December 2017

Club Monaco

December 28, 2017

I received a lot of questions about this top so I thought I’d share it on my blog because it is currently on sale for under $50! It’s from one of my favorite affordable brands called Club Monaco and every season they never fail to deliver some great trendy but not-over-the-top pieces of decent quality (much better than Zara and Topshop).  You can find the brand on Shopbop, Neiman Marcus, or from their website directly which ships worldwide for free. On a side note, Shopbop is having the additional 25% off on all sale items with code JOY25,I have just added this pair of boots to my shopping cart…yay!


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Top – Club Monaco

Jeans – Camilla and Marc (very similar styles here and here)

Shoes – Paul Andrew (another color is on sale)

Bag – Hermes Birkin 25 Gris Asphalt

Sunnies – Chanel

Necklace – Van Cleef & Arpels

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Today’s lipstick swatching is for the gorgeous Givenchy Le Rouge Sculpt Two-Tone Lipstick in 04 Corail (also available at Sephora). I am obsessed with any lip color in the tone of brick reddish brown – it’s a very autumn color that reminds me of maple leaves. It seems the whole world is obsessed with the shade currently, so it is getting harder and harder to get hold of them from the popular brands in Australia. I accidentally came across this lipstick at Sephora and it was love at first sight with this color.

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The two-tone concept is interesting, but I find it very hard to achieve an even two-tone look on my lips without spending a minimum of 10 minutes which nobody would. So in the swatch, I have mixed the two colors together. 04 Corail is in half true bright coral and half brick red. The beauty of a two-tone lipstick is that you can adjust the brightness and color by applying it with a lip brush. In my swatch, I have applied with 50% brick red, and 50% coral. The texture is silky smooth and feels very lightweight on the lips with a 4 to 5 hours staying power (without drinking/eating) in a satin finish.

Closer look

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Swatch

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Here is a selfie wearing Givenchy Le Rouge Sculpt 04 Corail. Other makeups include Giorgio Armani BB FluidChanel Les Beige Gel Foundation, and Smashbox Eyeshadow Palette in Ablaze (reviewed here) on the eyes.givenchy-le-rouge-sculpt-two-tone-lipstick-04-corail-review-swatch-3

 

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Current Favorite Makeup

December 19, 2017

Rounding up some of my favorite makeups this month! A lot of the items in this post are not easy to get due to their popularity and they are often sold-out worldwide, and the thrill of being able to get hold of them is just surreal. I always tell my friends that buying beautiful luxury makeup is the entry point of indulging in retail therapy. They are relatively much cheaper than any luxury fashion goods, but the thrill and happiness are no less.

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Clockwise:

Tom Ford Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette Violet Argent (available here in Australia) – To me, the Tom Ford Soleil is the most beautiful collection he releases every year. Every piece is exquisite and is like a collectible-item. The Violet Argent has all the wearable shades in the most stunning packaging. I bought mine here with worldwide shipping. As I have mentioned in a previous post, I am shifting my shopping sites to mainly UK-based, as I find the currency exchange rate is much more favorable than the US sites, and Selfridges is my top favorite site for all the best beauty products. I have also subscribed to their annual $65 unlimited international shipping!

Pat McGrath MatteTrance OMI Lipstick – Must must-have lippie of the year! (swatched here)

Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim High-Intensity Lipstick (refillable)- The newest lip color range from Hourglass. If you could get your hands on the shades I Can’t Live Without, or At Night, you should snatch one straight away because they are both stunning and extremely hard to get. Review to come soon. I bought mine here.

Chanel Longwear Color Corrector/Concealer– Chanel has recently reformulated their concealer. It now comes in two color ranges – color correcting and concealers. I love the lightweight, super hydrating creamy gel consistency that melds into the delicate skin around the eyes, and it covers my mild dark circles perfectly without creasing over time, nor enhancing any dry lines. I bought mine here in Australia.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Foundation – This is the first cushion-like foundation from Chanel! Apparently, one is sold every 2 seconds, and the lighter shades are out-of-stock at most department stores in Australia. It is also called the Jelly Cushion foundation because it is slightly different to the conventional cushion foundation. The consistency is very watery and it gives an instant cooling sensation when applied. It feels so fresh on the skin and perfect for the summer and gives a satiny dewy finish with a sheer coverage. The color is about 1 shade lighter than usual. Will give a detailed review soon. Available on Chanel.com in the US, Selfridges, Cosme-de, and David Jones in Australia.

 

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Holiday Party Look

December 18, 2017

I received a lot of compliments on this beautiful angelic Manning Cartell dress when I wore it to a recent Christmas party, so I thought I’d share this party look here. It was love at first sight with this dress albeit the price was slightly hefty based on the “cost per wear” as I bought it at full price. It is currently on sale in both the lavender and dark navy color. The material is made of pure silk chiffon, so the whole dress is so delicate and flowy, and fits just right on the body without being too tight nor too oversized. I am wearing size 8 which still fits quite generously on me with plenty of room. For the accessory, I found a pair of Dolce & Gabbana floral earrings that matched the dress perfectly.

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Dress – Manning Cartell

Earrings – Dolce and Gabbana

Necklace – Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra

Shoes – YSL Tribute Sandals

 

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The Pat McGrath LUXE Lipstick was crowned “The World’s Best Lipstick” as soon as they were launched, and they sell out in a blink of an eye. I couldn’t resist and ordered some of her popular shades on her website, and OMG they are totally lives up to its title and are simply irresistible. The pigmentation and the formulation are flawless that have totally set a new standard for me! The lipsticks have recently been restocked, and her entire line is currently 15% off on any order with code LABLOVE15 for a limited time. I thought I’d quickly share a swatch of one of her most sought-after shades – LUXE MatteTrance OMI. It is my new HG lip color now, and I will be getting many backups of it because it is too beautiful!

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pat-mcgrath-mattetrance-lipstick-omi--review-swatch-1 OMI is an opaque mid-tone terracotta rose color in full matte finish. Swatch is done with 1 swipe only. The color is the most flattering brown rose I have ever used – it doesn’t look too dark nor too beige, and would be suitable for most complexions.

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Pat McGRATH LUXE Lipstick OMI

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I have done a lot of ‘homework’ before I placed the order, and here is a list of all of her popular lipstick colors that are high in demand.

MatteTrance – OMI (Must-Have!); 1995; Obsessed; Flesh (which is still out of stock worldwide)

LuxeTrance – Beautiful Creature (highly recommend!); Strange; Sedition; Lavish; Unfaithful; Unnatural Natural

Stayed tuned for a more detailed review and swatches

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