February 2012

FOTD Nars Pandora for Smokey Eyes

February 29, 2012

This is another post requested by my readers – A FOTD of dark smokey eyes paired with pale blush and lips. I hardly wear smokey eyes so I thought that was such a good idea for me to practice. I wanted to wear black eye shadows, and the Nars Pandora Duo Eye Shadow was the first one that came to my mind. I bought this duo many years ago when I was in the Nars phase, but had never worn them yet! So I am giving this duo a road test today.

Pandora contains a matte black shade and a shimmery white shade, and it is regarded as one of the most iconic Nars duos (along with Rated R) to be collected. Surprisingly, it is not as difficult to wear as I thought. Both the black and white shades apply smoothly and evenly, and are easy to blend. It is very densely packed so I didn’t experience any fall out with this product using a fluffy blending brush (MAC 217).

Face: I wanted my base makeup to look sheer and natural, so I opted for the Sunday Riley Tinted Moisturizer, and the Bobbi Brown Corrector for under eyes concealing. Then I set my makeup with the Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder.

Cheeks: A few swipes of Chanel Joues Contraste in Narcisse.

Eyes: Since Pandora is matte and can look flat on the eyes, I first used the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill 13 Noifa for a sheer wash of color over the eye socket. This is my go-to product for quick smokey eyes – it blends out beautifully with MAC 217 and the shimmer straight away creates a multi-dimensional layered effect without the need of applying 4 and 5 different shades! I then applied the black shade of Pandora starting from the lash line into the crease for a more dramatic effect. The white shade was added under the brow bone to highlight.

Brows: They were done when preparing this eye brow tutorial, though this post shows the nose contour (step 5) better.

Lips: Applied with the Shiseido Sheer Gloss Lipstick in Doll Pink which is my favorite pale pink lipstick, then MAC Creme Sheen Glass in Partial Pink was layered on top. They go perfectly together!

More pictures:

{ 26 comments }

Labels: CHANEL • EYESHADOW • FOTD • Giorgio Armani • MAC • NARS • SHISEIDO

How to do Eyebrows, K Palette Real Lasting Brow Liquid Pen Review

February 26, 2012

There are many posts requested by my readers that I have yet to do… so this week I am starting with how to do eyebrows. And in the meantime I might as well give a quick review on my holy grail eyebrow product – K Palette Real Lasting EyeBrows Liquid Pen which I have raved about in many of my previous posts.

I don’t mind going out with no makeup, but I would never leave the house without having my eyebrows done! I really dislike the natural shape of my eyebrow – it’s quite thin and too arched for my liking. People always say to only fill out the lower part of your eyebrow, and always follow the natural shape. Lol I am against that, and it took me years to figure out a shape that flatters the shape of my face. I have an oval face shape, and I like my eyebrows to be thick and straight (rather than thin and arched) as it creates a more approachable and youthful look. Then again it all comes down to your personal preference, and I know that many women want lifted and arched eyebrows to look more glamorous even to the extent of having Botox or eye lift surgery.

Products I am using:

K Palette Real Lasting EyeBrow Liquid Pen

Laura Mercier Brow Powder Duo in Soft Blonde: a nice ashy brown color that goes well with my complexion and hair color.

MAC Brow Set in Girl Boy

K Palette Real Lasting Eyebrow Liquid Pen Review:

Strictly speaking this is not an eyebrow product that I would use alone. It is a liquid based brow pen that I use as a base product to extend the wear time. Because I like to make my eye brows much thicker than it is, most products I used (trust me I have used a lot!) fade within hours. The K Palette liquid eyebrow pen is the only reliable product that lasts through the whole day (it truly lasts 24 hours as it claims). I am using the color light brown, and as you can see in my tutorial pictures, the color is very natural for my coloring and goes well with the rest of the products. It is also quite similar to Suqqu liquid eyebrow pen, if you don’t have the budget for Suqqu this is a great alternative! It retails for around USD$13-$15.

Tools I am using:

Stila Brush 10, MAC 219, MAC 224

My Eyebrow Tutorial

a picture of my natural eyebrow before I begin:

Step 1: I apply the K Palette eyebrow pen in short strokes to fill out the head of the brow (upper corner) and the middle area under the arch to create a more straight and thicker shape.

Step 2: Using the Stila Brush 10, gently dip it into the darker shade of Laura Mercier’s palette, then shade the natural eyebrow and also go over the same area created in step 1. I prefer to use eyebrow powder for a more natural look, but if I run out of time I would use a brow pencil for this step.

Step 3: An important step is to use a stiff blending brush – I am using the Mac 210 pencil brush. Gently dip it into the light shade of Laura Mercier’s palette, and smudge it over the head of the brow to blend the color out and soften the edge, otherwise it will look too harsh.

Step 4: By step 3 my natural brow hair still looks slightly darker than the extended area I applied. So I would use the MAC Brow Set to make my eyebrow monotone. When applying a tinted brow gel, remember to apply it against the natural direction that your hair grows then comb through for the most natural look.

Step 5: No, I am not finished yet! If you are Asian, this step 5 will be very beneficial. I like to use a soft blending brush such as the MAC 224, very gently dip it into the light shade of Laura Mercier’s palette, then blend it from the head of your eyebrow to the inner eye socket to create a “fake shadow”, that way it will make your nose bridge more prominent, and your eyes more deep set.

Viola, all done! My self-invented eyebrow routine to fake thicker eye brows which is the makeup look that’s been dominating on the runways for the last few years. I don’t follow trends blindly, I am doing this simply because it is the most flattering brow shape for my oval face.

So ladies, is shading eyebrows an important step in your makeup routine? If so, what is your preferred shape and is your routine complex?

{ 39 comments }

Labels: Eyebrow Pen • TUTORIAL

Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer BAGATELLE Review and Swatches

February 23, 2012

Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer has released with three new limited edition shades with the Spring Collection – BAGATELLE, BONBON and PÉTILLANT. Given that I have already had quite a substantial collection of Glossimers, I decided to only purchase BAGATELLE, and passed on the rest as they are too sheer and look very similar to what I already have.

I don’t think I have ever expressed my infatuation with Chanel Glossimer. First of all they have the most aesthetic appeal to me for someone who judges makeup by its look 😛 I don’t normally like to wear over-the-top shimmery lip glosses, and although Glossimer can look quite sparkly from the tube, the micro shimmer actually translates to a soft gleam to the lips (not glittery). It applies smoothly without the gritty feel, and the consistency is a little on the thick side so it stays put for a much longer time than other lip glosses.

Glossimer varies from sheer to rich. Many that I own are on the sheer side, with no exception to BAGATELLE. It is swatched as a medium pink with gold shimmers on bare skin but shows up as a sheer pale pink on my lips.

Lip Swatch of BAGATELLE:

Overall Look:

With a sheer Glossimer, I find that it is functions well when it is layered on top of a lipstick, for an added high shine pearly glow effect. I layered BAGATELLE on top of Rouge Coco Shine in Flirt in the pictures below.

A comparison swatch

{ 14 comments }

Labels: CHANEL • LIPGLOSS

Sunday Riley Effortless Breathable Tinted Primer Review

February 21, 2012

I got asked about my thoughts on the Sunday Riley Effortless Breathable Tinted Primer after I mentioned it was one of my all time favorite base products. Sunday Riley is a relatively new cosmetic brand – they are known for their skincares and they recently released a remarkable collection of makeup which is only available at Barneys for now. I was initially interested in their skin care products while I was browsing, but the gorgeous SA insisted that I should not miss the tinted primer which is their signature product. I normally do not like SAs trying to sell me a particular product, but I was totally sold after I noticed there were many gorgeous girls dropping by the counter just to pick up this primer. So I managed to get myself the last bottle of this on that day! *phew*..

The Sunday Riley Tinted Primer is housed in a plastic bottle, the packaging is sturdy but I won’t say luxurious. On the contrary, the ingredients are the most luxurious you could ever get for a tinted moisturizer and that’s what makes it stand out from norm. It has

– Peptide: for regeneration and anti-glycation.

– Sodium Hyaluronate : a form of hyarulonic acid that contains higher molecular weight (totally out of topic – most fillers are made of that) that leaves skin fine-textured and appear more plumped.

– Paraben Free

I thought it was a perfect formulation for me as I am constantly on the look out for products that prevent the first signs of aging and the first two ingredients are known for that. The texture is mousse-like and ultra lightweight, and it feels silky smooth and melts into the skin upon application. The use of hyaluronate never enhances the dry patches on the skin and keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day without getting greasy. The coverage is about the same as any sheer foundation, and it leaves the skin appearing more even toned, smooth and finely textured with a touch of dewiness. I normally let it settle for a few minutes, then quite amazingly, my skin appears noticeably more plumped and radiant, and the signs of dullness is diminished. I have seen such results with a good moisturizer, but for a makeup product that can deliver this it truly blows me away.

The Sunday Riley Tinted Primer can be worn alone for a sheer wash of color, or followed with your foundation if you prefer more coverage. As for my complexion, I like to use it alone with a touch of under eyes concealer and I’m good to go. It also keeps my base makeup looking like it’s freshly applied all day.

Full ingredient list:

Bottom Line: An amazing combination of a sheer foundation packed into an ultra luxurious moisturizer! I purchased mine here.

{ 34 comments }

Labels: FOUNDATION • Makeup Base • Sunday Riley

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Flirt and Royallieu Review and Swatch

February 18, 2012

Chanel is a brand that makes consistently great lip products, and out of all their lipsticks the Rouge Coco Shine wins my heart the most. So naturally I had to get my hands on their latest from the Spring 2012 Collection. I only bought the shade in Flirt 69, and passed on Candeur as I thought it looked very similiar to Royallieu 58 (limited edition) that I acquired a while ago but never had the opportunity to show you.

I had expressed my thoughts on Rouge Coco Shine Lipsticks in several of my previous posts, so I won’t repeat them here.

Flirt appears as a bright coral orange from the tube, but the sheer texture translated to a fresh pink coral color on my lips. I have been neglecting Rouge Coco Shine for a while, and wearing Flirt now just reminded me of how much I used to adore the finish. The wet glossy and moist semi-transparent texture gives an innocent and youthful finish to the lips, and the color just instantly brightens up my face.

Flirt Lip Swatch:

Full Face:

Royalleiu has never made it to the Australian shore. I bought it sight-unseen which I don’t normally do…and Royallieu proves that I have no luck with buying lipsticks this way. Had I tested this shade in real life, I would not have bought it. It is a very sheer pale nude pink shade when it is swatched on the skin. Unfortunately on my naturally pigmented lips, the pink color barely shows up! It works more like a glossy lip balm for me but with a a hint of mauve undertone. I personally do not like to wear lip shade that has a mauve or voilet hue to it as it just doesn’t look flattering against my skintone.

Here is a group swatch – noted that both Flirt and Royallieu shows up completely different on my lips than on my skin.

Left: Royallieu Right: Flirt

Bottom Line: Thumbs up for Flirt – a universally flattering Spring shade for everyone. As for Royallieu, though it is a beautiful color on its own, it takes the right complexion to pull it off and that is why I did not pick up Candeur.

{ 22 comments }

Labels: CHANEL • LIPSTICK

DIOR DIORSHOW NEW LOOK Mascara Review

February 15, 2012

Along with the Spring 2012 collection, Dior just released their latest mascara – DIORSHOW NEW LOOK in Australia.The original Dior DiorShow mascara was a phenomenal success, and I was blown away by how it performs against my poor Asian lashes so I have pretty much tried every single mascara Dior has released ever since (reviewed here). I bought this new mascara a while ago, and it wasn’t until yesterday that I tried it out. Bad timing – I shall never wear a new mascara on Valentines Day! I ended up with raccoon eyes every few hours on such a special occasion, needless to say I would never wear it again.

Before I am going to pass it on to my mum who recycles my “unwanted makeup” 😛 I want to quickly share my thoughts with you. Dior claims that the DIORSHOW NEW LOOK is an revolutionary mascara, with the combination of an exclusive nano-brush and a high precision serum treatment formula, it offers an unrivaled and spectacular volume multiplying effect. The serum treatment formula will also strengthen and repair your lashes day by day.

My thoughts on:

Brush: Has a unique design and is able to catch every single lash with precision definition.

Texture: It feels buttery soft and is neither too dry nor too wet, and it applies smoothly and feels feathery soft and lightweight on the lashes.

Effect: My lashes appear much thickened and slightly longer upon application, unfortunately it doesn’t hold the curl and weighs my lashes down immediately.

Lasting Power: very disappointed…

Bottom Line: Mascara is very subjective, and my review is based on my naturally straight Asian lashes with medium length and volume. My preference for a mascara is to give nice definition to my lashes and is able to hold the curl that can last the whole day without smudging. As much as I was impressed with the unique design of the brush and the texture, DIORSHOW NEW LOOK fails in holding the curl and smudges terribly throughout the day. Therefore it is not a good mascara for me, but it might work for those of you who have better lashes.

{ 12 comments }

Labels: DIOR • MASCARA

Chanel Spring 2012 – Blush Horizon de Chanel Review and Swatch

February 13, 2012

I am not in a makeup phase right now, so I was quite hesitant to buy the Blush Horizon de Chanel (Soft Glow Blush) from the Chanel Spring 2012 Collection given that it has received quite mixed reviews. I had no idea what made me bought it in the end but it was one of those “Don’t want to miss a LE Chanel” regretful purchases. By no means is the blush a bad product, but I just feel other than the alluring design there is nothing else about this product that really blows me away. And for such a high price tag, I expected a lot more than just a pretty package!

Blush Horizon de Chanel is packaged in a black mirrored compact. Different to the blushes from the previous releases, it comes with a seperate brush that is packed in a velvet pouch which I thought was cute. The brush feels surprisingly silky soft.

The blush powder is very buttery smooth and pigmented – one swipe is enough to show up on fair skin. There are small strips of white, beige and dark raspberry color mixed with the pink blush, and each strip contains different degrees of shimmer. When applied mixed together, as the name claims it gives a natural flush of pink with a soft glow. I was in love with this blush until I saw my face under direct sunlight – it can look too frosty and the shimmer flecks just enhances the size of the pores which is quite unflattering. After playing with it for a few days, my tip is to avoid the white and beige strips as much as you can for a less glittery finish.

On Me

I pulled out the Les Tendres De Chanel in Les Roses that I acquired when I was in Asia, and despite the size of the strips, don’t they look surprisingly similar?! This could be one of the reasons why I thought Blush Horizon de Chanel was not so unique.

On the skin, Blush Horizon appears slightly more peachy pink than Les Tendres. Both blushes are shimmery, but I personally prefer Les Tendres as it just looks more flattering on me without the obvious glitter.

So, have you picked up the Blush Horizon de Chanel? Do you love it or do you wish you could have spent the money on something else?

{ 27 comments }

Labels: BLUSH • CHANEL

FOTD: Le Metier de Beaute True Colour Eye Shadows in JOJO, CORINTHIAN and BORDEAUX

February 8, 2012

As promised this is my EOTD/FOTD wearing the gorgeous Le Metier de Beaute True Colour Eye Shadows in JOJO, CORINTHIAN and BORDEAUX. A preview picture first, I thought the eye shadows look much better on the eyes than how it appears in the swatch in my previous post. As Le Metier De Beaute claims – when the colors are layered together, they really bring out the complex undertone of each shade for a perfectly multi-dimensional effect! Overall I am very impressed.

I applied JOJO as a base color all over the eye socket, then applied BORDEAUX along the upper lash line and added CORINTHIAN to the outer v.

On the lower lash line, JOJO was applied on the inner corner and BORDEAUX was on the outer third.

Close-up shots:

FOTD:

Other products used:

Dior Radiant Base

Dior Natural Glow Hydrating Foundation

Nars blush in Sex Appeal

Nars lipstick in Belle De Jour

This could be the shortest post I have ever done haha…Work has been really taking a toll on me lately, and I am very sleep deprived so blogging on a frequent basis is quite challenging for me at the moment. The good news is that retail therapy still works for me, so I hope I will have some time to show you the highly anticipated Chanel 2012 Spring collection and the Burberry 2012 Spring collection in the near future!

{ 27 comments }

Labels: EYESHADOW • FOTD • Le Metier De Beaute • NARS

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