Beauty

Lunasol Chocolate Cosmos Eyeshadow Palette Review, My everyday look FOTD

July 26, 2011

I managed to get up 10 minutes earlier than usual this morning (unbelievable!) so I quickly snapped a few pictures of my makeup before I left home for work. The eyeshadow palette I used is my beloved Lunasol Chocolate Cosmos by Kanebo. Lunasol is well known for neutral eyeshadow palettes, and this one has been one of their top sellers for years! It can look bland or dupable, but the beauty of this palette is that all of the shades are so wearable and flattering and are designed to enhance the natural beauty of your eyes and complement the rest of your makeup.

Shades description (clockwise from top left)

a soft shimmery cool sandy brown

a soft shimmery peachy brown

rich chocolate brown with silver glitters

a pearly beige white with an iridescence – the texture of this shadow is different to the rest – it has a spongy creamy texture that can be used as a base as well as being excellent for highlighting the inner corner of the eyes.

I love how the iridescence of the pearly white shade shows up in this picture.

Swatches: All of these shadows are smooth and are easy to blend.

Love the finish of these shadows – they are neither too matte which can look too flat nor too shimmery. They give a satin shimmery effect with a subtle sparkle that bring my morning lifeless eyes back to life.

Some pictures of my FOTD this morning. Just a very soft and fresh makeup look I normally wear to work everyday.

{ 21 comments }

Labels: EYESHADOW • FOTD • KANEBO • LUNASOL

Chanel Vendetta Swatch

July 24, 2011

This week I have been wearing Chanel Le Vernis in Vendetta – it is such a classic edgy vampy shade that has become one of my all time favorites.

In the bottle it is a deep rich eggplant shade with tons of red micro glitters. Swatched with 2 coats on the nails, it shows up as a deep purple with a hint of navy. Under direct sunlight you can see the magenta sparkles in it. Application was a breeze, 1 coat gives an opaque finish. I prefer an ultra rich and glossy finish hence I always go for 2 coats.

Focused on the bottle.

The only close Vendetta dupe I have is by Sportsgirl in Galaxy.

Left: Sportsgirl in Galaxy. Right: Vendetta by Chanel

{ 7 comments }

Labels: CHANEL • NAIL POLISH

MAC Lightful Ultracharge Foundation Review

July 23, 2011

I am probably not a big fan of MAC makeup…there are only a handful of MAC products that I love and will always repurchase them. One of them is the MAC Lightful Ultracharge Foundation SPF 25 Compact. Unfortunately it is an Asia exclusive product as this line is designed for brightening the complexion – since fair skin is high in demand in Asia.

This is the third time I have purchased this – I always re-stock them whenever I get to go overseas. The packaging is much better than the normal MAC products – it comes with an ivory white lacquered finish case that feels sturdy and weighty. It includes a mirror and has two compartments allowing you to store the product and the sponge seperately.

It can be used as a foundation alone or as a powder. The powder is so finely milled and silky smooth and the texture reminded me of the finest velvet. The coverage is sheer to medium so I mainly use it for retouching my makeup throughout the day. It blends into my skin perfectly without looking powdery and cakey. On the oily t-zone, this powder doesn’t look blotchy and absorbs the oil.

Applied MAC Lightful Ultracharge powder on top of Becca Luminous skin finish which is a very sheer foundation that has no coverage. As you can see, it looks very natural (doesn’t enhance any dry patches and fine lines) whilst offering a nice coverage and covers the pores.

A closer shot – there is no trace of powder on the cheek area. However it tends to collect around the edge of the nose, which is the case with any powder foundation.

On the left side of my face, I applied MAC Lightful Ultracharge Powder as a foundation on bare skin using the sponge applicator. The finish is pretty much identical to the above, except that it slightly enhances the dry skin around the nose.

Bottom Line: I love it for retouching my makeup, not as a foundation. Compared with some other compact powders that are on the higher end such as La Mer, La Prairie, Guerlain and Chanel that I have used, this one works the best on my skin type for a natural finish and good value for money. The SPF25 is an added bonus!

Some of you may ask how does this one compare to MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural? Size wise, the MAC Lightful contains 14 grams of product and the Skinfinish contains 10 grams. The texture of MAC Lightful is more finely milled hence it feels much more smoother and looks finer on the skin than the Mineralize Skinfinish. They both last about 5-6 hours on me.

In terms of shades, I am MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in light, and MAC Lightful in NC 20. They appear quite differently in the pan but once blended out on the skin they are both translucent.

The MAC Lightful has a yellow base to it which I believe would suit people with a warm skin tone better.

MAC Lightful retails for around $50 in Australia. I bought mine at the Sydney Galleria Duty Free Shop which is the only shop in Sydney that stocks High End Asia exclusive products.

That’s all! Hope you all have a good weekend 🙂

{ 13 comments }

Labels: foundation • MAC • POWDER

Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour Review

July 18, 2011

I did an overview on some of my favorite Japanese drugstore mascaras a long time ago which I promised I will do a review for them. However I got sidetracked by other mascaras and new makeup hence the late review 😛 Today I want to talk about the legendary mascara by Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour – it is an oldie but a goodie. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like it! If you are new to Japanese drugstore brands, this is a Must Have!!

It has a plastic comb applicator

Smudge proof

Very waterproof

Glossy black

To begin with I have typical Asian lashes – deadly straight; sparse and medium length. For a daytime look I prefer a mascara that defines my lashes and more importantly holds my curl for the whole day without smudging and flaking. This mascara does a fantastic job in terms of what I need. Not only does it hold the curl until you wash it off..the comb wand allows me to easily get to the roots of the lashes and lift the lashes to the maximum extent. It lengthens and thickens the lashes moderately which is good for daytime looks. If you are after a more dramatic look you can always add a few coats of volumising mascara on top of it, as this one is excellent when used as a base to hold the shape.

The only downside I can think of is that it is quite difficult to remove if your eyemakeup remover is water based such as Bioderma H2O (sorry it won’t work for Majolica Mascara..) I don’t have problem removing this mascara if I use a dual phase remover or Shu’s cleansing oil.

Here are some pictures of me wearing 2 coats of Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour . Please note: I don’t have much lashes to play with hence the result may not be that impressive. For those of you who are blessed with long and thick lashes, I am sure this mascara will make your lashes look like falsies!

I bought this one from my last trip to Hong Kong in Sasa at around $10.

{ 5 comments }

Labels: MAJOLICA • MASCARA

Bobbi Brown Bronze Tortoise Shell Eye Palette Swatch and FOTD

July 17, 2011

Being a neutral shades lover I always pay attention to Bobbi Brown’s new releases. Their latest Tortoise Shell Collection has really captured my heart. It is a collection consisting of only neutral shades that would look flattering on any skin tone. There are two limited edition eyeshadow palettes – the SAND and the BRONZE from the collection. I opted for the Bronze Tortoise Shell Eye Palette after I swatched both at the counter as I prefer the color payoff and the texture more than the other.

This palette comes in a tortoise shell case and has a unique two tier compact design. Perfect size to carry it around in the purse or travelling.

This Bronze palette contains 8 warm neutral shades in 3 different finishes, with 5 of them being the new shades:

Top Tier

Banana – matte

Gold Nugget – New, sparkles eyeshadow

Olive – New, sparkles eyeshadow

Bronze: – New, metallic eyeshadow

Bottom Tier

Tiger’s Eye: New, metallic eyeshadow

Espresso: Matte

Copper Cocoa: shimmer wash

Amber: New, shimmer wash

According to Bobbi Brown’s website, the Bronze Tortoise Shell Eye Palette is designed for medium to darker skintones. Although I am nowhere near that I find all of these shade are easy to work with and look flattering against my skintone after playing with it for a few different looks.

There are millions of looks you can create with this versatile palette. I went for a simple look today wearing the new shades.

EOTD

Olive as a wash over the eye socket. Then applied Tiger’s Eye at the outer corner and defined the outer v with Copper Cocoa.

Along the lower lashline, I had Tiger’s Eye applied then layered with Gold Nugget at the tear duct area and Copper Cocoa towards the outer corner.

Overall Look:

Bottom Line: I really like it. These shades don’t pull too warm on me and it is a palette that I can use all year round. Having all of these wearable shades in an elegantly designed compact is a bonus for women (like me) who like to travel light.

FYI the eye palette retails for $130 in Australia.

{ 18 comments }

Labels: BOBBI BROWN • EYESHADOW • FOTD

Becca Radiance Primer Review

July 13, 2011

I bought Becca Radiance Primer not long ago and it has quickly become my all time favorite radiance and illuminating primer. At the time I was purchasing I had a choice between the most raved Shimmering Perfector and the Radiance Primer which is a new product from Becca. As usual I like to go against the crowd…and took this baby home. I am so glad I did because it has surpassed my expectations.

What is it:

– It is an age defying illuminating primer that instantly diminishes signs of dull, uneven complexion with a luminous, dewy finish.

– It has a water based formulation that hydrates and boosts the vitality of the skin.

– Can be used underneath foundation or on its own. Suitable for all skin types.

– Made in Italy

– Paraben Free, Fragrance Free and Alcohol Free.

This primer has a subtle gold tinge to it. When you squeeze the product out, you can see tiny particles of gold shimmer.

What I love about it the most:

– Many primers are ivory or pink based, sometimes they can make my face look too white and oily in the photos . This primer blends into my skin seamlessly – I cannot detect that there is a layer of highlighter or shimmer on my face. It gives a nice glow-from-within effect.

– There really is no rule for applying makeup. Rather than using it underneath my foundation, I like to mix this product in with my foundation to achieve an all over radiant effect. The hydrating formulation also makes my foundation adhere to my skin even better.

– My favorite use of this product is that I like to apply, or more specifically pat this product into my skin on top of my foundation. It takes away the cakiness and thickness of foundation – instantly makes my skin look more lifted and gives a moist and dewy glow. In a way it reminds me of the Clarins Beauty balm but much better. I have no luck with the Clarins as it flakes on me horribly.

More pictures!

Slightly blended out

Applied Becca Radiance Primer on top of the foundation along my cheekbone. Again the effect is hard to capture by the camera – it always looks better in real life.

Becca Radiance Primer retails for $55 in Australia.

{ 17 comments }

Labels: BECCA • Makeup Base

Best Liquid Eyeliners

July 12, 2011

Nothing defines my eyes better than the use of an intense black eyeliner – it is something I cannot live without since high school! I am always on the hunt for the best, blackest and smoothest black liquid eyeliner. I have tried tons of them from the most expensive brands to the most affordable. This post is going to be a comparison of some of the best liquid eyeliners that I have tried so far, and the good news is..most of them are drugstore brands and cost less $12 bucks!

All of these eyeliners are intensely black. They all have a fine tip which allows for easy application and gives a precise and clean line. They go on smoothly and fluidly without smudging and last all day.

From Left to Right:

1. Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner in Deep Black: felt tip

2. Majolica Perfect Automatic Liner in BK999: brush tip

3. Koji Linequeen in Strong Black: brush tip

4. MAC Superslick Liquid Eye Liner in On The Hunt: felt tip

5. K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h in 01 (best seller in one of the biggest Japanese drugstores): has a brush tip and claims that it wears like a tattoo for 24 hrs

Battle 1: THE FINEST TIP

Winner: Koji Linequeen has the most ultra fine tip of only 0.1mm – perfect for defining the winged look precisely. (shown in the far right)

Runner Up: K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h (shown 2nd from the right)

Battle 2: THE BLACKEST BLACK – tested with swatching each eyeliner with only 1 stroke at the same pressure

Winner: Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner in Deep Black

Runner Ups: MAC ties with Majolica

Battle 3: MOST SMUDGE PROOF – tested with rubbing my fingers over them several times

Winner: Majolica Perfect Automatic Liner – the opacity stays the same while the rest show signs of fading.

Worst Performance: MAC – the only one that starts to flake off.

Battle 4: MOST WATERPROOF – tested with spraying water over them

Winners: All good except for K-Palette

Worst Performance: K-Palette starts to come off as soon as it touches the water

Battle 5: BEST STAYING POWER – swiping them off using a cotton pad

Winner: Dolly Wink

Runner Up: K-Palette – although the color has faded you can still see the remnant (“the tattoo effect”) in a smooth line

Battle 6: EASIEST TO REMOVE -removed them using Bioderma Sensibio H2O Crealine Cleanser

Winners: All good except for K-Palette

Worst Performance: K-Palette: it definitely wears like a tattoo

Prices:

MAC: >$30 in Australia (cannot remember the exact price)

The rest of the brands: <$15

I know we are all looking for different qualities from an eyeliner. I hope this post would help if you are interested in any of these brands. After years of experimenting I really think there is no point of spending more than $15 on a liquid eyeliner. The drugstore brands, especially the Japanese ones are just as good. As for me, hands down, I would repurchase Dolly Wink and Majolica over and over. They are the best!

{ 24 comments }

Labels: Dollywink • EYELINER • KOJI • MAC • MAJOLICA

Nars Douceur and Penny Lane Blushes Review

July 11, 2011

Nars Douceur was my first blush that was not in the family of pink, coral or peach blushes. I passed it up when it was first released as LE as I had this idea that any brown blush would look too muddy on me. I caved in as I read more and more great reviews about it. The minute I applied Douceur on my face it all made sense what all the hype was about. So this post is really dedicated to those of you who are still contemplating whether to get it or not! I love Douceur so much so I bought Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush which looks very identical to it in the pan.

The texture of Douceur is consistent with other Nars blushes – smooth, pigmented and easy to blend.

I also really like the cream formulation of Nars blushes. Penny Lane is neither too dry nor too creamy – very easy to spread the color without settling into the pores.

Douceur is a lovely soft dusty matte brown color with a hint of pink. It is a sophisticated color, in an understated way.

Penny Lane has more pink undertone. For those of you who are still not convinced in using a brown blush, this is a good start. It can be worn alone for a natural sophisticated look, or layered underneath brown blushes such as Douceur, or Madly to bring out the pink tone.

Douceur on me:

I personally love to apply Douceur along the hollow of the cheeks up the temples, rather than having it on the center of the apples. It creates this modern, polished and sophisticated look that is very office appropriate. To show you its versatility I paired it with bold orange lips. (of course I am not that daring in real life haha).

Bottom Line: Love it. I am on the hunt for more blushes in a similar hue. Any recommendations please let me know!

{ 30 comments }

Labels: BLUSH • NARS

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