Front Row Beauty

Becca Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Champagne Pop Highlighter Review and Swatch

January 15, 2016

Today’s review is for the highly in-demand highlighter – the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Champagne Pop Pressed Powder . Their shimmering skin perfector products (come in liquid, pressed powder and cream forms) have always been the best sellers for Becca, especially with shades like Opal and Moonstone that are the absolute staples in many beauty guru’s makeup kit. The Champagne Pop, released in collaboration with youtube guru Jaclyn Hill combining with her fan base, was pretty much set for an immediate success as it was sold out worldwide for a long time. It is now finally back in stock at Sephora Australia.

Texture

It feels buttery soft and creamy to the touch, and silky smooth to apply with the tiniest amount of product going a long way. For $38 each, the texture is as superb as the higher end highlighters such as Tom Ford’s and Charlotte Tilbury’s.

Finish

Ultra pigmented and shimmery. It’s not the usual illuminating highlighter that adds just a soft glow to your face – this offers some serious highlighting effect which is best for creating a glamorous sculpted and lifted glow to the cheekbones. I would not recommend applying this all over the cheeks and forehead as it will just look too shimmery under daylight. For application, I like to use an ultra soft and fluffy brush for picking up less product for a softer finish.

Color

Absolutely breathtaking! It is a warm pale peachy gold shimmer with a hint of rose gold sheen, and this color would look absolute perfect on medium warm skin tone. On my NC15-20 complexion, it leaves a tinge of color and looks slightly too warm on my skin. It’s best to be used on top of a peachy, or peachy pink blushes (such as classic the Nars Orgasm) so the colors compliment. I have used it with cool pink blushes and they seemed a little odd together.

Swatch

Comparison swatches with Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar (review); Tom Ford Illuminating Duo Moonlight (review); Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Pink; Nars Albatross (in the swatch only)

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Labels: BECCA • HIGHLIGHTER

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation Review and Swatch

January 12, 2016

My blogging mojo is finally back after a much-needed lazy but wonderful short holiday break! Starting the new year with a new foundation review – the latest Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation (also available on Chanel.com ). This new range came to my radar as soon as I saw the preview picture last year, and I am thrilled to find that this is officially my favorite foundation by Chanel as of now!

Texture

It has a lightweight creamy consistency that is different to the usual liquid foundation. It is almost similar to a tinted cream consistency but applies more opaque with a better coverage. This creamy foundation melds into the skin with minimum blending required and leaves no streaks nor dry patches. It also feels weightless and breathable on the skin which is ideal for the spring and summer time.

Coverage

Like most Chanel foundations, the Les Beiges offers sheer to medium coverage. On me it requires less than a pump for a sheer coverage, and buildable to a fuller coverage with 1 and a half pump. Since this foundation has a thicker and more opaque texture than a liquid foundation, I find that half a pump of this gives the same coverage as with a full pump of a typical liquid foundation. It covers most of the mild imperfections and redness, and also covers the pores exceptionally well. In comparison, I would say the coverage of this one is better than Chanel Vitalumiere AQUA, MUFE Ultra HD Foundation (review), and on par with Chanel Perfection Lumiere (review) or Dior Diorskin Star Foundation (review).

Finish

Every good foundation has one element that stands out, and to me the finish of Les Beiges is absolutely unbeatable. It is exactly what I am after from a foundation to use in the warm weather season, and I am completely obsessed with this healthy glow that it gives. Once applied, it settles into a dry finish so no loose powder is required after that. The finish is very natural and porcelain-like – it’s not dewy but it makes the skin look more smooth and creamy, and gives a radiant glow that doesn’t look so artificial. I like to apply this foundation with a sponge (highly recommend the Shu Uemura Sponge) rather than the foundation brush, and if I just tap the foundation into the skin with a sponge, it gives the best result for a more flawless finish.

Lasting Power

Thumbs up for lasting power as well. It controls the oil really well over 7-8 hours of wear, and keeps the complexion looking fresh with no oxidation. To retain the coverage, you will need a bit of retouch once a day.

Color Match

I bought shade 10 (the lightest shade) which has a neutral undertone and is a great match for my skin at the moment (NC10-15).

pictures are taken under natural light

Bottom Line: If you are generally a Chanel foundation fan, you will fall in love with this new foundation. I actually think this is the best foundation Chanel has ever released for my skin type. The Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow retails for AUD$89, and is now available here and here in Australia.

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Labels: CHANEL • foundation

The Really Good Gifts Guide for all budgets

December 16, 2015

My ultimate holidays gift guide for all budgets that guarantees to make everyone smile – just gift me anything on my list and I will definitely be thrilled!

FOR MUMS

1. Slip Beauty Sleep Pure Silk Pillow Case – I want one too!

2. Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Gift Set – Highly recommend this ultimate luxurious anti-aging value pack for our mums

3. GHD Styler Limited Edition

4. Deborah Lippman Cuticle Set

5. Parlux Hair Dryer – Been using Parlux hairdryers for years, and it’s absolutely the best in the market. Will never go back to other brands!

6. Chanel Mini Brush Set LE – Classy, stylish and practical

FOR HER

1. MAC Finest Eyeshadow Palette – It’s only $86 for $160 worth of products

2. Tom Ford Lip Color Set – A great set that contains 4 best seller shades including Spanish Pink; Pink Dusk; Blush Nude and Casablanca

3. UD xGwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette LE

4. ChanLuu Cashmere and Silk Blend scarf – Love the color and feel of this scarf

5. L’Oreal Steampod – Thumbs up the best hair styling tool that straightens and conditions your hair at the same time! And love the white edition. (reviewed here)

6. PRADA Nylon Cosmetic Case – Reasonable priced for a Prada accessory, and it’s a fantastic practical cosmetic pouch that is roomy, light, ultra durable and washable.

7. Larsson & Jennings CM Rose Gold watch

8. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette – The best palette ever released from Hourglass

9. RabLabs Snowy Coasters – Marble is the new black for the stylish girls

10. Clarisonic Cleansing System LE – A life changer for cleansing (reviewed here)

11. Steven Klein for Nars Luxury lip set – Drooling over this set

12. Diptyque Candle Trio LE – I have an obsession with Diptyque candles, and especially the limited editions sets around the holidays season.

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Labels: Holiday 2015 Collection • SHOP

Tom Ford Lips and Boys Lip Colors Patrick, Michael and Rafael Review and Swatch

December 14, 2015

It has been a busy week for me with lots of social gatherings and functions so the delay in posting a review for the Tom Ford Lips and Boys Lip Color collection. Tom Ford has released the collection again for this holiday, and this is delightful news for anyone who missed out on the first release last year. Unfortunately the same goes for the second round, as most of the popular shades were snatched up within hours in Australia. I managed to get hold of some of the colors I had on my wishlist from Selfridges. This review I will be covering Patrick, Michael and Rafael as they are in the pink and red range. For the next review I will show the nude colors.

Left to Right: Patrick; Rafael; Michael

Tom Ford lipsticks are truly the cream de la cream of lipsticks, and the mini sized lip colors are just as good as the full size ones. I have done many detail reviews in the past, and in summary it is almost impossible for you not to like them!

Patrick is a bright milky peachy pink with no shimmer. It is a young and pretty shade, but slightly challenging for me to pull it off.

Lip Swatch for Patrick

FOTD

Michael is an extremely popular shade. It is a fool proof neutral pink shade in a semi-satin finish that would look lovely on most complexions. It has tiny shimmer in the tube, but they can’t be seen once applied. This is absolutely one of my favorite shades from the range which needs a backup!

Lip Swatch of Michael

FOTD – I was doing lots of lip swatches on the day, and the FOTD for Michael was taken last after other colors so the color is not as accurate as the above lip swatch as they were taken on different days!

Rafael is a fiery orange red shade in cream finish, and it looks more stunning on the lips than what it looks in the tube. On me it shows up more of a warm red that just instantly brightens up my complexion. Another favorite shade for me!

Lip Swatch of Rafael

FOTD

Other products used in the FOTD include

Base: Chanel Illuminating Makeup Base; MUFE Ultra HD foundation (reviewed here), 3CE Waterful Concealer (best drugstore concealer ever used – reviewed here)

Eyes: Suqqu Eye Shadow EX03 from the 2015 Christmas Kit A (reviewed here), Chanel Le Volume waterproof mascara; Inglot brow gel

Cheeks: Bobbi Brown blush in pale pink (swatched in this post) using Hakuhodo blush brush

You can find all the shades in the TOM FORD Lips&Boys on Nordstrom Online, as well as on NAP in the US. I bought mine from Selfridges which ship internationally, and all the colors were available at the time I was shopping. There are still some colors left on David Jones Online in Australia as of now.

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Labels: FOTD • LIPSTICK • Tom Ford

SUQQU 2015 Christmas Makeup Collection Kit A and B Review and Swatches

December 6, 2015

I have a weakness for the limited edition holiday makeup sets, particularly from Suqqu. Thanks to Selfridges who made access to Suqqu much easier world wide, I got hold of the two LE Suqqu Christmas Makeup Kit A & B 2015 as soon as they became available online. Each set contains a trio eye shadow palette, a deep blue gel eyeliner (Ex02) that applies almost black on me, an eye makeup remover and a well-made tweed makeup pouch. This review is for the two eye shadow palettes only.

Every time I tell myself I don’t need anymore eye shadows, here it comes another release of some irresistible new eye shadows that I may or may not have in my stash. This time around I totally fell in love with the unique design of these palettes – love the color combinations, and can’t get over how beautiful they look in the marbled tweed texture. The quality of these eye shadows are on the same premium level as the other Suqqu eye shadows. Buttery soft to the touch, smooth to apply with no fallout and the pigmentation is actually quite intense (more than Dior and Chanel quads) by Japanese standards.

Kit A contains the Suqqu Eye Color Palette in EX-03 Aosaori that is my favorite of the two. The shades lean more neutral, and the colors are versatile enough to use for either a daytime look or smokey eye makeup. Though this palette is designed for layering all 3 colors together, I personally find that they can look too warm and a little muddy on me when layering all 3 shades. My preferred way of application for a soft look is just to apply a wash of the bronze color over the lid, and gently tap the gold shade above the crease, or in the center, then line the eyes with the darkest shade.

Shade description

Top: sparkly gold with an extremely finely milled texture and feels creamy and silky to the touch.

Middle: shimmery warm bronze color with a gold undertone

Bottom: shimmery dark midnight blue with a hint of purple

Swatch

Kit B contains the Suqqu Eye Color Palette Ex-04 Shisouori which is a combination of shimmery pink and purples. The colors are obviously more feminine and girly and would look stand out on blue and green eyes. On me I need to make the color appear more smokey (almost like a dusty rosey plummy pink) to make it work. These are not my everyday go-to colors, but they are unique to my stash, and are fun to use as I need to be more creative, and experiment with new ways of applying these colors for different looks that are different to the neutrals.Shade description

Top: Sparkly icy pink

Middle: shimmery lavender pink

Bottom: shimmery dark plummy color

Swatch:

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Labels: EYESHADOW • Holiday 2015 Collection • SUQQU

A Round-up of the Best base face products for combination and oily skin

November 28, 2015

My previous post on my reader’s requests about how I clean my brushes was very well received, so I though I’d include a post that addresses some of the other most frequently asked questions. Today’s round-up is my picks for the base products for normal, combination to oily skin that have a great staying power in hot and humid weather and still look natural.

This is the list of my favorite products that are great for controlling the oil throughout the day, and most importantly they tick the criteria for not looking too matte, powdery and cakey on the face.

1. MAC Prep and Prime -I bought the full size bottle of this after using a sample as I loved it so much. I am not a big fan of MAC base products but thumbs up for this one. It smoothes out the skin, covers and fills up the pores and creases, and slightly mattifies the skin without feeling silicony and heavy. The foundation sets beautifully on top of this primer, and gives an airbrushed finish of a more even and refined skin texture. It also helps to keep the shine and oil away for a longer time.

2. Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer – Similar concept to the MAC, but more mattifying and covers the pores better. It has a heavier silicone texture than the MAC, and takes away excess oil and shine completely. Highly recommend it to anyone who has oily skin with large pores.

3. Chanel Mat Lumiere Foundation – My go-to foundation for the hot weather. It has a milky fluidy texture, feels lightweight, and offers a great coverage. It sets slightly more matte and powdery than the other fluid foundations, but it still gives the signature Chanel radiant glow from their Lumiere range. It also photographs beautifully – natural with a soft glow but not shiny.

4. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation (reviewed here) – I wasn’t very impressed with this foundation at first as I was in a ‘dewy foundation’ phase back then, and fell in love with it during the summer time, as it has an amazing stay power and keeps my face looking fresh and clean for the whole day. It gives a velvety finish that is a tad more matte than the Mat Lumiere upon application, and it becomes more natural and luminous over time. Would only recommend this to normal to oily skin types.

5. Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder – A very mattifying powder, and a little goes a long way. I only dust a very sheer amount on to my t-zone on a normal day, and it keeps the shine away for the whole day. I brought this along with the Mat Lumiere foundation to my last tropical vacation, and they worked wonders keeping my makeup on without melting for the whole day in very humid weather. It can look slightly powdery if applied too much, and it is not the most finely milled powder (can slightly enhance the pores around the cheeks) compared to the other high end powders I have in my collection.

6. Cle De Peau Translucent Loose Powder – My absolute holy grail for so many years. The most luxurious, silkiest and finely milled loose powder you can find in the stores. It looks natural, non powdery, and gives a brightening and more refined finish as it helps to cover the pores and lift the dullness. It slightly mattifies the skin and guarantees to keep your makeup stay put all day.

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Labels: CHANEL • CLE DE PEAU • foundation • MAC • Makeup Base • MAKEUP FOREVER • My Favorites • POWDER • PRIMER

Sephora AU Black Friday Wish List!

November 26, 2015

To all the Aussie beauty lovers who have been shopping up a storm at Sephora every time you go overseas, you probably would know Sephora has already opened the first Australian store in Sydney, and just recently they have launched their Sephora AU online shopping website. Tomorrow we will be finally having our first Australian Sephora Black Friday Sale with 20% site-wide (use code BFAU310093 for the members) and 10% off for the general public!! The brands available in Australia are different to the US site, and the online site also has more brands than in the Sydney store such as Sigma and the highly popular Korean brand 3CE! I put together a list of products that I love, and are exclusive to Sephora that are worthy to check out.

1. Marc Jacobs Beauty – You will get hooked on this brand once you have tried their uber adorable Kiss Pop Lipsticks.

2. NUDESTIX – I have been eyeing this brand for a long time, and love their concept of delivering a wide range of beauty products in the form of pencils (think about lip balm in a pencil). All of their pencils have a creamy consistency and apply beautifully from what I have heard. I will be hauling a lot of them tomorrow! If you are in the US, you can find this range on SPACE NK which is offering gift card of $25 if spend $125 until 1st Dec.

3. Becca – Becca’s shimmering skin perfector pressed powder is one of the best powder highlighters I have used. The must-have shades include the highly popular Becca X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop (back in stock!), and Moonstone for fair to fair/medium complexions.

4. Make Up For Ever – Raved about their Ultra HD foundation (reviewed here), and another fantastic product that I highly recommend from the line is the Smoky Waterproof Mascara (one of my HGs!)

5 Sigma brushes – Good brushes good price.

6. Sephora Collection – I love storing my makeup in train cases, and I absolutely love this clear train case. Must have for me!

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Labels: SHOP

Shopbop Sales Pick!

November 25, 2015

Shopbop has started its major sales event with up to 25% off across the entire store including the sales items with code GOBIG15! I’d thought I’d share some of my favorite pieces from my closet that I previously purchased from them. This season every girl should own a button front skirt, and I managed to find a very affordable piece from the brand WAYF for less than $100. It’s made of faux suede and looks just as good as the more expensive ones. I love it pair it up with a timeless fitted v neck tee to give an effortless sexy vibe. And you can never go wrong with a floppy brim hat and a pair of booties with hardware details this fall.