe it as a champagne color with a hint of peachy golden undertone. It is a universally flattering all-purpose highlighting color for most complexions, as well as for the eyes. On my NC15-20 color, it goes on translucent with a glow if applied sheer, otherwise it adds a hint of peachy color if applied heavily, but it doesn’t appear to warm on me and still goes well with pink blushes.

Shimmer degree is about medium, as it’s not too shimmery (ie Becca and Nars) but one swipe is enough for creating a visible highlighting effect. This is not a powder that can be used all over the face for an illuminating glow.

Swatch with 1 swipe

Comparison

Clockwise: Dior Luminizer 001; Chanel Perles Powder (reviewed here); MAC Dunes At Dusk Gleamtones Powder (reviewed here); Becca Champagne Pop (reviewed here); Dior Powder 001 Glowing Pink

Bottom Line: Must have! Particularly for those of you who missed the highlighters from the Glowing Gardens collection – the good news is this item will be added to the permanent line.

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Labels: DIOR • HIGHLIGHTER

Dior Diorblush Light and Contour Sculpting Stick Duo Review and Swatch – Fall 2016

August 5, 2016

This fall my top favorite makeup collection has to be the Dior Skyline Fall 2016 Collection, as I can never resist a beautifully designed collection with a neutral color theme (check out my picks on my insta)! There are also some really great practical products from the collection which have been added to the permanent line including the Diorblush Light and Contour Sculpting Stick Duo (bought here in Australia). I got the shade 001 Soft Contour, and it goes well with my skin color (NC15).

First of all, I love the design of this dual-ended contour and highlight stick, as it makes the application much easier and is portable to carry around. It will be my go-to product for a fuss-free contour and highlight application when I’m on holiday next week! I know lately we are spoiled with lots of choices, but for a fresh and clean look, all you need is one contour color that suits your skin-tone, and one highlighter to bring out the features. The Dior is such a perfect simple product that delivers the results.

Between the contour stick and the highlighter stick, I definitely think the contour is more superior. It has a creamy consistency without shimmer, and is silky smooth to apply. It is very pigmented, so one strip is enough for shading one area such as the cheekbone. It is very easy to blend – almost like a stick foundation as the color is blended into the skin seamlessly without any visible edges and patches. It gives a cream-matte finish which is perfect as a contouring product. You can use it for sculpting the cheekbones, jaw as well as the nose bridge.

The highlighter is a pale champagne color with fine shimmer which reminds me of the famous Nars The Multiple Copacabana. As with most shimmer sticks I have used in the past, I find them to be a little challenging to work with. It imparts a beautiful subdued gleam to the complexion that looks dewy and glowing but not shiny. For application it only works well on top of a moist base. If your skin is dry, or apply the highlighter on top of the powdered face, the product won’t blend in, and looks like it is sitting on top of the skin. It also tends to enlarge the pores a little over the cheek area, but on top of the cheekbone it is ok. Having said that I have yet to find a shimmer stick with a texture that melds into the skin. My tip is to press some loose powder with a velvety puff into the skin which will then remove the enlarged pores look. Overall I think the texture and the finish is very similar but a tad more hydrating upon application than the Nars multiples.

I included some of my preferred brushes for application with this product, including the Marc Jacobs The Shape and Contour Blush Brush (absolutely my HG, reviewed here); Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush (reviewed here); CHIKUHODO GSN-5 Brush. For applying an opaque product in cream formula, it is always recommended to use a firm and dense brush.

Swatches at different angles

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Labels: CONTOUR • DIOR • HIGHLIGHTER

How to treat and protect colored damaged hair

August 1, 2016

I color my hair quite frequently, as I normally go for quite light balayage (FYI light ashy chestnut is the colour I ask for), so my hairdresser has to add bleach to the color which tends to damage and dry my hair a lot. It is very important for me to treat my hair with extra care, and I use tons of good hair care products for repairing and protection. This post is to share some of my favorite hair care products , including some new discoveries, and some of my old favorites which I have kept repurchasing.

The Hair Damage Test

Hair dye and bleaching tends to destroy the protein in your hair, and with the loss of protein you will notice your hair starting to look dull, breaks frequently and has no resistance. A simple test is to cut a strand of your hair and pull them from both ends. If they stretch and bounce back to the original length, then you have very healthy hair. If they break while stretching, that means your hair is severely damaged. If your hair is stretched but does not return, it shows your hair is damaged and dry but not severe, which is the case for my hair. My experience is that some responsible hair colourists performs this test for your hair when you go for a hair consultation, and they will work around your preferred color depending on your hair condition.

Full Protein Treatment

If your hair is severely damaged, or bleached to a very light color (such as blonde or pastel pink) if you have naturally dark hair, then the only effective treatment that will totally repair your hair is the salon-only OLAPLEX. You can have the treatments done at a salon, and they will also recommend you to get a OLAPLEX home-kit. So if you see your salon has the big OLAPLEX sign on the door/window, you know your hair is in safe hands!

The Half Protein, Half Moisture Treatment

If your hair is not very damaged, then applying a pure protein treatment will give the reverse effect as it will make your hair feel straw-like and crunchy! You should instead go for products that repair and moisturize at the same time which is recommended for my hair condition.

– My current favorite includes the Label M Age Defying, which is raved by a lot of hairdressers. It has all the latest advanced hair care ingredients including protein, collagen and nourishing oils to bring your hair from lifeless to stronger and healthy. Label M products are available here in Australia at discounted prices.

Label M Age Defying Shampoo/Conditioner; Recovery Mask

– Alterna Caviar is my all time favorite. They are on the expensive side, but they are so luxurious and nourishing, and they transform your hair after just one wash. Your hair will feel instantly more healthy and manageable. I have recommended this range to a lot of my friends, and none of them can go back to other brands!

Alterna CC Cream; Alterna Replenishing Shampoo/Conditioner; Heat Protection Spray; Moisture Mask;

– The Kérastase Resistance Collection is also really good. This range has less protein than the above two, and it makes your hair feel softer and more moisturized. If your hair is not as weak but still need repair, I highly recommend this range.

Weekly Deep Conditioning treatment

I love using hair masks, normally twice a week. The hair masks are more intensive, and they make the hair feel deeply nourished and conditioned. Some of my favorites include the Amika Nourishing Mask (love everything from the range, bought here in Australia), Shu Uemura Shusu Sleek Masque – very moisturizing and good for making hair super sleek and glossy. Can’t stop gushing about the Original&Mineral Seven Day Miracle Moisture Mask – this is a quick intensive treatment that you can just leave on for 2 minutes in the shower, and you will definitely feel a difference after a few uses. All of these treatments are not too heavy, and they don’t make your hair feel greasy.

Color Treatment

To prevent hair color from going brassy, it is vital to incorporate a silver shampoo/treatment into the routine. It acts like a hair toner, the purple tone counteracts the brassiness and redness in your hair, and makes your hair stay blonde and ashy longer. I’ve tried several silver shampoos and I find them to be too drying for the hair, so I opted for the purple treatments. I like the ID Color Bomb Silver Hair treatment and a custom-made purple treatment shampoo that I got from my local salon.

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Labels: ALTERNA • AMIKA • HAIRCARE • KERASTASE • LABEL M • ORIGINAL MINERAL

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks Review and Swatch – Lolita, Lolita II, Berlin, Lovesick and Mother

July 27, 2016

Ever since Sephora was launched in Australia, I have definitely become more interested in their exclusive makeup brands such as the Kat Von D, as opposed to the usual high end department store brands. Today’s post is for Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks – needless for me to say how popular these are! If you’ve ever been to the shop, you would notice the never-ending crowd at the Kat Von D, and these liquid lipsticks are always out-of-stock! I bought them online, and picked the colors based on the swatch without having any research done as I was confident that they would work for me!

I picked some highly popular colors from this range, including Mother, Lovesick, Berlin, and Lolita and Lolita II with the latter two being the best sellers. All the colors are in line with my expectations, and I truly love every single one of them.

The Liquid Lipstick has a lovely creamy and velvety consistency on application that feels lightweight on the lips. Pigmentation is intense and opaque, so a little product goes a long way. It doesn’t bleed nor feather, and it takes about 10 seconds for the formula to completely sink into the lips, and dries down to a stain-like matte finish. It doesn’t make your lips appear dryer, but if you already have dry and flakey lips to begin with, be aware this formula doesn’t moisturize and will not hide the dry lips condition. This lipstick lasts forever, and stays put for about 4-5 hours before it is totally worn off.

I find that the application with Kat Von D is much easier than the MAC matte liquid lipcolors, as it applies evenly (non patchy), and it allows for enough time to blend and make it look perfect. With this formula , I personally prefer to line the lips and apply the color with a lip brush for a more precise and sophisticated finish.

Color Description and Swatch

Mother – Medium mauve pink

Lovesick – Nude dusty pink. I have a thing for muted dusty pink lip color. Lovesick leans cool and slightly nude. My preferred application is to fill my lips with the Chanel lip liner in Rose Delicate, and then apply lovesick on top for the prettiest MLBB pink mauve lip color.

Lolita – Chestnut brown color with a hint of mauve undertone. The most wearable brown lip color I have ever come cross! It’s such a fashionable and edgy color to wear without looking too bold and vampy. Absolutely love it!

Lolita II – Peachy terracotta color. It is the everyday version of Lolita, and color is more nude, and would suit most complexions.

Berlin – Warm coral red that is so beautiful and brightens up the complexion instantly

Group Swatch

just applied

once it dries to matte finish

Bottom Line: Must have! Reasonably priced with a pleasant formula that lasts like ink, and it comes in a huge color selection.

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Labels: Kat Von D • LIPSTICK • LIPTINT

Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad Honeymoon Review, Swatch and FOTD

July 7, 2016

Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad Honeymoon takes the reign of the most wanted eye shadow palette of the year. I pursued really hard for it, and was beyond thrilled when I finally got my hands on it. The delayed review was partly because I did not want to spoil such a beautiful palette while it was brand new! There is no fancy design to this palette apart from the signature Tom Ford packaging, but the combination of four gorgeous neutral colors with a twist speaks for itself.

The quality, texture and pigmentation are in line with the other quads from Tom Ford. I have covered my thoughts in the past reviews many times (review for Disco Dust). In summary, they are the most luxurious eye shadows with premium quality that glide on silky smooth in a single swipe with no fallout, and they blend and set beautifully on the eyes without looking cakey and heavy. It is expensive for eye shadows but all the powder is very densely packed so a little goes a long way, and this palette will last you years even with daily use! If you are a makeup lover who indulges in beautiful packaging, Tom Ford will always make you feel super pampered.

All fours colours in Honeymoon have shimmers varying to different degrees – some are shimmery with a wet sheen, and some are very subtle with a soft gleam . This palette is great for creating a natural look but also buildable for a more smokey and bold look. It has an interesting mix of colors – the warm coppery bronze with rosey and plummy browns, and they wear beautifully together. It’s winter, so I like to pack more plummy colors for a fall look. In hotter days the bronze shades will be more useful.

Color Description (clockwise):

1. Peachy golden color with gold shimmer.

2. Coppery light bronze with gold shimmer

3. Dark plummy chocolate brown with silver shimmer. Applies to a semi-matte finish with a hint of sheen.

4. Rusty rosy brown with magenta shimmer. Applies to a satin finish in high sheen.

Swatch

Wearing Tom Ford Honeymoon only on my eyes in the FOTDs

The Tom Ford Honeymoon Quad is available at the following stores:

– Nordstrom in the US.

– Selfridges with international shipping

– You can purchase Tom Ford makeup at David Jones Online in Australia, but unfortunately Honeymoon is still out of stock.

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Labels: EYESHADOW • Tom Ford

Napoleon Perdis Makeup Review – Liquid Cashmere Foundation, Radiance Boosting Primer and Ultimate Contour Palette

July 3, 2016

I am always more attracted to the international beauty brands (well the grass is always greener on the other side!), and have been dismissing some great products from our local beauty heroes such as Napoleon Perdis. I finally had a chance to try them out, and I have to say I am utterly impressed by his products – what they deliver are on par with the premium brands, with a more affordable price tag. Today’s post is for sharing my top 3 favorite products from the brand.

The Stroke of Genius Liquid Cashmere Foundation with SPF20 is such a wonderful foundation that completely surpassed my expectations! It’s a medium to full coverage foundation that gives a flawless finish whilst still looking very natural. It has a milky cream and opaque consistency, so a little product goes a long way. Most thick foundations do not spread easily, but with this product, application is a breeze and it wears and sets beautifully on the skin without the need of loose powder. I prefer to apply it with the fingers, as the warmth from the fingers help the foundation blend out easily and meld into your skin for a radiant, polished and milky finish. It covers the pores completely, and diffuses other imperfections and uneven skin-tone so it does not look cakey and flat on the face. Packaging is not the most user-friendly, as you tend to squeeze more product out than needed, and the brush feels too stiff as I am spoilt by Suqqu brushes!

One pea size (as in the swatch) is enough for the entire face for medium coverage. I got the shade Look 1, which is a light ivory beige shade with a neutral undertone that is similar to MAC NC15.

The full coverage finish with one pea size application

The Auto Pilot Radiance Boosting Primer is another must-have product from Napoleon, and it is now a staple product in my makeup kit. It has a lovely lightweight texture that glides on like milky lotion, and feels very hydrating and helps the foundation to wear better. It gives the skin a soft-focus finish with a dewy glow, and best of all it does not enlarge the pores. There is no color to it, so it goes on translucent and won’t look streaky. It has the right amount of shimmer so it’s easy to wear for a boost of radiance without looking greasy. You can either wear a small amount of it all over the face (underneath or mix with your foundation) for a healthy glow, or you can apply a bit more for highlighting purposes that gives a dewy and slightly wet look.

The Ultimate Contour Palette is all you need for a multi-purpose face palette. The powders are very finely milled with a silky and buttery touch to it, and are easy to apply and blend. All the colors are very basic and right on point, which is a good thing because most of us are after a practical palette for everyday use. The colors are flattering on most complexions, and thumbs up for having the contour shade in matte finish which makes it a true contour product.

Color Description:

Highlighter: A shimmery neutral champagne color and it also makes a great eye shadow color

Blush: A semi-matte coral color with a soft glow

Contour: A matte neutral medium brown color

Comes with a mini instruction

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Labels: Napoleon Perdis

MAC Gleamtones Powder Dunes at Dusk Vibe Tribe Review and Swatch

June 26, 2016

I have lots of weaknesses – one of the biggest has to be collecting all the beautifully designed highlight powders. I am a big fan of highlighting, and whenever I come across a product that suits my complexion color, I have to own it. Reviewing the latest MAC Gleamtones Powder in Dunes at Dusk (LE) from the Vibe Tribe collection which did take me some effort to acquire, as it is all sold out at major MAC counters in Sydney.

Dunes at Dusk is a multi-color bronzing and highlighting powder in one pan. Love the motif design, and it contains four harmonious block of shades in soft shimmer finish. The texture is better than the permanent MAC powder – it feels more creamy and moist with a velvety touch to it, and it can be easily picked up by a soft bristle brush. All of the colors go on sheer as they are meant for a soft illuminating finish. You can apply the colors individually, and personally I prefer to swirl the colors together for application.

It gives a beautiful translucent and polished sheer veil of lit-within-glow to the complexion. When all colors are mixed, it has a very subtle tint to it, but it applies nearly colorless with in a hint of pink using a brush. It looks neither too warm nor too frosty on my face, which is hard to find for my NC15-20 cool toned complexion color.

Swatch & Color Description (clockwise)

Shimmery golden peach

Shimmery lilac

Shimmery dusty mauve (also makes a great eyeshadow color)

Shimmery champagne (great for the eyes as well)

On me: Just a quick phone snap showing the MAC Gleamtones applied on the top of my cheekbones

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Labels: HIGHLIGHTER • MAC

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Serum Review

June 22, 2016

The Chantecaille Bio Lifting Serum is an oldie but goodie. It’s such a classic prestige skincare product from Chantecaille that has been around for many years, and has never been reformulated as it just works, and people always go back to it. This is my second bottle, and it will always be a staple in my skincare regime to fight against gravity!

The Bio Lifting Serum is a powerful anti aging serum for skin regeneration, collagen rebuilding and promotes skin density and firmness visibly. It definitely sounds like a magic potion to those of you who are seeing the loss of volume and collagen in your face as you age. This is probably my biggest fear for aging – I can live with fine lines and pigmentation, whereas as soon as your cheeks drop and lose the plumpness, this is the first sign that gives away your ‘real age’.

On average, women start to lose collagen from the age of 28, and I always think this is a good age point where you need to start investing in some serious skincare products for prevention as well as correction purposes. Most prestige skincare products target at the age group of 40+, but why wait until then when you can resort to some powerful products now to slow down the breakdown of collagen, that help to maintain the skin firmness and contour at its optimum state?

I have personally used a lot of luxury skin lifting products, and the reason I like the Chantecaille the most is because it delivers an instant result for lifting. For such an expensive product, it’s always good to see a visible immediate result. With this serum, it gives a slight taut feeling to the skin upon application. Instantly my complexion appears more lifted and the contour appears more defined, and the skin also feel more firm. Best of all, the serum is lightweight enough to be applied around the eye areas, which also gives a lifting effect that makes your eyes appear less tired.

As with all Chantecaille products, this serum is hand made in France, mainly based on botanical ingredients and is paraben free. It has a patented active complex of peptides, rose stem cells, hyaluronic acid for a powerful anti-aging product. Apart from the outstanding lifting effect, this serum also delivers long lasting hydration. In an air conditioned environment, for my dry skin this serum keeps my skin hydrated and supple for the whole day. The consistency is light, but concentrated and 2 drops are sufficient for the entire face and neck. It spreads smoothly, smells like fresh roses, and completely absorbs into the skin, and also helps the makeup to glide on beautifully.

The Chantecaille Bio Lifting Serum is available at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus in the US, and NAP worldwide.

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Labels: CHANTECAILLE • SKINCARE

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