Beauty

My Current Favorite Lip Colors

May 9, 2016

When it comes to makeup, I change my lip colors much more diligently than any other makeups. I can get away with wearing the same foundation and eye shadow for a long time, whilst for lip colors, I like to keep my many lipsticks on high rotation for an updated look. Lately I am a little over the pink and coral phase, and have become besotted with more neutral lip colors again. Perhaps it was to do with the current fashion trend, anything with a muted tone such as MLBB or browns in matte finish has my heart fluttered!

Here is an array of my current favorite lipsticks!

Top row from the lip swatch collage is the MLBB shades with a dusty pink undertone – absolutely obsessed with this shade.

Illamasqua Lipstick in Climax – One of my favorite colors from Illamasqua. Their quality is slightly better than MAC – very pigmented and smooth to apply without streaks. Climax is the most beautiful MLBB shade I own – it’s a tad darker than my own natural lip color with a peachy pink undertone in creme semi-matte finish. Think about your flushed lip color when you just step out of the shower.

MAC Lipstick Please Me (Matte) – My Holy Grail lip color, If I could only live with 3 lipsticks ‘Please Me’ would be one of them. It’s a MLBB with a dusty rose undertone in semi-matte finish. Just a natural but sexy color with a fashion spin and is easy to wear with different makeup looks.

Second Row is the cool toned dusty pink shades

MAC Lipstick Snob (Matte) – One of the top sellers from MAC. It’s a cool toned milky dusty pink color. Not an easy color to pull off, as it can look a little streaky on the lips, and the key for application is to blend and blend until the color is completely blended into the lips. I would say it is a stunning color on blondes with cool skin tone and blue/green eyes. On me, since I have cool skin tone, I can still manage to pull of this color. It does wash me out a little, and I tend to use Snob on top of having my lips colored with a darker lip liner such as the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Liner in Iconic Nude (reviewed here), and together they look perfect.

Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte PK 335 – Similar to Snob, but a tad darker in a complete matte finish, and it’s much easier to pull off. I love wearing this color alone, or mixing it with other colors. I actually bought this color after I saw the Shu gal had this lip color mixed a plummy lip liner, and it looked beautiful on her which resulted in this purchase!

Third row is the brown and nude shades

Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick B*tch Perfect (CT KISSING Lipsticks reviewed here)- A delicate peachy pink color with a tiny tinge of nude brown undertone in a satin sheen finish. It’s a very easy color to wear for all skin tones, and leaves a luminous finish to the lips if matte is not your thing.

MAC Velvet Teddy (Matte) – Possibly the world’s most famous and wanted shade because of Kylie Jenner who swears by this lip color. I love it too. It’s such an edgy and high-fashion color – a pure deep beige brick brown shade that is on every IT girl’s lips at the moment.

Group Swatch

You can purchase MAC and Shu Uemura beauty products at David Jones Online in Australia.

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Labels: Charlotte Tilbury • ILLAMASQUA • LIPSTICK • MAC • My Favorites • Shu Uemura

Dermalogica Hydrablur Primer Review

May 2, 2016

In achieving a perfect complexion with makeup, apart from an awesome foundation, another essential product would be the makeup primer. I included this product to my makeup routine religiously about a year ago, and nowadays I find that I simply cannot live without it! There are many types of foundation primers in the market, and once you find the right type that suits your skin, it’s very likely you will also be a primer convert. My recent favorite is the Dermalogica Hydrablur Primer. The name says it all – it gives a blurring effect to your complexion and gives it a more smooth, airbrushed appearance.

Why should you include a smoothing primer

It helps to minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines, and extends the wear time of foundation, and even negates the need of powder as the primer already provides a mattifying effect. I find that the combination of a primer and a foundation is sufficient to cover imperfections as well as creating a much more natural finish than having foundation followed by powder.

Thoughts on the Hydrablur

Dermalogica doesn’t make a huge fuss on packaging, but I do like the design of this slim tube (22ml). As with most smoothing primer, it works by filling out your pores, smoothing out the fine lines and giving a more flawless effect to your skin hence less foundation is required. It has a creamy white consistency that has an interesting mildly gritty texture, but on application it applies translucent, and makes the skin feel smooth, velvety and appears more pore-less and even looking. As a makeup primer, this formula works cohesively with all types of foundations (I have tried liquid, cream, powder and cushion!), and it allows the foundation to glide on more smoothly, and keeping it from creasing for the whole day.

closer look at the texture

The Hydrablur feels lightweight and more hydrating than a conventional silicone primer on the skin. Though it’s not as hydrating as a moisturizer, it still works well on my dry skin without flaking up nor enhancing dry patches. On a different note, it is wonderful as a mattifying primer – for my oily t-zone it is able to control the oil for a whole day. In terms of ingredient, this product is formulated without artificial fragrances, colors or parabens.

You can find the Dermalogica primer at ry online in Australia for less than the retail price!

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Labels: DERMALOGICA • PRIMER

Makeup News and Good Deals

April 27, 2016

Sharing some exciting new makeups and good deals that I spotted this week.

1. The highly coveted Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In A Palette (limited edition) is now available at NAP online and ships worldwide! I have already ordered mine, and be sure to get yours if it is on your wishlist before it is all gone! Apparently this is the fastest selling product ever from CT.

2. The long awaited YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil In Stick is finally launched in Australia. You can find them at David Jones online. I have ordered a couple of shades already including No43 Rose Rive Gauche, No47 Beige Blouse and 48 Smoking Plum. Really looking forward to receiving them.

3. Last but not least, TATCHA is giving out a deluxe travel size of Pore Perfecting Sunscreen SPF35 with any purchase of $100 or more with the code SPFMINI (offer ends 4/28). This featherweight formula uses silk extracts to leave skin silky smooth and Japanese wild rose to visibly tighten pores. It also creates a beautiful canvas for makeup.

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Labels: Charlotte Tilbury • SHOP • TATCHA • YSL

Diptyque Scented Oval Reviews – Baies, Figuier and 34 Boulevard Saint Germain

April 25, 2016

When a big sparkling diamond is not on the near horizon, there are little luxury things in the world that will bring a smile to you everyday without breaking your bank. My favorite is probably everything from the iconic french fragrance maker – Diptyque Paris. Apart from their luxury scented candles, I have recently discovered they also carry this incredible line of Scented Ovals which I have been dreaming of to have such a product. These are the small scented home accessories that are used to perfume small spaces. Prior to this discovery of the century, I always liked the Hermes scented papier perfume, but I much prefer the Diptyques as they are longer lasting and offer lots of scented options.

The design is very elegant and look expensive in an understated french way. Each scented oval is hand-made with a white ceramic medallion, and filled with a hand-dripped scented wax that is embossed with the name of the fragrance. It is designed for perfuming small spaces such as the closet, drawer, or even the bathroom. I was told the product will last you about 1-2 years. While the scent is still very strong when it is new, it is best for keeping it in the closet and it will make your clothes smell like HEAVEN! Generally you would only keep one per closet, and it keeps the space perfumed and away from any stale odour. Depending on the size of your closet, for a small closet I find that the fragrance also transfers to the clothes mildly which is a bonus. After one year when the scent starts to dissipate, then you can leave it in a smaller space such as your drawers. It is not recommended for use in the car as the wax might melt in very hot conditions.

pictured: Sea Lace Top

The scented ovals come in 4 different fragrances – the Baies, Figuier (leans more fruity), 34 boulevard saint germain, and Roses (floral based) I picked up the former 3 as they are less feminine, and blend in well with my wardrobe. Here is a brief description on each scent.

Baies is my all time favorite fragrance from Diptyque. I have been addicted to it for years and I have it in the candles, perfume as well as the scented oval. Main notes are the roses and blackcurrants, that smells slightly woody and fruity. To me this is such a unique scent that I will never be bored of.

Figuier is a soft woody fig scent. If you love the Philosykos fragrance which is the best selling perfume for Diptyque, you would love this one.

34 is the special scent that was born after many customers requested to ‘bottle’ the boutique of Diptyque located on Saint Germain which was filled with many rare and precious fragrances. It is complex and unisex that encapsulates the scent of the boutique. If you haven’t had a chance to visit the Paris boutique, then 34 is as close as you will get!

You can find Diptyque products at Nordstrom online. I bought mine at Neiman Marcus.

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Labels: DIPTYQUE • FRAGRANCE • HOMEWARE • PERFUME

Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Lipshine Review and Swatches – 206 Histoire and 208 Roman

April 13, 2016

Today’s review is for the newly released Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Lipshine which comes in 12 new shades (available online here in Australia). I picked up 2 colors – the 208 Roman and 206 Histoire. I wasn’t super excited when I first played with the testers, as I thought they were very similar to the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in terms of finish and texture, just packaged differently. Glad that I went ahead and bought some as once I tried them on the lips I felt the formula was definitely more superior than conventional glossy lipsticks and comparable to all the lip products from other premium luxury beauty brands of recent releases.

The Rouge Coco Stylo comes in a twistable pen style, so they are very easy to be carried around. One pet peeve is that the lipstick doesn’t twist back as with most pen style makeup products. It has a silky and melting formula that feels very hydrating and lightweight, and it glides on silky smooth with a slippery feel to the lips like a lip balm. My lips are in an extreme dry state at the moment during the transition season, and this lipstick pretty much conceals all the dry lines and flakiness and make them appear ultra pouty and plump!

I love the new stylos more than the Rouge Coco Shine because they are much more pigmented and long lasting, and it allows for different ways of application. You only need 2 swipes to achieve an intense full opaque glossy finish. As usual my preference is to just apply a wash of color, and it blends into the lips effortlessly until it becomes a stain-like finish in a satiny sheen. To my pleasant surprises, it lasts about 4-5 hours on me even with having drinks in between! Normal long lasting lipstick/lipstain tend to dry out the lips over a period of time, but this new formula (as well as the Tom Ford Patent Lip Color which also blew me away – reviewed here) are so intense and lightweight, and they can create the same effect whilst keeping your lips looking moist and supple.

206 Histoire is a bright coral with red undertone in a glossy cream finish. It’s a bright color but easy to pull off with most complexions. A full coat gives a more bold and glamorous color, or wear sheer for a youthful look.

208 Roman is a rosy fuchsia pink in a glossy cream finish. One of the most beautiful pink colors I found from this range. A very wearable pink that can be worn bright or can be toned down for a softer look.

Group swatch

The Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Lipshine are available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Chanel Online in the US, and David Jones in Australia.

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Labels: CHANEL • LIPSTICK

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, Dermal Quench Liquid Lift Review

April 9, 2016

Kate Somerville makes some interesting and unique skincare products that always catch my attention. I haven’t used many of her products, but I truly like the ones I have used thus far. This post is the review for the products I am using at the moment – The Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment has been my holy grail for years, and the Dermal Quench Liquid Lift is my new discovery which I am quite pleased with.

As with most beauty products in the market these days, shopping for an exfoliator can be a little confusing as they are all promoted with a fancy name! Generally speaking, there are only 2 types of exfoliators. The most basic ones are the physical scrubs that contain micro grains that works to scrub the dead skin off. It is suitable for younger and oily skin. I like it on the days when my skin feels a little rough. If you have sensitive, thin or acne prone skin, you might find them to be too scrubby. The second type is the chemical exfoliator which contains a main ingredient that helps to dissolve dead skin cells and help the skin to renew at a quicker pace. I find them to be more effective as I age, as they give my skin an instant boost of radiance and clarity. The common ingredients in the chemical exfoliator include different types of hydroxy acids or enzymes. I have used them all, and I find enzyme works the best for my skin, hence I love Kate Somerville the most as enzyme is the key ingredient in her signature product. Other similar products that include enzymes that I also adore are the Tracie Martyn and the Pevonia.

The Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment has a dark green rough mud-like texture (which also feels slightly grainy) with quite a therapeutic minty herbal smell. I like the original version as it is quite intensive, and it gives a little tingling sensation upon application but no redness for me. There is also a gentle version available. It is dubbed as a ‘2 minute facial at home ‘ as you apply a thin layer of this product on the skin for 2 minutes (preferably in a steamy environment), and rinse it off. Instantly you feel your skin becomes much smoother with clogged pores slightly more cleared up, and more radiant and glowing with the result comparable to as if you just had a mini facial. I have gone through tubes and tubes of it, and I am still very impressed with the result after each use!

I was after a lifting and firming lotion, so I thought I’d give the Liquid Lift a try. It is an anti-aging product that claims to have breakthrough technology with a blend of hyaluronic acid and other powerful complexes, that helps to increase skin moisture level by 100%, and dramatically improve the appearance of lines and sagging skin. It comes in an aerosol bottle, and you need to give it a shake before use. For application, you spray the face and apply 3 strips to each side, and followed by massage immediately. It has a mousse (foam) like texture, and becomes watery-gel when you start massaging the face. It feels quite lubricant and lightweight but not sticky, with a cooling sensation so it helps to de-puff which makes a good product for a quick massage for the face. Takes about 1-2 minutes for the product to be completely absorbed into the skin, and the complexion feels very hydrated and supple afterwards that feels equivalent to a hydrating serum. As for lifting effect, there is no taut feeling to the skin after use, but I do notice my complexion appears slightly lifted. However I am not sure if that was due to the product, or the massage! Nevertheless as long as the product combines with the method delivers the result, I am happy!

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Labels: Kate Somerville • SKINCARE

Makeup Talk – The MAC brushes you need in your life

April 3, 2016

This post is getting back to square one – talking about the very basic and essential makeup brushes that everyone needs in their makeup kit. I have been blogging for years, and I hardly get a chance to share my thoughts on the essential products, and introducing them to girls who just started their venture into the fancy makeup world which can get confusing. I am a makeup brushes collector who started collecting brushes from the mainstream brands, and later advanced into more premium brands. Not everyone is willing to buy brushes from the very exclusive brands such as Suqqu and Chikuhodo, and this post is inspired by my most frequently asked question from my girlfriends “What MAC brushes should I invest in”.

Why starting with MAC..? Perhaps it’s to do with their successful brand image and a lot of their products truly stand the test of time. I have had some MAC brushes for more than 10 years and they are still in good condition. Though I am having a lot more options these days , the MAC brushes in this post are still the most used and practical, and I highly recommend them in a heartbeat to everyone.

Starting with Eye makeup brushes. MAC offers an abundance of options for eye makeup brushes – some are nice to have, and some are absolute essentials in my opinion. I have lots of them, and the must-haves for me are:

1. MAC 217 Blending brush – If you can only have one blending brush, make it this one! I have 3 of them – one for blending powder eye shadows, one for applying cream eye shadows, and one as a stand-by! Perfect size for blending color across the eye lid, and it’s soft but not super soft so it picks up pigments easily and does a good job for blending with some degree of resistance.

2. MAC 224 Blending Tapered brush – Bigger, less dense and more fluffy than 217. This brush picks up less pigments, and it is great for applying a sheer wash of color. I mainly use it for applying shading color to the eye socket area all the way to the upper nose bridge for contouring. Very easy to use and it’s fool proof!

3. MAC 226 Small Tapered Blending brush: The 3rd blending brush you need is the MAC 226. It’s slightly slimmer, smaller, more dense than 217, and it has a more tapered pointy end which gives you better precision control. Great for blending the colors in the crease area.

4. MAC 219 Pencil brush: Pencil brush is for drawing lines then smudging it for a softer blended finish. This is a firm and dense brush so it picks up lots of pigments, and the pencil shaped tip allows precise application around the eye corners and along lash lines. Absolutely must have if you like to smudge a soft wash of color along the lower lash line.

5. MAC 227 Large Fluff brush: Last but not least for blending, the MAC 227 is magical! It’s a big, fat and round-shaped brush that is the best brush for softening any harsh lines. All you need is to dab a beige color and blend it under the brows for a cleaner eye makeup look.

6. MAC 239 Eye Shader brush: Having a couple of shader brushes is also essential, and you can’t miss MAC 239. Perfectly designed for laying down the shadows on the lid and prevents fall out to build a more intense finish.

7. MAC 242 Shade brush: Designed for laying cream based color. It’s made of synthetic fiber, quite soft and very flat, and I like to use it for packing on the colors on to the eye lids, or drawing lines using the tips. It can also be doubled as a concealer brush over smaller areas. MAC also have the bigger sister version 252 which is more ideal for applying concealers than eye shadows.

Face Brushes – I have less recommendations for the MAC face brushes than their eyes. Simply because I think there are much better options from other brands for face brushes, so I have only picked a few that I absolutely love.

MAC 168 Large Angled Contour brush: If I could only have one MAC face brush, it would be the 168! I have had this one for more than 10 years and it is being used on a very frequent basis, and the condition is still excellent! It’s very soft, doesn’t shed, and it’s a versatile brush as it can be used for applying blushes, as well as for buffing highlighting/shading colors for contouring purposes with the slanted angle design.

MAC 129 Powder and Blush brush: A good and basic design for a dome shaped blush brush. It has the right size and shape for multiple ways of application for the cheeks, as you can use it in a swiping motion, or pat it and swirl it for a wash of color effect. The full rounded shape gives an even and smooth finish. Not the softest brush, but it means it will pick up the pigments from even the most sheer blushes.

MAC 130 Short Duo Fiber brush: Stippling brushes are great for buffing face colors into the skin in a natural effect, and it works well with both powder and cream products. I love the size of 130 and the flat-top design, as it is perfect for blending concealers for under the eyes areas, or applying highlighters over the T-zone, and applying cream blushes over the cheeks!

MAC 159 DuoFiber brush: Another super versatile brush. The paddled-shaped brush is great for applying foundations and concealers for a natural finish. Also works well for applying a sheer wash of powder and cream blushes. Overall you can pretty much do your whole face with this brush! Experience slight shedding during the first few washes.

In Australia, the MAC Brushes are available here online.

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Labels: BRUSHES • MAC

NARS Spring 2016 Duo Eyeshadow HAMMAMET and Duo Intensity Eyeshadow KARI Review and Swatch

March 28, 2016

The new NARS Spring Color eye shadows HAMMAMET Duo and Dual Intensity KARI from the Spring 2016 Collection thankfully reminded me of how much I used to be obsessed with Nars years back. (yes Nars was the brand that made me into a makeup addict hence the blog!) Over the past two years my obsession had slowed down, and I became very selective with the colors they released. My goal is to only collect the everyday colors that will get lots of use, rather than the unique bold colors (which Nars tend to do) that will end up collecting dust. Hammamet and Kari are beautiful neutrals again that I just can’t take my eyes off – love the soft dusty rosy tone to them!

pictured clockwise: Nars Duo eyeshadow Hammamet; Nars Duo Intensity Kari and Nars Audacious Lipstick Natalie (one of my all time favorite lip colors – reviewed here)

The Nars HAMMAMET duo is a must-have for me. I always thought it was the duo eye shadows and the blushes that has put Nars where he is now. The quality of the duo is always consistent, as the eye shadows are silky and creamy to the touch, and they are ultra pigmented but easy to apply and blend without any fallout. One compact will last you forever and the powder quality stays the same over a long period of time without drying out like the MAC singles.

Shade description:

Left : a matte medium sandy beige color that is perfect for shading/contouring. As a matte color it feels buttery soft and it glides on smooth and evenly.

Right: coppery bronzey shimmer with a hint of dusty rose undertone. Stunning color with ultra pigmented micro fine shimmer.

The Nars KARI is another beautiful soft neutral color that just can’t be missed. It’s a soft dusty sandy taupe color with a hint of mauve undertone in satin finish. Texture is firm and silky smooth, and it can be applied wet or dry with a more intense finish when applied wet. If you think HAMMAMET might pull too warm on you, then KARI is more neutral and softer.

Swatches