May 2011

YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick has really captured my heart. I have gushed over how beautiful the shade of 06 Rose Bergamasque is – been wearing it almost every single day! I have recently discovered that Rouge Pur Couture in 10 Beige Tribute is another must have nude shade.

ysl-rouge-pur-couture-10-beige-tribute10 Beige Tribute and 06 Rose Bergamasque side by side

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Swatches on my arm: please note they appear totally different to how they show up on the lips.

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10 Beige Tribute swatched on my lips

Although Rose Bergamasque and Beige Tribute look very similar in real life from the tubes – Rose Bergamasque shows up as a peachy nude (reviewed here), whereas Beige Tribute is more of a flesh nude with a cool pink undertone in a satin finish.

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Overall thoughts on YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipsticks: Rouge pur couture is neither a full coverage lipstick nor a sheer one. This probably accounts for why I like their nude lipsticks  so much. It conceals my natural lip color with just the right amount of pigmentation without looking too chalky and opaque.  Staying power is about 2-3 hours, but I don’t mind re-applying it throughout the day because I like the soft and balmy texture of the lipsticks – they keep my lips soft and smooth. My only gripe is the fingerprints left on the packaging and it gets scratched very easily if you keep it in your purse.

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Essie Da Bush is my latest nail polish buy – it is part of Essie’s 2011 Resort collection. I was eyeing this shade for a long time but it was all sold out until recently.  I have been wearing this shade since the start of this week and received tons of complements on it! It seems everyone has a different interpretation of this color – is it..jade? green? khaki? gray? My conclusion is that it is a complex khaki green color with a gray undertone to it.

Formula of Da Bush is smooth and creamy. Opaque in 2 coats.  Swatched below:

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I don’t have this shade in my collection at all. But if I there is a hybrid between Essie Turquoise and Caicos (pictured on the right) and MAC On The Prowl (pictured on the left) – it will be Da Bush.

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One of my dear readers has requested for a review of Guerlian L’OR Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base. I started using this product on and off since I came back from my holiday. It is the perfect time to test this product out because the weather has been so cold. As a result my skin is dryer than usual and needs some extra help to make my makeup look better.

Guerlain does some amazing makeup bases. The L’OR Radiance Concentrate has been around for the longest time of them all – it is almost a cult product as a makeup base.

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Guerlain’s promise about this product:

It is a hydrating makeup base gel. The 24 carat gold has been fashioned into precious flakes using a unique time-honoured method, to integrate them magically into the gel. As though suspended in the air, the flakes sparkle to reveal their precious treasure: radiance. The complexion is immediately awakened, thanks to the formula’s extreme hydrating action.

My thoughts:

Love the packaging. It speaks luxury. It is packed in a sterdy heavy glass bottle, not plastic. The reflection of gold flakes makes the product look ultra luxurious.

I have mixed feelings about this product. To sum it up it is basically a soothing makeup gel that hydrates your skin and gives you a dewy complexion. It is definitely the most hydrating makeup base I have ever come across. When applied on the skin it does feel slightly tacky – I normally wait for a minute till the tackness wears off. This product allows the foundation to glide on like a dream – it saves you time from blending and the foundation sinks into your skin without a sign of cakiness or flakiness.

As for the radiance, the gold flakes dissolves with the gel into your skin. It gives a nice dewy finish without any shimmers, which is what I prefer anyway.

guerlain-l'or-radiance-concentrate-with-pure-gold-before-and-afterTo give you a better idea, I am brave enough to show you my bare skin and the after effect! (*please excuse my freckles, large pores..)

What the camera can’t show is that my skin looks more hydrated and supple. The radiance on my skin is very subtle, because this product is so hydrating it plumps my skin up a little giving a dewy glow. But please note  it will NOT give you an ultra luminous glow as some other shimmer products do.

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Once I apply the foundation over, the radiance effect becomes less noticeable. It only makes your foundation sit better on your skin and keeps your foundation looking fresh (without oxidizing) for an extended period of time – about  8 hours indoors for me.

with foundation

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Would I repurchase it: No for now.

Although it is a good all rounder makeup base and I love the hydrating effect it gives. (imo it is definitely better than my Nars makeup base)  I won’t classify this product as a makeup base that will give you a radiant glow.  For such an expensive product (around $110 in Australia), it should work more than a hydrator . There are a lot of other cheaper hydrating makeup bases that might work just as good as this one. For now I am going to explore further on other products.

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Chanel Ombre Essentielle in 90 Fauve is another limited edition eyeshadow that is only available at some countries. It was released as part of the Sublime de Chanel Collection and the collection arrived in Australia last week! Being a taupe eyeshadow lover and a Chanel fan I knew I had to have it.

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Fauve is a mauvy taupe with mainly silver shimmers in it. My first thought when I saw this eyeshadow in real life was the size of the shimmers is larger than usual Chanel . If you own any of the Chanel Ombre Essentielle, I am sure you will agree with me the texture of their mono eyeshadow is much better than that of the Chanel eyeshadow quad. In the case Fauve, it is not as buttery soft (slightly more grainy because of the shimmers) as the other mono eyeshadows such as Taupe Grise – which is the best eyeshadow texture Chanel has ever done!

chanel-ombre-essentielle-90-fauve-2Comparing to Taupe Grise and Safari, Fauve is a lighter taupe and has the highest amount of shimmer.

chanel-ombre-essentielle-90-fauve-taupe-grise-safariSwatches:

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Swatched on my eye:

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My final thought: I  love it! Fauve blended out beautifully, the sparkle appears to be more subdued on the eyes and it sets nicely against my skintone without looking too frosty. There wasn’t any fall out . I like the fact that Fauve can be used as a subtle wash on the lid, it creates such a nice depth to my eyes, whereas Taupe Grise can look too heavy for a day time look when applied the same way.

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The FOTD and OOTD were from yesterday. I had a wonderful time celebrating a special occasion with my family at an amazing Restaurant – the Quay. I basically wear the same makeup to work everyday, so special occasions like this allow me to have more fun with my makeups.  I decided to use my new Nars eyeshadow palette (reviewed here), the rest were chosen to complement the eye look.

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Finished Look

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I was bored with my fringe, so I pinned my fringe back for the night.

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Face Products Used:

Face: Guerlain Radiance concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base was applied before the Becca Luminous Skin Colour foundation.

Cheeks: Nars the Multiple Tint in Turks & Caicos layered with Nars Blush in Luster.

Highlight: Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer to highlight my under eye areas, then set it with Benefit powerflage . Shu Uemura Glow as highlighter on my cheekbones and nose bridge.

Note* to my dear reader who has requested for a review of Guerlain Radiance makeup base, I promise it is coming up soon!

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Eyes and Lips:

Eyes: Primed my eyes with Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base.  Nars Silk Road was applied all over my eyelids, then Nars Brumes was applied along my upper and lower lash lines. Koji Ultrafine was used to do the winged out eyeliner look, then finish it with falsies and Fairy Drop volumising mascara on my lower lashes.

Lips: Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Hopi

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False Eyelashes Used: my favorite style now!

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Closer look at the lashes:

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The weather has been so cold lately, I just wanted to cocoon myself inside my soft quilt. I rely on my Jill Stuart coat that has brought warmth to me in the winters.

Coat by Jill Stuart

Dress by Alice + Olivia

Chanel 2.55

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As much as I love lipsticks, I do feel like a change sometimes. Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil is a perfect alternative choice – it is a hybrid between lipstick and lipgloss. They add a luminous finish to the lips as a lipgloss but has the same silky smooth and soft texture as a lipstick. Thanks to the moisturizing formula that is enriched with vitamin E and A , they have been really helpful keeping my lips moist and hydrated in this cold weather. For those of you who live in Sydney, I am sure you know what I am talking about!

They come in 6 gorgeous shades. I picked up two shades I have been obsessed with the most lately:

Frivolous – iridescent seashell pink

Hopi – honey beige

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Swatches on my hand:

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On my lips:

Frivolous is very sheer, one swipe only leaves a subtle sheen to the lips. The pictures below were swatched with several swipes – so I get a soft and pale pink iridescent finish.

nars-velvet-gloss-lip-pencil-in-frivolous-swatch

Hopi to me is a perfect wintery shade. I didn’t have to layer it as much as with Frivolous to get decent color payoff on my lips. I am pleased it shows up as a terracotta on my pigmented lips rather than beige.

nars-velvet-gloss-lip-pencil-in-hopi-swatch

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YSL Arty Oval Ring

May 12, 2011

My weekly haul has officially resumed as of today! I was lucky enough to snatch up a YSL Arty Oval Ring after I noticed Net-A-porter had it restocked. As usual the shipping was extremely fuss free and fast, I received my ring within a few days. I had always wanted to have this ring, it looked stunning on many pictures I have seen. When I opened the box, the ring was even more gorgeous than I have ever imagined.

There were many colors to choose from, the aqua green stood out the most for me. I love it so much I am seriously considering collecting all the colors!

ysl-arty-ring-in-greenA few different angles:

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ysl-arty-ring-in-green-2The ring looks and feels expensive. The metal part is gold plated and has intricate textured details. The  aqua green glass oval has  gem like appearance with semi translucent finish.

On Me: the pictures don’t do its justice, it looks much more striking and  glamorous  in real life.

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Russian Navy by OPI

May 10, 2011

This week I have been wearing Russian Navy by OPI. It is such a classic shade by OPI – a rich dark navy blue with tons of purple shimmers. It looks close to black on the nails but the purple and blue glow adds a modern spin to it.

2 coats

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