My outfit for a beach wedding I’m going to tomorrow – springy and romantic.
Cartier LOVE necklace (similar here)
DVF Elisabetta Dress (bought here)
Chanel 2.55 Classic Flap
Christian Louboutin Very Prive Black
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 42 L’Eclatante
Chanel Le Vernis Frenzy
Dior Miss Dior Cherie
{ 5 comments }
A quick report on my bi-monthly mascara road-test! As usual, I normally use 3 new mascaras (a mixture of drugstore and high end) every 2 months, and unfortunately for the last two months my lashes have been looking quite bland and deflated as I didn’t find anything extraordinary.
1. My biggest disappointment has to go to the highly raved Givenchy Phenomen Eyes Waterproof Mascara. The waterproof version supposedly holds the curl better, but it failed on me. It straightens my lashes like a flat iron, and clumps several lashes into one with a minimum lengthening effect. Worst of all, I cannot even use it on my lower lashes without getting it messy. Mind you, I am very skillful in terms of applying mascara on my bottom lashes but I just can’t make it work with this ball-shaped wand. You either love or hate this mascara based on the reviews I have read, and I am clearly on the hater’s side!
2. The Covergirl Clump Crusher by lashblast is another disappointment but performs slightly better than the Givenchy. This mascara doesn’t hold the curl either, but it separates the lashes and adds natural volume and length without any clumps as the name suggests. The wand is about the same size as the original lash blast, and it makes the lashes softer and look more natural looking compared to the original version. You would like this one if you have naturally thick and curly lashes.
3. The L’Oreal Lash Architect 4D Waterproof is the best out of the three, but not good enough for a repurchase. It wins in lifting and holding the curl, and the formula gives natural volume and keeps the lashes soft and fluttery. It also stays put on me for at least 12 hours without smudging. I am not particularly fond of this wand as it doesn’t help to separate the lashes one by one. It thickens the lashes by grouping a few together, so I always need a lash comb to comb through as an extra step… It is not a deal breaker as I am quite pleased with the end result once it is fixed with a comb, but there are just too many other mascaras for me to explore.
Have you found any great new mascaras lately?
{ 20 comments }
Nothing captivates me more than catching a glimpse of a piece of quality dainty jewellery on an elegant woman. It is classic, low-key and looks effortless. I like the fact that it brings out the most feminine and delicate side of you. I’ve been wearing the Jennifer Zeuner Love Anklet (bought here) lately, often paired with a pair of sexy stiletto – très chic!
{ 3 comments }
I like to do a compilation of random things I like as my weekend post. This week is all about some of the Asian beauty products I like which are excellent value for money!
CLOCKWISE
1. My Beauty Diary Masks (Camellia Mask) – They have been a staple for me for countless years. They do a great job and the paper mask itself fits my face perfectly, and best of all they are so affordable so I can use one a day! I have probably used every single series from the My Beauty Diary Mask Range and the Camellia is one of my favorites. It belongs to the premium range (so slightly more expensive) but it delivers super hydration which can keep my skin feeling hydrated for a number of days.
2. BONANZA Active Moisture Membraneous – Best selling mask in East Asia. It’s pretty cheap and comes in a huge tub (250ml). It has a clear gel texture and must be kept in the fridge. The instruction states that to get the best results, apply a layer of your preferred serum first, then apply a very thick layer of this mask for more than 30 minutes to ‘push’ the benefits of the ingredients into a deeper layer of the skin. I am not sure how it works but I do like the result! It’s very soothing (ideal for hot weather), cooling, and hydrating. The skin appears more plumped and translucent after each use. And again, the affordable price allows me to slather this mask on everyday.
3. Innisfree Mineral Shimmering Base – I am all about dewy skin these days and the performance of this shimmering primer exceeds some of the very expensive ones I own. It is hydrating and contains super fine shimmer so it sets on the skin seamlessly, adds a beautiful gleam without settling into pores/lines or making the skin look scaly which is the main issue I have with some shimmering products of Western brands.
4. SCINIC Snail Matrix Cream – Yep it’s made of Snail mucus! And it’s the hottest ingredient in the Korean beauty market for the past year, and there are thousands of korean brands that have released series of cosmetics with the IT ingredient. If you can get over the fact that it has Snail mucus…then you really should give this interesting moisturizer a try. The texture is tacky and gluey, but interestingly it transforms into a liquid-like texture upon application, and it is super hydrating and lightweight. Possibly the best $20 moisturizer I have ever used!
{ 9 comments }
Clockwise:
{ 6 comments }
I’ve been really liking this lip look lately – application is relatively more complex than just smearing a layer of lip color on, but the end result is simply effortless sexy with a touch of innocence. If you think the look of perfectly defined lips is too serious and grown-up, then this tutorial might help you to achieve a baby-like sexy pout which has been dominating in the Japanese and Korean beauty magazines.
The main product featured in this post is the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 42 L’eclatante from the Spring 2013 Collection. I actually have purchased quite a lot of products from this collection and loving them all! Since there have already been tons of reviews available on the internet, I thought I’ll share my takes on how I wear them in my tutorial/fotd posts. The color of this lipstick is absolutely to-die for – you know you are wearing a beautiful lip color when there are girls on the street stopping you and asking for the shade number! It can look quite bright if applied directly from the tubes, and I normally like to apply it with either my fingers or a lip brush to tone down the color, and finish with some lip balm/gloss otherwise it can make my lips look flakey and dry.
Tutorial with Chanel Allure Velvet L’eclatante
1. Prep the lips with exfoliation first as it helps to remove the dead skin, moisturize, and improve blood circulation to make the lips appear more plumped.
2. Conceal the lip lines using a concealer – the key is to completely blur out the lip lines.
3. Use a very pale pink lip pencil (or a lipstick), go over the lip lines that was concealed in the previous step, all the way towards the middle of the lips.
4. Use a bright pink lipstick (about 3-4 shades brighter than the lip pencil), apply the color from the centre of lips outward but do not go over the lip lines. The key is to use your finger or a lip brush to blend out the harsh edge for a gradient effect.
5. Apply a sheer pink lip gloss over the lips with more at the center.
Finished look with the beautiful Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 42 L’eclatante
Before and After
Products Used:
1. Sarah Happ Lip Scrub in Blood Orange Flavour – my HG lip exfoliator
2. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage with Becca Concealer Brush
3. Sportsgirl Lip Pencil
4. Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 42 L’eclatante (LE) from the 2013 Spring Collection
5. Lancome Juicy Tubes in Marshmallow with Becca Lip Brush
{ 12 comments }
Talking about temptation..I bought this pair from here which I really should be staying away from, but it’s just everything I wanted for a pair of perfect booties this fall. They are black, peep toe, with the signature Valentino studs. Just can’t say no…The style is timeless to me so they will last till I can rock in heels again!
{ 5 comments }
My Suqqu Brushes are one of my most treasured makeup collections. I have acquired all the Suqqu brushes that I wanted and it was really a great investment for me as I couldn’t imagine a day without them every morning when I do my makeup. Here are some proud and happy family shots of them!
When it comes to brushes, everyone has their own preference depending on their facial features. I generally prefer smaller eye shadow brushes as I have quite a small eye lid space to work with. And the same goes with face brushes, as I find a smaller face brush allows me to layer different products more precisely and blend out the harsh edges.
Below are the hair types used in brushes in order from the softest:
Red Squirrel hair (very rare, only seen from the Jap brands) -> Blue Squirrel hair (rare) -> Grey Squirrel hair (ie Suqqu and CHIKUHODO) -> Fine goat hair 细光峰 (very rare, I have only seen them from CHIKUHODO and HAKUHODO) -> Squirrel hair with no classification (ie Sephora premium brand which I find quite coarse) – > Normal Goat Hair 粗光峰 (the most common amongst western brands, ie MAC, Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford etc) – > Pony hair
CHIKUHODO recommends that if you have dry and sensitive skin type, squirrel hair would be a better option, whereas oily skin type should go for goat or pony.
As for me, my preference goes to brushes made with 100% grey squirrel hair, or a mix of squirrel and goat (of which I highly recommend the GS range from CHIKUHODO as they are just as soft but the bristles have the same resistance as goat hair which are better for blending and picking up more pigments. I don’t wear heavy and bold makeup so naturally these brushes suit my needs.
Most goat hair can feel prickly on my skin as I have very sensitive and thin skin. On the other hand I have friends with oily skin (with bigger pores) who complain that squirrel hair brush deposits very little pigments on their skin.
If you want to invest in a set of premium brushes, you probably would have done a lot of research by now and maybe Suqqu or CHIKUHODO’s Z-series brushes are on the top of your shopping list. They are very similar since they are all made by CHIKUHODO. I have them both and here is a brief comparison that I put together:
– Suqqu are slightly more expensive than the Z-series.
– The ferrule and the handle qualities of the two are almost identical.
– They are both made of 100% grey squirrel hair so they are equally soft and smooth. They also have equal amount of hair in each brush of the same type. The Z-series brushes feel more dense, silkier and heavier on the face, whereas Suqqu brushes are fluffier, and more bouncy – in the words of some “they feel like breeze on the skin”
A quick review for the Suqqu Face Brush:
I contemplated for a long time whether I should spend 168 Pound on a powder brush? But I am really glad I got it in the end. I thought loose powder and dewy skin cannot co-exist, but this has changed my perception. Since I had this brush, I literally use loose powder on my face everyday. It feels like breeze on my skin (apologies for the repeat but I can’t find a better word to describe the sensation). The ultra fine hair deposits an invisible veil of powder on the skin that is just enough to set the makeup and take away the unnecessary shine, but retains the natural radiance of the skin. You will never look cakey or powdery with this brush. The bristle is slightly tapered which also gives you a better control when applying powder over the t-zone.
Suqqu face brush used and unwashed 😛
Onto the Suqqu Eyeshadow Brush F:
The shape of the bristles is very similar to MAC 239. Function-wise, it is mainly used for laying down colors and it deposits the same amount of pigment as the MAC. Needless to say, it feels 1000 times softer and silkier than MAC. What I love about this brush is that it is very flat if you look at it from the side, which is perfect for smudging a soft (or smoky) line along the lower lash line which is what I have been using it for lately. Compared to a normal pencil brush, it distributes the pigments much more evenly, feels smoother and takes about 2 seconds to do one eye. In short I love this brush!
Suqqu Eyeshadow Brush F used and unwashed
Links to my review of the other Suqqu brushes:
All Suqqu brushes can be purchased from Selfridges.
Another long post! Is that what pregnancy does to a woman..I have been noticeably rambling a lot lately..
{ 25 comments }
