Beauty

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Review

July 7, 2011

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is one of my holy grail foundations. I have been using it ever since it was first launched! I am switching between many foundations, but this is the only one that I rely on when I have important occasions to go to. For example I wore it for my engagement party, on my wedding day, and any other events that I want my face to look “naturally flawless”, luminous and most importantly – to photograph well.

Some background information:

– Oil Free in a fluid texture

– Made in France, housed in a weighty glass bottle

– Natural finish with a sheer to moderate coverage

– My shade is 04 Light Sand which matches me perfectly

What I love about this foundation:

– I love the texture, it glides on the skin like silk and feels weightless.

– It is an all year round foundation for me. I like to use it in summer because it is long lasting and controls the oil. It is also ideal for winter as it works effectively with dry skin as well. It sinks into your skin and doesn’t enhance any dry patches on the skin.

– Love the natural and luminous finish. The coverage is buildable – on a normal day I would just use 1 pump for a sheer coverage but good enough to hide 70% of my imperfections. For special occasions I use 2 -3 pumps for a flawless coverage and yet still look natural. It is long lasting and stays fresh for a whole day.

– It looks good in day light, night time, and as mentioned earlier, it photographs extremely well! I want to mention that the makeup artist who did my makeup for my wedding, she had 2 huge closets of makeups!! (I am not kidding). After trying on so many options we still went for this one.

What I don’t love about this foundation:

– None haha..if I really have to be picky, I would say it feels slightly more silicony than other foundations because of its silky texture. However it is by no means full of silicone unlike the smash box primer…If your skin reacts to silicone you might want to try out a sample of it first.

As usual, I applied Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation on half of my face. I only used half a pump hence the freckles on my face are still showing through a bit, which I don’t mind as I find it quite natural.

What is your HG foundation and I am curious to know which foundation did you wear for The Big day?!

{ 48 comments }

Labels: FOUNDATION • Giorgio Armani

Kanebo Lunasol 04 Smoky Ocean Scene Eyes Swatch and FOTD

July 5, 2011

If you are familiar with Asian cosmetics, you will know Kanebo Lunasol eyeshadow palettes are highly raved in Asia. Some of their signature neutral palettes as well as their seasonal limited edition palettes are always sold out. I too am a big fan of Lunasol in general and I have collected quite a few palettes from them. Today’s review is for the beautiful 04 Smoky Ocean eyeshadow palette from Lunasol’s Ocean Scene Eyes Line which is their newest range.

The Ocean Scene Eyes Line adopts a new Soft Powder Formula Technology which delivers a moist and smooth texture. It carries 5 permanent palettes – I chose 04 Smoky Ocean because it seems to be the most cool toned palette out of them all. All eyeshadows in the palette are shimmery as this line is designed to create a translucent and wet looking finish.

Each eyeshadow is very finely milled with lots of fine silver shimmers. They do stand up to their claims – the shadows are cushiony soft and silky smooth. When I ran my fingers over each shadow I couldn’t feel any trace of graininess from the shimmer.

Shades description from left to right for the below swatch:

white silvery shade with a hint of beige (lower left in the palette)

a light grey with a hint of taupe (upper left in the palette)

a pale blue with silver undertone (upper right in the palette)

this is such a unique color, a bluish charcoal with a hint of moss. (lower right in the palette)

These are swatched heavily using the sponge applicator. When applied on the eyes using a brush, these shades appear more sparkly and translucent for a wet look finish which is the way I prefer.

How I wore them on my eyes for a subtle smokey eye look:

I only used 3 shades – the light grey all over the eyelid with the bluish charcoal applied along my upper lash and the outer v. The pale blue is applied along my lower lash.

Bottom Line: The texture and the translucent finish of these eyeshadow are to die for. I am most impressed with its long wearability as they stay put for 8 hours. As for the palette, I won’t say it is a must have as it is more for summer only and is limited to smokey eye use.

Other products used:

Cheeks: Nars Multiple Tint in Turks and Caicos

Lips: Shu Uemura Lip duo tint and gloss in Love Apricot from the Takano Collection

Falsies by Kiss Me in style 02: I have to give special credit to these lashes. They are incredibly beautiful and they make such a huge difference to the eyes.

Overall Look:

Lunasol is not sold in Australia. They cost around $60 AUD if they are purchased over the Kanebo counters in Asia. Price varies online.

The Ocean Scene Eyes Range has recently released two LE palettes for their summer 2011 collection. Check out the gorgeous Elaine and PrettySeaEagle for their beautiful swatches!

{ 19 comments }

Labels: EYESHADOW • FALSE LASHES • FOTD • KANEBO • KissMe • LUNASOL • NARS • Shu Uemura

OPI Mermaid’s Tears Swatch

July 5, 2011

I have been neglecting OPI for a while – the OPI Mermaid’s Tears from the Pirates of the Caribbean Collection reminded me of how much I used to love them. Mermaid’s Tears is a sophisticated seafoam green that mimics the color of Jade. It is neither too bright nor too muted, versatile enough to wear to the office to add a pop of color to the usual boring work attire, or for a casual day out. Two words – love it! A must have for those of you who like greens.

Swatched with 2 coats

Comparing it with the greens from Essie, you will see Mermaid’s Tear is more dusty than the Essie Turquoise and Caicos and is brighter with a stronger turquoise tint than Essie Da Bush.

{ 1 comment }

Labels: NAIL POLISH • OPI

Philosophy Microdelivery Peel At Home Kit Review

June 29, 2011

After days of being sick my skin is dull and parched. I am in desperate need of some extra help other than a moisturizer to revive my skin . The first thing that came to my mind was the Philosophy Microdelivery Peel. This is my first at home peel kit. Prior to that I used to get a professional peel at the beauty salon (not the invasive one though..anyway that’s another story) and I loved the way my skin looked and felt after the treatment – a result that can hardly be achieved at home. Good things don’t come cheap, the peel cost me $250 per treatment so I decided to try out an At-home peel kit. There are so many brands to choose from – I opted for this one because I have had good results using Philosophy’s other home kits.

It is a 2 step peel system that claims to replenish your skin to make it more smooth and hydrating. It includes:

– a jar of vitamin C peptide resurfacing crystals as the physical exfoliation. It contains micro crystals which help to resurface, rejuvenate and revitalize the skin.

– a bottle of lactic and salicylic acid activating gel as the chemical exfoliation. It helps to infuse the skin with vitamin c and peptides, as well as minimizing the appearance of pores, lines and wrinkles.

The whole process only takes about 5 minutes. I just gently massage the crystals in for 1 minute, then apply the gel on top of the crystals to activate. It will start to foam up. Rinse it off after 3 minutes.

Tested on half of my hand

MY THOUGHTS:

What I like about it:

It is an easy and very gentle peel that can be used at home. There wasn’t any sting sensation. I have even left it on for 10 minutes (just to see what will happen haha..:-P) and it didn’t cause any bad reaction to the skin.

It made my skin incredibly soft and smooth.

It improves the overall clarity of the skin, my complexion is brightened up with a nice glow.

My t-zone is less decongested and it certainly reduces the appearance of my pores. I think if I use it regularly there will certainly be an improvement in the reduction of black heads in the long run.

I didn’t notice that my skin was more hydrated after use but I felt the skincare products I used later on absorbed into my skin better.

What I don’t like about it:

It didn’t get rid off the flakes around the edge of my nose.

The overall result doesn’t really wow me. Having said that I do have a VERY high standard because as I said earlier I am used to the professional result of a salon peel.

The result is hard to capture by the camera. I hope you can see the area where I applied it that has a more even skintone and brightness. In reality the result is more noticeable.

{ 8 comments }

Labels: Philosophy • SKINCARE

Giorgio Armani Sheer Lipstick in 36 Sunset Pink Swatch

June 29, 2011

I certainly have an addition to lipsticks, or more specifically, sheer lipsticks. I just love the fact that they are fuss free – I can apply it without even looking into the mirror, and because they feel emollient and moisturising on the lips I can use them as a replacement for lip balm. If you are into the sheers like me, then Giorgio Armani’s Sheer lipstick range is worth checking out. I have recently got myself the Sheer Lipstick Rouge Transparent in 36 Sunset Pink from its 2011 Summer Heat Collection.

As usual, the packaging of Giorgio Armani is always understatedly chic. Although the tube is made of plastic, it has a frosted finish with some nice weight to it.

Since it’s a sheer lipstick, the bright red from the tube translates into a sheer coat of pink coral color with a translucent finish on my lips. The intensity is easily buildable. I swatched it with 3 swipes to achieve my desired finish. I like it as much as the Chanel Coco Rouge Shine – they both have a balmy and smooth texture without any shimmer in it while providing a veil of luminosity to the lips with the right amount of color.

Overall thought: What a nice range! It deserves more hype. I will certainly be looking into it further..:-P Actually I have already regretted that I didn’t buy the Sand Dune Beige #37 which was the shade on Megan Fox’s lips for the Summer Heat Campaign.

{ 5 comments }

Labels: Giorgio Armani • LIPSTICK

Orly Rage Swatch

June 27, 2011

My obsession with rose gold shades continues to grow. This week I am wearing Orly in the shade of Rage which is a beautiful rose gold with a high shine and foil finish. Unlike other metallic shades, Rage looks exceptionally flattering on my skintone due to the rosey undertone.

Swatches with 2 coats of Rage (If you are not into an intense finish, 1 coat is enough for an opaque finish)

Overall thought: I don’t like the bottle design..can Orly please get rid of the ugly rubber cap ..On the other hand, the texture of Orly lacquers is one of the best I’ve ever tried. It is smooth and even to apply – best of all, it dries completely within 10 minutes.

{ 2 comments }

Labels: NAIL POLISH • Orly

Chanel Joues Contraste in Rouge and OR Swatches

June 26, 2011

After lying on the bed and surviving on instant korean ramen for the past 2 days, I am finally feeling better today and have the energy to do a blog post for the Chanel Joues Contraste Blushes in ROUGE and OR from their Byzance Collection. I had to admit..I initially only wanted to buy the gold blush (OR), as the red blush just looks too shockingly red for my fair skin which I would never wear. Obviously I had a change of mind after the SA told me if I layer the red with the gold, it gives a beautiful rose gold effect. Yes..the word Rose Gold totally sold me..

Everything from the Byzance Collection is much more pigmented than the regular Chanel’s.

Heavy Swatches (by fingers):

Swatched by brush:

Chanel Joues Contraste in OR is a true gold blush (although from some certain angles I can see a little bit of bronze sheen) with tons of gold flecks. The texture feels quite grainy and powdery hence there are a lot of fallout in the pan once you start using it.

It is definitely more of a highlighter rather than a blush to me. When I use it as a highlighter on my skin it transforms into a very subtle golden sheen. The gold surprisingly blends into my naturally yellow skintone really well – it brightens as well as warms up my complexion without looking too yellow.

Applied OR on the top of my cheekbone.

Chanel Joues Contraste in Rouge appears as a true bright red with pink shimmers in the pan, but on the skin the shimmer is less noticeable. Unlike OR, the texture of Rouge feels smooth and soft. It is also insanely pigmented – a tiny amount of it is enough to do the whole cheek.

I had a really hard time applying just a sheer wash of color with Rouge. It was my 6th attempt to get a sheer finish shown in the picture below. It is so pigmented, applying with the softest and fluffiest blush brush with the lightest hand doesn’t help much.. I still ended up look like a clown. To get the result I had to dip the brush into the pan at the sofest pressure I could, then swipe the brush on my hands to remove most of the product first before applying it on my cheeks. Once I got it right, it gives a natural flush of color – reminiscent of a “just went for a jog” look.

Applied Rouge on the apple of my cheek

Layer OR on top of Rouge:

I am glad I got both blushes in the end. They look the best when they are layered on top of each other. They red balances out the warmth of the gold, and the gold sheen softens the brightness of the red, making it more glowy and dewy.

Stay tuned, I might update this post or do a new post showing you some possible dupes of these blushes.

BTW Chanel Joues Contraste retails for $74 in Australia.

{ 29 comments }

Labels: BLUSH • CHANEL

Regard Signe De Chanel in Topkapi – Collection Byzance

June 23, 2011

In the word of Rachel Zoe I went ‘BANANAS’ today’!! Because the Collection Byzance De Chanel just arrived in Australia. I actually planned to take a rest at home for the whole day today as I was feeling quite sick, as soon as I got a call from my beloved Chanel SA, I rushed down to my closest Chanel counter and got myself a few goodies. First thing I wanted to show you is the Regard Signe De Chanel Quadra Eye shadow Palette in Topkapi. It may look like another boring neutral eyeshadow palette from the promo picture to some people, but you HAVE to see it in real life if you have any faith in Chanel. It is simply breathtaking!

It is a limited edition palette and as far as I know the quantity is very limited – there are only 100 of this available in Australia! Different to the regular Chanel eyeshadow quad, this palette comes with a black insert and has a Chanel Logo embossed on each shadow, which is a bonus for the die hard fans like me 🙂

How does this one compare to the regular quads? I declare with my hand on my heart – the quality and texture of these shadows are by far the best Chanel has ever done! They are so silky smooth and soft, not powdery and extremely pigmented. What you see in the pan is what you get on the skin. I hope this quality will be carried over to all the future releases from Chanel…

CLOCKWISE:

Cool toned silvery taupe

A shimmery yellow gold

A dark burgundy brown with fine red shimmers, on the skin it shows up as matte

Shimmery bronze

SWATCH

On my eyes:

The taupe shade all over my eyelid

The dark brown shade smudged all along my upper lash line

The bronze at the outer v and along the outer corner of my lower lash line

The gold at the inner corner of lower lash line

The gold and the taupe are the stand out for me. This gold shade looks good as a highlighter for the inner corner of the eyes, or can be worn all over the eyelid which is also stunning.

The taupe shade reminded me of the recently released stylo yeux eyeliner in Rose Platine but in the form of powder.

Overall Look

Thought would give it a go as I am not feeling well , glad the pictures didn’t show much sign of it..haha the art of makeup 😛

without flash

with flash

Last but not least, along with Regard Signe De Chanel Quad I have also picked up two limited edition blushes which are also absolutely stunning. Will review them in my next post 🙂 Hopefully I will get better soon as I have so many blogs to catch up on!

FYI Regard Signe De Chanel Quad retails for $100 in Australia.

{ 21 comments }

Labels: CHANEL • EYESHADOW • FOTD

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