Beauty

ghd Platinum Styler Flat Iron Review – Nocturne Collection Limited Edition

April 3, 2018

I fell in love with ghd Flat Iron again so I thought I’d share a quick review. I have been using ghd of several different models on and off over the past 10 years. Also, I was using other hair straighteners in the interim. The ghd platinum styler that I am reviewing today is one of their best models from the newer releases – the Platinum styler comes in different colors such as the classic black and white and I got the design in the limited edition nocturne collection. Prior to this one, my last ghd was bought nearly 6 years ago so this new model just works and feels much better!

I love the dark purple floral design of this styler, and the platinum model looks very sleek and feels expensive in the hand. My hair type is very weak, prone to breaking and naturally wavy with medium thickness. The ghd platinum styler glides over my hair smoothly without causing breakage and makes the hair feel ultra smooth, sleek and shiny. You can create unlimited styles with this tool and I highly suggest you check out their hair hub for tons of inspiration and step-by-step tutorials! I personally love using it for creating straight and wavy styles.

Closer look at the contoured edges

Straight Hair Look

I love the fact that this tool doesn’t make my hair look too flat. I have lots of hair and the straightening process only takes less than 10 minutes – all with one stroke! The rounded edge of the tool is fantastic for adding a bit of curve at the bottom of the hair, so it makes the hair look full of volume and bouncy that is similar to professional styling. I included some pictures of me in straight hair styled by the ghd platinum styler. As you can see the result is sleek but with airy volume!

Wavy Hair Look

The ghd platinum styler is also a life changer for me for creating wavy hair. I must admit I am very clumsy with styling my hair curly and wavy. I have invested in tons of expensive curling tongs and none of them can be used to quickly add some waves in a few minutes. I know that using flat irons for creating wave is so last year, but I never had any success with my old ghd models, whereas the platinum model is very user-friendly for the most inexperienced user! Again I included some pictures of how I style my hair wavy with this styler. I only spent less than 10 mins to create this look (same amount of effort as straightening my hair). The pictures were taken straight after the styling (with no hair products used) and the curl lasted the whole day. Also, I wanted to show the waves more clearly in the pictures. Normally I would brush my hair several times to make the waves look even more natural and loose. Again you have to check out their wavy hair tutorial hub for more ideas!

(PS changed my hair color again)

Last but not least, the ghd platinum styler has universal voltages and comes with 2 years warranty. For more detailed product features, please check out this page.

Disclaimer: This product was sent for review free of charge.

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Labels: FLAT IRON • GHD • HAIR • HAIR STYLER • HAIRCARE • WAVY HAIR

DIOR DIORSKIN FOREVER UNDERCOVER 24H Full Coverage Foundation Review and Swatch

March 19, 2018

Here is a review of the latest foundation from Dior – the DIORSKIN FOREVER UNDERCOVER 24 Full Coverage Foundation (currently 15% off!). I have been wearing it for the past few weeks, and as usual it has its pros and cons and my feeling for it is quite mixed due to my skin type. I bought mine here with worldwide shipping, and it is also available here in Australia.

PROS:

The foundation comes in a plastic bottle and it’s best to give it a shake before you use the foundation. It has a fluid and milky texture that dries down to a velvety powdery finish within a minute upon application, so there is no need to apply more powder again to set the makeup. The greatest thing about this foundation is the lasting power and it doesn’t budge nor transfer at all throughout the day. The formula would work the best for oily skin type, as it controls oil and keeps the makeup staying fresh with minimum fading for up to 8-10 hours for me. The coverage is full as it claims, as the formula is highly pigmented and a pea size is more than enough for the whole face to cover most of the imperfections, acne marks and pores.

CONS:

I would love this foundation if I had oily skin, but unfortunately I have normal to dry skin so making the formula work for my skin type can be a little challenging sometimes. Since it dries down to a powdery finish, it tends to enhance the dry patches and pores if my skin is not super hydrated. It also gives a full matte high coverage finish which is a bit of a double edged sword because it can look a bit heavy and sit on top the skin if my skin is too dry and the foundation is not fully blended in. To make the foundation look flawless yet natural on me, I need to prep my skin with lots of hydration products, including applying a hydrating primer underneath the foundation – my preferred primers include my go-to Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer or the iconic Guerlain L’Or Primer.

Application:

Fingers and beauty blenders are my preferred application method with this foundation. With fingers, it gives a more flawless look, whereas with beauty blenders it sheers down the formula and adds a hint of luminosity to the skin which works out to be better for my skin condition.

Shade:

Since I am very fair at the moment I bought the shade 010 Ivory which is the brightest shade from the range. It has a hint of a pink undertone and I included a swatch comparison with the Dior DiorSkin Star foundation (reviewed here) in shade 012.

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Labels: DIOR • foundation

NARS Lip Cover Hell Gate – Pure Love

March 11, 2018

Introducing another hot shade of the moment – NARS Lip Cover in Hell Gate (limited edition). If you are as obsessed with brown rose lip color as I am, then this is a must-have for you! My heart skipped a few beats the minute I had it swatched on my lips. Hell Gate is done in perfection with the right amount of brown tone with a reddish rose base. Whether wearing it sheer or in full coverage, it makes a statement lips and looks flattering with most skin tones.

The formula has a velvety smooth texture and glides on smoothly without enhancing lines. It feels creamy and non-drying and settles down to a matte stain-like finish with a hint of luminosity that lasts for hours. Pure love and highly recommend it! It is sold out at most department stores so be quick.

Swatch

Lip Swatch – applied sheer with fingers and taken under the sun

Lip Swatch – under indoor lighting x

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Labels: LIPSTICK • LIQUID LIPSTICK • NARS

Current favorite Nail Colour – Chanel Le Vernis Aurore

March 7, 2018

I haven’t bought any nail polishes for a while as I prefer the lazy option of getting shellac done at the nail salon, but when I spotted the new Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 606 Aurore (limited edition and available here in Australia), I felt like I needed this color in my life! It’s a very pretty medium true pink with gold shimmer. It stands out for me as it has the right balance of pink intensity whilst still looking quite delicate and flattering on my skin tone.

The lasting power of the re-formulated Chanel Le Vernis line is quite amazing as it stays put for nearly two weeks without chipping on me. To extend the longevity I normally apply a layer of my HG Jin Soon Power & Base coat which helps to keep the nail polish on for a lot longer and finish with a layer of Chanel Gel Top Coat. Aurore applies smooth and streak free. Swatched below with two coats.

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Labels: CHANEL • NAIL POLISH

Holy Grail Skincare Products Roundup

February 25, 2018

Here is a roundup of my all time favourite skincare products! I have a huge passion for skincare and instead of reviewing individual productS, I really like recommending the best ones out of the thousands I have used!

Best Treatment Lotion – Jurlique Activating Water Essence (bought here in Australia). For the best all-purpose essence lotion, it is a tie with the SKII Treatment Essence (reviewed here). Since I’ve been using SKII for years, and the Jurlique is my new discovery from last year so it deserves to be crowned. It’s a water-essence lotion that hydrates and plumps up the skin immediately and preps the skin for better absorption of other skincare products. The perk of this lotion is that it has no alcohol and feels gentle and invigorating to the skin. The scent is amazing and it makes you feel instantly soothed and relaxed. One of my favorite products from Jurlique!

Best Exfoliator – Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains for Face. I really like this simple grain exfoliator, and it looks very pretty in the glass jar. A little goes a long way, and you just need to mix it with your other cleansers (preferably lotion/cream based). There is nothing fancy about the ingredients of this product, but the finely milled blend of grains does an amazing exfoliation job and gives the most satisfying baby-smooth skin afterwards compared to other exfoliators I have used.

Best skin regeneration/repair serum – La Mer The Concentrate (available here in Australia). Best of the best for skin healing, improving the appearance of skin scarring, regeneration and anti-aging. We all know the healing power of La Mer’s iconic ingredient The Miracle Broth, and this bottle has the highest concentration. I love it so much so that I splurge on the large bottle – it is expensive but worth the money. A detailed review is here.

Best anti-aging serum/oil – 111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond Retinol Oil. If you haven’t heard of the brand, it’s developed by a leading cosmetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides in UK who has an array of famous celeb clients. This product is extremely powerful and potent, as it contains a maximum strength of 1% pure retinol as an over-the-counter product. It is formulated with black diamond particles and the oil is moisturizing yet delivers powerful anti-aging and resurfacing benefits at the same time. It feels gentle upon application, but I think it is quite strong for daily use. I only use it 3 times a week, and over a short period of time I have noticed my skin texture appearing noticeably smoother and refined. To achieve the best results the brand suggests pairing the retinol oil with their best selling Y Theorem Repair Serum NAC Y2.

Best day/night moisturizer – La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Lotion (bought here in Australia). Absolutely the best moisturizer I have ever used. I loved the La Mer’s cream to bits, but this lotion is wayyy better for absorption whilst delivering the same result as the original cream. The milky consistency feels ultra-luxurious on the skin and it instantly absorbs into the skin leaving the skin incredibly supple, smooth and moisturized. The consistency is perfection as it feels just right all year around– doesn’t feel too heavy in summer and it works well in winter. I use loads of exfoliation products such as peel, scrub, AHA, Retinol etc and there is something about this lotion that just instantly calms my skin down. Really can’t gush enough about this lotion!

Best Brightening Essence – Haku Melanofocus 3D. I like this brightening and whitening essence as much as the SKII Genoptics Aura Essence (reviewed here). Both of them deliver brightening results over time, helps to fade acne scars and gives a well-rested radiant glow to the complexion overnight. I thought I’d introduce this product in my post as it is much cheaper than SKII, and feels more moisturizing.

Best Face Lifting Lotion – Sisley Double Tenseur Instant & Long-Term Gel (bought here). Detailed reviewed here. I have gushed about this miracle gel over and over on my blog. It gives an instant face lifting effect that noticeably reduces the appearances of nasolabial folds and gives a better v shape to the face. It hydrates and sits beautifully on the skin as a makeup primer. I am up to my third bottle now!

Best Sunscreen – ANESSA Whitening UV Protector SPF50 PA++++. Ultra lightweight with the highest sun protection. It feels like a light-weight moisturizing lotion that instantly absorbs, feels silky smooth and instantly makes the skin feel more soft and supple. If you are familiar with the Japanese sunscreen, you should know that Anessa’s gold bottle is the best seller but the consistency still feels a tad greasy and powdery in my opinion (so I use it on my body only), whereas the white bottle has the perfect formula for the face that doesn’t make you feel like you are wearing sunscreen at all.

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Labels: 111SKIN • BOBBI BROWN • HAKU • JURLIQUE • LA MER • SHISEIDO • SISLEY • SKINCARE

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Liquid Lipstick Dangerous Liaison Review and Swatch

February 18, 2018

I am on a mission to track down every single hot lip color at the moment. My latest acquisition is the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Liquid Lipstick Dangerous Liaison – it is so beautiful that it literally took my breath away when I first applied it. It is a hugely popular shade amongst beauty lovers worldwide, and it’s been sold out for a very long time but it’s just been restocked!

I am trying to make all of my lip swatch posts short and sweet. Overall Dangerous Liaison is a stunning neutral rusty red color with a hint of rose. If you wear it in full coverage, the rose undertone tends to show up more (as you can see on Charlotte Tilbury’s swatch). I love wearing it sheer, so it looks more warm and rusty and gives a nice fall and edgy retro look. The texture is also lovely for dry lips – goes on creamy smooth and settles down to a matte finish without drying the lips over time. Just a tiny teeny bit of the color is enough for the whole lips.

Swatch

Under natural sunlight

Indoor lighting

Collage

The Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Liquid Lipstick can be found here in the US. For worldwide shipping, you can check the stock on Selfridges (where I bought it from), Net-A-Porter, BeautyLish, and CultBeauty. I think my swatch is very close to what I see on my lips in real life. On each website mentioned here, the swatch varies by a small degree, and I would say NAP has the most accurate presentation of the color for me.

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Labels: Charlotte Tilbury • LIPSTICK • LIQUID LIPSTICK

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Persuasive 333 Review and Swatch + Giveaway

January 21, 2018

I’ve been obsessed with lipsticks lately, particularly in the color range of brick brown red/maple leaf sort of colors which is the color of the year. I was over the moon when I finally tracked down Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Persuasive 333 which is almost sold-out worldwide! If you can find one, get it right now! It is a stunning autumn color but I am totally loving it for the hot weather. All pictures in the post are taken with an iphone with my new illuminated selfie phone case that gives better lighting.

The Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte formula is amongst the best that glides on silky smooth and feels non-drying and lightweight even for the dry lips (on par with the Tom Ford Matte and Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution which are my top favorites). It is highly saturated so a little goes a long way. I suggest that for the application you just need to dab the color gently on the center of the lips and smudge with your fingers for a softer and blended-in look.

Closer look

The color Persuasive 333 is absolutely stunning and worth the hype. I describe the color as a dusty terracotta warm red with a hint of pumpkin undertone. As the warm-toned eyeshadow trend is taking over the world, this lipstick makes the perfect compliment. It goes well with most skin tones, and the bright base color instantly brightens up your complexion, whereas the muted tone still makes the color look natural and wearable everyday without looking too glamorous.

Swatch – taken with iphone with LuMee Duo phone case! No color filter applied

Here is a picture of me wearing Persuasive taken outdoor

Bottom Line: If you could have one lipstick this year, make it this one! The Pure Color Envy Matte range is available at Nordstrom and Estee Lauder US online. I bought it here in Australia, and you can also find it on David Jones online. Selfridges is another place where you can try your luck. It seems the shade Persuasive is out of stock everywhere, but there are some other beautiful similar shades such as Raw Edge, Decisive Poppy; Irrepressible and Desirous from the same range that I am also drooling over!

I was recently sent the LuMee illuminated DUO phone case and absolutely adore it! It has adjustable front and back LED light so you can take pictures and selfies in any lighting condition. I prefer using the dimmed light during the day, and at night the full light setting is guaranteed to give you good quality pictures without the use of flash. Here is a giveaway for one lucky winner. The prize is a LuMee iPhone case of your choice with the value up to USD$100 that you can find from the LuMee website!

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below and I will pick the winner at random. The giveway is available to US residents only.

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Labels: ESTEE LAUDER • FOTD • light up selfie cases for the iphone • LIPSTICK

Guerlain Midnight Secret Late Night Recovery Treatment Review – miracle product to revitalize and freshen up your complexion

January 19, 2018

Overnight treatment is definitely my go-to instant skin fix that fits well with my lifestyle, so I’ve been trialing a lot of them over the past year. The cult-fav Guerlain Midnight Secret is my absolute favorite – I can’t believe I’ve only just discovered this little gem! It has always been the ‘secret product’ for the celebs and beauty insiders as it claims to give you an ‘8-hour well rested radiant complexion’ that makes up for the lack of sleep, so the mask is infamously known as ‘an overnight treatment that smooths away any signs of fatigue for short nights!’

I don’t get much sleep at all – 6 hours on average, and the way my skin reacts is never the same as the younger days. I can easily look dull and tired in the morning, so this intensive treatment that works like a mask is a life changer for me. You only need to apply a thin layer of it all over the face as the final step of your night time skincare routine. Leave it on for 10 minutes before going to bed so it’s fully absorbed and doesn’t leave a sticky mark on the pillow. The texture is somewhat similar to a medium-rich night cream but absorbs slowly, and for my combo skin it works fine without feeling too rich. I love the effect when I rinse it off the next morning – my complexion appears noticeably brightened, revitalized with an amazing glow. My skin is hydrated and the makeup glides on beautifully.

My only pet-peeve is the tiny size which is only 15ml. I wish Guerlain would release a bigger size, but on the other hand this size makes it convenient for travel.

Bottom Line: Highly recommended! I bought mine here in Australia, and you can find it at Neiman Marcus in the US, or here with free worldwide shipping.

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Labels: GUERLAIN • MASK • SKINCARE • SLEEPING MASK

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