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NARS Spring 2016 Duo Eyeshadow HAMMAMET and Duo Intensity Eyeshadow KARI Review and Swatch

March 28, 2016

The new NARS Spring Color eye shadows HAMMAMET Duo and Dual Intensity KARI from the Spring 2016 Collection thankfully reminded me of how much I used to be obsessed with Nars years back. (yes Nars was the brand that made me into a makeup addict hence the blog!) Over the past two years my obsession had slowed down, and I became very selective with the colors they released. My goal is to only collect the everyday colors that will get lots of use, rather than the unique bold colors (which Nars tend to do) that will end up collecting dust. Hammamet and Kari are beautiful neutrals again that I just can’t take my eyes off – love the soft dusty rosy tone to them!

pictured clockwise: Nars Duo eyeshadow Hammamet; Nars Duo Intensity Kari and Nars Audacious Lipstick Natalie (one of my all time favorite lip colors – reviewed here)

The Nars HAMMAMET duo is a must-have for me. I always thought it was the duo eye shadows and the blushes that has put Nars where he is now. The quality of the duo is always consistent, as the eye shadows are silky and creamy to the touch, and they are ultra pigmented but easy to apply and blend without any fallout. One compact will last you forever and the powder quality stays the same over a long period of time without drying out like the MAC singles.

Shade description:

Left : a matte medium sandy beige color that is perfect for shading/contouring. As a matte color it feels buttery soft and it glides on smooth and evenly.

Right: coppery bronzey shimmer with a hint of dusty rose undertone. Stunning color with ultra pigmented micro fine shimmer.

The Nars KARI is another beautiful soft neutral color that just can’t be missed. It’s a soft dusty sandy taupe color with a hint of mauve undertone in satin finish. Texture is firm and silky smooth, and it can be applied wet or dry with a more intense finish when applied wet. If you think HAMMAMET might pull too warm on you, then KARI is more neutral and softer.

Swatches

You can find the Nars Spring 2016 collection at Nordstrom Online, and they are currently offering Gift with Purchase with Nars.

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Labels: EYESHADOW • NARS • Spring 2016 Collection

Suqqu Eye Colour Palette Bordeaux EX01 Review, Swatch and FOTD

October 26, 2015

I have been frequently reaching for my Suqqu Eye Colour Palette Bordeaux EX01 lately so I thought I’d write up a review and FOTD post for it. I love the color combination of this palette. They are different to the usual neutral earthy palettes that I normally gravitate towards. The colors are relatively more vibrant outside of my comfort zone, but somehow I find them to be very wearable yet fresh looking, with the signature Suqqu’s subdued elegance to it.

The Suqqu eye shadow is among the most superior eye shadows you can find. The quality of the newer 3 eye shadow palette feels quite similar to their regular quad. I have done many reviews for them in other posts, and overall the texture of Suqqu is slightly different to the western brands. The powder feels more creamy and moist to the touch, and they glide on weightless, silky smooth and evenly without looking powdery that would really work well on dry skin. The color payoff is also great for this palette – one to two swipes will show the true color as you see in the pan.

Shade Description

Top : Icy white color, slightly sparkly

Middle: Shimmery coppery golden peach.

Bottom: Wine color with a purple undertone in semi satin finish. It contains multi colored glitters but they don’t show up once applied unless you look at it very closely at a certain angle.

Swatch with one swipe

FOTD:

Other products used in the FOTD

Face:

Shiseido Pore Smoothing Corrector

Shu Uemura UV Underbase Mousse – totally obsessed!

Tom Ford Powder Compact Foundation (reviewed here)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

Eyes & Brows

Tom Ford Brow Sculpting Kit (new, review coming soon)

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Toasted Blonde

Dior Addict It Liner (reviewed here)

Lancome Mascara

Lips (my current favorite combo!)

– MAC Lip Pencil Rosy Rim (reviewed here)

– MAC LipStick Please Me

The Suqqu Eye Shadow Palette can be purchased here with international shipping available (TAX will be automatically deducted at the checkout), and more colors are also available at Selfridges.

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Labels: EYESHADOW • FOTD • HOURGLASS • MAC • SHISEIDO • Shu Uemura • SUQQU • Tom Ford

Tom Ford Lipstick Flash of Pink Lip Color Review, Swatch and FOTD

September 27, 2015

Tom Ford recently added new colors to his permanent lip color collection. I tested all of them out at the counter, and in the end I just brought back Flash of Pink which was a gorgeous and unique pink color that looked very flattering on me. There was no tester for something wild which was the other shade I planned to purchase, so I’ll probably go back for another visit soon! The new colors are now available here online in Australia.

The reign of the world’s most expensive lipstick has recently been taken over by Louboutin Beaute from Tom Ford (albeit I think the packaging of the former is a little OTT..). Splurging AUD$70 on a tube of lipstick does make me feel better, as I think the packaging of Tom Ford still tops every other brand, and the formulation is also flawless. Flash of Pink is a rosy fuchsia pink with a hint of metallic sheen. It contains micro magenta shimmer and it still has the same luxurious creamy texture as with all the other colors from the range – it goes on silky smooth in a satin finish, and I don’t feel any glitter on my sensitive lips when I wear it.

The Tom Ford SA described Flash of Pink as an expensive pink lip color with an edge. I wasn’t so sure when I saw the color from the tube, but on the lips it didn’t look as metallic as I thought . As you can see from my swatch below, it looks shimmery with frost on hand, but on the lips there was just a hint of metallic sheen at certain angles that actually makes the color pop and unique. It is intensely pigmented and has a lasting power of 4-5 hours.

Close up swatch

Flash of Pink Lip Swatch

I have finally managed to take some FOTD for today’s post – it’s been so long I almost forgot how to do it lol!

Other makeup used in the FOTD include

Face

Shu Uemura Brightening Base

Sulwhasoo Cushion Foundation (reviewed here)

Tom Ford Flawless Powder Foundation (new, review coming soon)

Tom Ford Illuminating Powder for highlight (reviewed here)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Contouring Powder (reviewed here)

Eyes

Chanel Entrelaces Eyeshadow Palette (reviewed here)

Dior Addict It Liquid Eyeliner (reviewed here)

Lancome Mascara

Visee Eyebrow Pencil & Powder

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Labels: FOTD • LIPSTICK • Tom Ford

Coming soon – Dior Tie Dye Summer 2015 Collection

May 12, 2015

Here is a quick post sharing what I have picked from the Dior Tie Dye Summer 2015 collection recently. I bought all of these in Sweden, and in case you are curious if makeups are expensive in Sweden? Yes they are – about the same price as in Australia which is 50% more than the retail price in the US.

Clockwise:

Dior Tie Dye Eyeshadow Palette in 746 Ambre Nuit

Dior Diorskin Nude Tan Tie Dye Blush in 01 Pink Sunrise

Dior ‘Addict It Line’ Liquid Eyeliner (not from the collection) – I ran out eyeliners over here so I decided to give this one a try based on the good reviews I have seen. I’m glad I bought it as it’s my HG eyeliner from now on!

Dior Tie Dye Vernis Nail Lacquer in 464 Sundown and 319 Sunwashed

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Labels: DIOR

What’s in my makeup bag

May 10, 2015

I have recently re-organized my makeup bag before my trip to Sweden, so I thought I’ll do a ‘what’s in my bag’ post. The makeup pouch is from Louis Vuitton 2015 Summer Collection limited edition. I really like the bright pink V graphic on it and its matching hot pink interior – it is very on trend and adds a playful touch to a rather classic style! The size is also quite compact, and I like the round shape (rather than a flat pouch) so it’s great for holding lots of makeup!

Clockwise:

1. Dior Eye Reviver Eyeshadow Palette – reviewed here

2. Bobbi Brown Cheek Palette Pink – reviewed here

3. Suqqu Cheek Brush – The greatest investment you can make for a brush! I have been using it everyday for the past 3 years and it is still in perfect condition (reviewed here)

4. Chantecaille Corrector Concealing Pen – reviewed here

5. Beauty Bar 24k Gold – Highly recommend! I use this face massage tool whenever I can for an instant lifted contour (reviewed here).

6. Dior Rainbow Powder – I use it as a setting powder with a kabuki brush for a soft glow with a brightening effect (reviewed here).

7. BBrowBar Brow Pen – Best brow pen I have ever used (reviewed here)!

8. Charlotte Tilbury Liquid Pencil in Eye Cheat – Can’t live without this pencil now. I use it on the lower waterline and it instantly makes my eyes appear more awakened and bigger (reviewed here)

9. Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in Marron Glace – A lovely rusty brown color I like to use on the along the lower lash line.

10. Chanel Le Volume Mascara – This mascara gives the most feathery fanned out lashes.

11. Dior Addict It Line– Review coming soon. Absolutely addicted to this liner!

12. Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Color in Roussy – reviewed here

The interior

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Labels: ACCESSORY • Beauty Tools • BOBBI BROWN • CHANEL • Charlotte Tilbury • DIOR • Louis Vuitton • MASCARA • My Favorites • SUQQU

Bobbi Brown Smokey Nudes Eye Shadow Palette Review and Swatch

November 28, 2014

This month my favorite eye shadow palette has to be my new Bobbi Brown Smokey Nudes Eye Shadow Palette. As a neutral eye shadow addict, I could not resist the color palette of this one – with many wearable soft neutral shades and a few smokey shades in a variety of finishes that I will make so much use out of. Bobbi Brown tends to release eye shadow palettes in either warm tones, or cold tones, but this palette leans perfectly neutral which is a rare find so I decided to add this one to my collection.

The Bobbi Brown’s signature two tier design of this palette is also another attraction for me. I just love the fact that there are 8 reasonable sized eye shadows housed in such a sleek and compact case. The texture of each shadow is also on par with their single eyeshadow, as they are very smooth and apply effortlessly without any fall out including the sparkly shades. This palette contains three different types of eye shadows – the matte, the metallic, and the sparkly, so I get to show my playful creativity as I really enjoy mixing and matching these shades for different day and night looks .

Shade description – all the shades included in this palette are exclusive and are not available in their permanent collection. I absolutely love Bobbi Brown’s Metallic single eye shadows for their amazing shimmer factor and high intensity, but the color choices are very limited. So I am very pleased to find out that this palette contains 2 metallic shades that are in the most gorgeous neutral colors.

Top Tier (clockwise)

– Cream (matte): A creamy ivory shade that is almost the same color as my skin. An essential color to be included in a palette for serving it as base color purpose.

– Naked (matte): A warm nude with a hint of mauve undertone, and leans slightly warm on my skin.

– Woodrose (matte): A medium ash brown and is perfect for contouring.

– Silver Brown (sparkle): A sparkly grey brown with a hint of silvery purple tinge to it. Adds a glamour touch to the eye makeup for a soft smokey look.

Bottom Tier (clockwise)

– Watercolor pink (sparkle): A sparkly pale pink

– Nude Beach (metallic): A cool shimmery sandy beige, and is one of the most beautiful shades in this palette.

– Smoked (matte): A rich brown black in matte

– Smokey Brown (metallic): A true taupe with a metallic sheen. I wish they have this in the single form so I will buy a dozen of them lol.

Top Tier

Bottom Tier

Bottom Line: Must have! And it also makes a perfect gift for your girlfriends. I bought the Bobbi Brown Smokey Nudes Eye Shadow Palette here in Australia, and apparently it is all sold out at Bobbi Brown Online. In the US it is available at Nordstrom and SAKS with the following two great deals!

Nordstrom is running a major Gift With Purchase event for beauty products along with their Black Friday Sales

Saks is offering a $25 Giftcard when you spend $100 on Beauty or Fragrance using code BEAUTY14.

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Labels: CHANEL • EYESHADOW

MILK and CO Baby Products Review

October 24, 2014

I have been meaning to write a baby skincare post for a while. Being a new mum and a beauty enthusiast, I am very cautious with what I put on my baby’s skin! So when it comes to everyday baby products , I have tried tons of brands and one of my favorite baby brands in general is by MILK and CO. It’s affordable and it’s an Australian company (founded by the swimmer Michael Klim) with all of their products made in Australia with natural and green ingredients only (paraben free)!

I was drawn to this brand first because of their clean packaging and the brand name MILK – they just seem very pure and organic to me. My favorite product is the MILK baby shampoo and conditioner. It’s softly scented and smells delicious – like a creamy smoothie with a hint of lavender done in a very soothing (not empowering) way. Even my hubby is addicted to the smell, and we just can’t stop sniffing our baby’s hair after washing every time. It’s a shampoo and conditioner in one, so it’s really great for babies who have lots of hair and prone to tangle. I absolutely love this one and have gone through several bottles of this because it’s not expensive but feels and performs way beyond other supermarket brands.

Australia sun is so harsh so I’ve already started using sunscreen on my baby if we go out during the day. It was a struggle for me to find a baby sunscreen that doesn’t smell like a typical sunscreen and not greasy. The MILK Protect Me Sunscreen is still the best I have used so far compared to the others (though it’s still not perfect..). It’s suitable for babies 3 months + with SPF30+ protection, and contains no nasty chemicals. It has a cream texture that is easy to spread and stays put for several hours as well as very water resistant. The trade off was that it is slightly greasy for my liking but as babies naturally have dry skin, maybe this was part of their formulation. It doesn’t leave a white cast on the skin and has a soft milky vanilla scent. Overall I quite like this gentle sunscreen especially made for a baby’s fragile and sensitive skin.

Last but not least, The MILK Body Oil is really fantastic. Designed to improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and uneven skin. As most MILK products are, this product is lightly scented with essential oils of lavender which smells very calming and soothing. I apply this on my slightly damp skin after shower, and this light oil absorbs into my skin within seconds without leaving a greasy film. It makes my skin so soft and moisturized for days! I can get away without apply body moisturizer for the next two days. I also love using it on my baby as a massaging oil as well as a moisturizer. I am absolutely impressed by this product and it will definitely be a bathroom staple for me. Highly recommend this one to anyone who is after a quick and fuss-free body moisturizer application, and also great for preventing stretch marks for the mums-to-be!

I normally stock these products from my local supermarket (the baby section), or they can be found here online and they are currently running a promotion to support the McGrath Foundation.

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Labels: BABY

Elegance Perfect Brow Powder and Chikuhodo GSN 12 Eyebrow Brush Review

September 23, 2014

I have been asked by several readers if I had changed my eye brow routine since my last post. I would say the way I do my eyebrows are still the same but I have found my new holy grail set which is the Elegance Perfect Brow Powder Palette and the Chikuhodo GSN 12 Eyebrow brush.

The Elegance Perfect Brow Powder Palette has always been the best seller in Japan, and is constantly featured in their beauty magazines. What defines a good eyebrow powder is that the color complements your skin tone, good pigmentation and long lasting, and this product ticks all the boxes! I bought it in color GR40 which is a soft brown ashy color that goes really well with my cool skin-tone as well my as my colored hair (ashy blond balayage). It has a tinge of green undertone so it won’t look reddish brown on Asian (yellow) skin. The two shades on the left are for the eye brows, and I normally use the lighter shade for the start of the eye brow and the darker shade for the end of the eye brow, and that way it makes the brows look more natural and less flat. The shade on the right is for nose contouring which is perfection – it is so subtle but easy to use to see the contouring effect.

What I love about this product the most is that it is softly pigmented, which means it still applies and defines the eye brow with a tiny amount of the product needed but it will never make your brows look ‘drawn-on’. Lasting power is about 5-6 hours on me before it starts to fade, and that is very similar to my other eye brow products.

Swatch and you can see how they look on my brows in my recent FOTDs.

The palette comes with 3 mini brushes which are all of high quality. I feel the shape and the quality of bristles are better than those brow brushes from the mainstream European brands.

Of course being a brush addict and snob, I always like to explore other better options, and the Chikuhodo GSN eye brow brush is my recent favorite. The bristles are firm but flexible, and it’s quite thick and dense so it makes the application a lot easier and quicker. Comparing this with my other HG eyebrow brush by Suqqu (reviewed here), they are very different. The Suqqu brush is much smaller, sharper and thinner, so it’s great for defining the brows precisely with brush strokes that mimics the real brow. Whereas the Chikuhodo is great for defining as well as smudging, so it gives a softer finish. In my opinion they are both really good brushes to own for different purposes as the Chikuhodo is more convenient for everyday use and the Suqqu is perfect for creating bold and strong eye brows.

Unfortunately I don’t know where to get the Elegance Eyebrow Palette online. With the Chikuhodo brushes, you can find them at Beautylish or Visage.

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