YSL

The 2 YSL Lippies you need in your life – YSL Volupte Liquid Balm Hook Me Berry and Rouge Volupte Shine 76 Red in the Dark

June 28, 2018

Here is another lipstick post featuring two new YSL lip colors that I am obsessed with at the moment. The YSL Volupte Liquid Balm Hook Me Berry and the Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick 76 Red in the Dark – they are the hottest and most popular colors from YSL at the moment. You probably would have seen them everywhere online and they are totally worth the hype. The colors are gorgeous and wearable along with the beautiful packaging from YSL that never fails to capture my heart.

The Volupte Liquid Balm is the latest lip color range launched by YSL (I bought mine here). There are a total of 12 new shades in the line and I only picked up the shade 11 Hook Me berry which is the most popular color from the range. Depending on where you source it from, I think it’s always easier to get hold of these highly popular shades in the US. If you are in the UK, Australia or any Asian country, then hunting it down will be a challenge. The formula is a hybrid of lip balm and liquid lipstick – it is creamy, lightweight and hydrating on the lips with a hint of balmy consistency. It goes on silky smooth and dries down to a semi-glossy finish that makes your lips instantly plumped. It has a medium pigmentation so it’s great for just blending the colors into the lips for a stain-like finish with your fingers. You can also pack on more color to your desired finish.

Hook me berry is a stunning rosy brown (aka red bean color) with a hint of berry undertone that has a dewy shine.

I personally think that the Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick 76 Red in the Dark is one of the most beautiful colors ever from YSL. It is so popular that I have seen people selling it for more than $100 on ebay! I have been a big fan of the Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks for years – you can find my review for the other colors in this post so I won’t go into too much detail about the texture. Basically, it is a lipstick and a lip balm in one. It feels very silky smooth and hydrating with medium coverage. Lasting power is not the best but you can always retouch it as if you are reapplying a lip balm. Unfortunately, this color is all sold out in Australia so I don’t have a link for you – the only place where there is still very limited stock is here in the UK.

Red in the Dark is a gorgeous muted brick red brown in high shine that is right on point. I’ve been using it for the past 2 weeks and it still makes my heart flutter every time I wear it!

Here is a selfie I took with my phone wearing 76 Red in the Dark.

Comparison swatch:

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Labels: LIPSTICK • YSL

The Perfect White Dress

November 22, 2017

I am always on the lookout for the most beautiful versatile white dresses! My Zimmerman dress that I bought earlier this year has earned a lot of compliments and I get many wears out of it. The Ulla Johnson Dress (currently on sale on Shopbop!) is my recent addition – it is made of cotton so it is great for both casual and evening wear and it gives a relaxing and effortless vibe to it. The ruffled collar and the balloon sleeves are very on trend, and instantly gives an updated modern silhouette. Pairing it with my go-to Schutz Cadey Lee Sandals which are budget-friendly, and a pair of Oscar de la Renta earrings.

Dress – Ulla Johnson

Sandals – Schutz

Earrings – Oscar de la Renta

Bag – YSL Monogram Chain Wallet (Mini)

Also quicky sharing the sales info on Shopbop at the moment. The deal is great because the discount also applies to the already discounted items. I will definitely be busy for the rest of day filling up my cart lol!

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Labels: Fashion • OOTD • OSCAR DE LA RENTA • SHOPPING • YSL

ZOEVA Nude Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette Review, Swatch and FOTD

September 19, 2016

Zoeva is one emerging brand that has got me really interested. Despite their most popular and affordable brushes, their palettes are also phenomenal. The ZOEVA Nude Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette (available here in Australia) is literally all you need for makeup, being a neutral eye shadow lover, I gasped at how beautiful and flattering these neutral and hues are, and they will get me through day and night on a daily basis. For such a big palette, I am surprised that there is not a single shade that I don’t like.

The palette retails for AUD$75, which is equivalent to $5 per eye shadow! The palette is housed in a slim black paper notebook-like case with a frosted feel. It is very modern and sleek, and feels very well made. There is a range of matte, satin, and intense satin (almost bordering metallic) eye shadows in the palette. All of the shades are buttery and silky smooth to apply, and they are so easy to blend (even for the matte shades) without fallout. All shades have good color payoff, with some shades having exceptional intense pigment.

The top and bottom rows each have 2 mattes and 3 shimmers, and the middle row has 1 matte, and 4 shimmers.

The top row has more earthy and subtle sandy shades in different variations.

The middle row has mainly champagne, taupe and bronze.

The bottom row has colors leaning more gold and copper.

I won’t describe each shade in words as there are too many. As usual I make sure my swatch looks like what I see in real life, so hopefully they will give you a better idea. All pictures were taken under neutral day light (not directly in the sun).

Swatch for the top row

Swatch for the second row

Swatch for the third row

Here are some FOTDs I created with this Nude Spectrum Palette. I have been gushing about how much I love brown lips, so I’d thought I’d do a proper FOTD wearing one of my favorites lately – MAC Whirl.

Eye makeup: I used the matte taupe color (3rd color in the first row) in the crease, then layered with peachy champagne color (second color in the second row), and applied the golden shimmer (second color in the third row) along the lash line. The matte ivory (1st eye shadow in the first row) was used on the brow bone.

Other products used in the FOTD

Face: Bobbi Brown Face Base / YSL Serum Foundation (reviewed) / YSL Touch Eclat Compact (reviewed)

Cheeks: Marc Jacobs Beauty Contour Powder 20 (reviewed) / Giorgio Armani Blush 306 (reviewed)

Brows: Tom Ford Brow Kit (also used for nose contouring, reviewed) / BBROWBAR Brow Pen

Lips: MAC Whirl

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Labels: EYESHADOW • FOTD • Giorgio Armani • MAC • YSL • ZOEVA

YSL Le Cushion Foundation Encre De Peau Fusion Ink Review and Swatch

June 8, 2016

Finally posting a review for the much raved Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Le Cushion Foundation Encre De Peau Fusion Ink. Cushion foundation has been around in Asia for years and it finally got picked up in the west, as we are seeing waves of western beauty brands such YSL, Bobbi Brown, Clinique etc launching their versions. One thing to note is that the YSL Cushion is made in Korea, but both the packaging and formula is much better than what you can find from most local Korean brands. I have been using it everyday for weeks and I am very convinced that I will re-purchase this over and over!

The YSL Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation is Asia Exclusive, and is also available in Australia which retails for $88 including the case, and you can also purchase the refill individually for $57. If you want to skimp you can purchase the refill only and fit it into other cushion compacts (not all compacts fit so you need to do a bit of research). But I highly recommend you not to miss this gorgeous black and gold case! Different to a normal bottled foundation, cushion foundation will start to dry out over 6 months as it is not completely vacuumed, so it’s best to use the product within several months after opening. I also find that a standard sized cushion foundation lasts about 2 month of daily use, as opposed to a bottle foundation which normally last me years. A tip for you is that you can flip the cushion to get more product out from the other side.

Ever since I posted a picture of this foundation on my Instagram, I received a lot of questions about how is this different to the other cushion foundations on the market.

– Most cushion foundations I have used have a very diluted opacity with sheer coverage. The YSL has a more creamy and opaque consistency that offers sheer to medium coverage with a weightless feel. This is a true foundation with coverage that is on par with any sheer to medium liquid foundation – it covers up pores and mild imperfections, and evens out skin tone beautifully.

– A little product goes a long way, as I only need to gently dab the applicator onto the cushion, and it is enough to do half of the face. For application, the enclosed flat sponge is still the best tool for applying cushion foundation, as it is designed for patting it into the skin for the most natural and seamless finish (don’t blend!). I’ve tried applying it with different foundation brushes and rectangle sponges but the results were not the same.

– Most cushion foundation gives a very dewy finish and is more suitable for normal to dry skin. The YSL also feels hydrating and fresh, but gives a creamy semi-matte finish with a soft glow that doesn’t look artificial. It makes the complexion look very clean, and this formula also works better for people with normal to oily skin as it does not crease as easily as with other more dewy formulas. I have normal to dry skin, without the loose powder and this foundation will hold for 4-5 hours. I normally dust a little powder just over my t-zone and the foundation lasts a whole day with a little oil coming through in an indoor environment. No oxidation as well!

– Also loving the fact it has SPF 23 and PA+++

lots of product from a gentle dab

The only flaw with the foundation is that the sponge applicator is not the softest.

I bought the foundation in shade 10 which is the brightest shade. It has mostly a neutral undertone with tiny a hint of pink. I am normally MAC NC15, YSL B20, and this shade runs true to its color as it is a tad brighter than the B20 range in YSL foundations. On me there is a slight brightening effect for my NC15 complexion, but it’s not making me look pale.

Here is a swatch comparison with YSL Touche Eclat Foundation in BR20 (the old formula – reviewed here), YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation in B20 (reviewed here), and Sulwhasoo Cushion Foundation in shade 21 (reviewed here).

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Labels: foundation • YSL

Makeup News!

May 16, 2016

Here is another round of exciting makeup launches happening in Australia.

1. First of all, the highly anticipated Tom Ford Soleil Color Summer 2016 Collection was finally launched in Australia at David Jones yesterday. No surprise that some of the popular items were sold-out within the first hour again in the store, including the Soleil Contouring Compact and Sheer Color Duo, the good news is that they are still available online! If you already know what to get from the collection then I highly suggest ordering them online, as the Tom Ford counter in the Sydney shop is just getting way too crowded lately.

2. The stunning YSL Le Cushion Foundation is also in the store now! I didn’t think Australia would receive this product, so I already had my friend purchase it for me from overseas. Absolutely loving it, and the packaging is just to-die-for. (review coming soon this week).

3. If you love Cushion foundation, another brand worth checking out is the Shu Uemura Blanc Chroma Cushion Foundation. I am besotted with their foundation and the super cute cushion blushes, (yes another review to come soon!). In short their coverage is the best of all the cushion foundations I have used (as good as a medium coverage foundation), while it looks very luminous and dewy on the skin.

4. Last but not least, really pleased to find out that Sephora AU now carries Edward Bess! My favorite from the line is their luxury eye brush! Also the latest Kat Von D liquid lipsticks are not to be missed if you like the current trend of matte lips.

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Labels: EDWARD BESS • Kat Von D • SHOP • Shu Uemura • Tom Ford • YSL

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

New In – Aquazurra Sexy Thing Suede Sandals

January 31, 2016

Aquazurra is taking the fashion world by storm over the past few years, and is certainly setting himself as a shoe trend setter who is also becoming my favorite shoe brand to collect. I own several pairs of them (see my post here and here), and my newest addition is the iconic Sexy Thing Suede Sandals in nude color (finally!). I love their shoes – they are sexy and young with a chic edge to it (not the usual boring pumps), and are comfortable for heels as they are very lightweight yet sturdy.

This style is the most classic from Aquazurra, and it comes in a rainbow of colors as well as different heights of heels (love this gray pair as well!). Most of their sandals can also be worn as cut-out booties, so they make great transitional pieces to wear into the winter. If I make an investment on shoes, they always have to be work appropriate but also great for styling with causal (off duty) wears and this pair ticks all the checkboxes!

OOTD:

Maje khaki suede skirt (on sale here in Australia)

Saint Laurent Bag (bought here)

Aquazurra shoes are currently the cheapest on NAP for shipping to Australia but they have limited colors. I bought mine here for the 10cm heel, and they are also on Neiman Marcus in the US.

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Labels: AQUAZURRA • Fashion • MAJE • OOTD • Saint Laurent • SHOES • YSL

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Compact Powder Foundation Review

December 10, 2014

Finally got some time to update my blog after a busy week. Today’s review is for the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Compact Illuminating Powder Foundation SPF35+++ (Asia exclusive) which I can’t stop gushing about! It was the talk of town when it was launched last year in Asia, but I was just not that into it back then. Recently I was on the hunt for the best compact powder foundation, so I went a little overboard and bought everything on my wishlist and The YSL happened to be the most affordable as well as my favorite so far!

Packaging:

The YSL Le Teint Compact Powder Foundation is housed in the signature YSL gold mirrored case that’s quite prone to finger prints. The sponge that comes with the products feels a little cheap. I bought mine at David Jones (so glad that it’s available in Australia!). The case and the actual product are sold separately.

Texture and Coverage:

The compact powder is extremely finely milled so it gives a silky and creamy touch to it. On my dry skin, it applies seamlessly and flawlessly so does not look powdery at all. If this is applied by a powder blush, then it sets as natural as a good loose powder but offers much better coverage. I normally apply this on top of a sheer foundation with a brush, and it covers up the rest of the small imperfections such as pores and redness that your normal foundation does not cover. Otherwise if it is applied by a sponge, it gives more of an airbrushed foundation-like finish with a build-able coverage.

The Glow

Compared to the traditional compact powder foundations, this one gives the most beautiful illuminating glow but also helps to mattify the skin so it doesn’t make your complexion look flat and cakey. I love using this one on top of a sheer layer of the YSL Touche Eclat Foundation (reviewed here), and together they make my skin look like I have a beauty dish light shining on my face! Overall I would describe the finish as a creamy satin finish with a beautiful glow (not dewy) when it’s freshly applied.

Why do I love it?

The best thing about this product is that it does not oxidize, and makes your complexion look even better over time. I find my complexion appears miraculously brighter and more luminous after a few hours of wear when the oil starts to come through, giving it a more natural and slightly dewy look that I absolutely adore for my dry skin.

Color

I bought the color B10 which matches me perfectly. It’s impossible to swatch powder and hopefully my picture will give you an idea of how B10 matches my skintone (NC15).

Bottom Line: Perfection and definitely enhanced the performance of the Touche Eclat liquid foundation! I bought mine at David Jones, and unfortunately this one is not available in the US and Europe.

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Labels: foundation • POWDER • POWER FOUNDATION • YSL

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