Front Row Beauty

Burberry Spring 2012 – Sheer Eye Shadow Pale Barley Review and Swatch

March 13, 2012

I finally jumped on the Burberry Beauty bandwagon! I have been good saying no to the permanent lineup but after seeing the beautiful Burberry Spring 2012 colletion, I couldn’t help but purchase some including the Sheer Eye Shadow in Pale Barley No 22 as they were limited edition.

The Burberry eye shadow totally lived up to my expectation. The texture has a “wow” factor to me considering I have quite a fair share of premium eye shadows, but I was still deeply impressed by how good the Burberry eyeshadow is. The word sheer in the name is quite misleading, as I don’t find it to be sheer at all for a neutral shade such as the Pale Barley. It is a pale mushroomy beige shade in a satiny finish that serves an excellent base color for most complexions. It applies completely fuss-free – one to two swipes are suffice to show the true color, and the ultra-fine silk smooth texture applies like a second skin without any fallout.

Swatches of Pale Barley

On my eyes, it is a tad darker than my natural skin color, which makes it a perfect shade for just a wash of color over the eye socket that gives a deeper set of eyes effect.

EOTD with only Pale Barley applied

Overall Look:

Bottom Line: The Burberry Pale Barley is one of those classic shades that should be in every girls’s makeup kit. For the minimalist girls who don’t wear much makeup, it is the perfect shade for a “no makeup” makeup look. LOVE it!

The Burberry Pale Barley Eye Shadow is available online here or here. Non-US customers can purchase this here with international shipping and VAT deductions.

{ 38 comments }

Labels: BURBERRY BEAUTY • EYESHADOW

My Best Hair Care Products

March 11, 2012

This is another topic that is frequently requested by my readers – my best hair care products and routine. It is quite a challenging post for me, and anyone who has been to my bathroom would agree with me..as it is just filled with an abundance of hair care and body products. They always walk out of my bathroom with the same question “Can I ever finish that many products?” Oh well…nope! But it’s the same with my makeup collection or many other vanity items. I just like to constantly buy them and I am always on the lookout for newer and better products!

So back to the hair topic…Unlike most Asian girls who are blessed with a head of straight, glossy and smooth hair, I was born with naturally wavy hair and prone to frizz. The grass is certainly always greener on the other side, as I always wanted to have sleek and straight hair, so for years I have been battling with my natural hair to achieve the desired look. I have been coloring my hair ever since I was in high school, and after experimenting with every possible hair color on the planet, I have settled down with ashy highlights, and I think it is the best my hair has ever looked.

I get my hair colored on a frequent basis so my hair gets very dry and damaged. The utmost important goal in my haircare routine is to supply as much protein to my hair for strengthening and repairing. The KERASTASE RESISTANCE BAIN DE FORCE Reinforcing and Refinishing Shampoo for weakened hair and CIMENT ANTI-USURE Reinforcing and Refinishing Treatment for Damaged Ends are my everyday protein shampoo and conditioner – they make my hair much stronger and significantly reduce the breakage of it. I alternate them with Fekkai Shea Butter Moisturizing Shampoo and PHYTO PHYTOSESAME Express Hydrating Conditioner, and they are a heaven-sent for dry and lackluster hair. I am especially loving the Phyto Conditioner at the moment, as it has a lotion texture and melts into your hair upon application. It keeps my hair so hydrated without weighing it down.

Ashy color can turn brassy or orangey after some time if your hair is naturally dark. To prevent that I use the Matrix So Silver shampoo once a week to eliminate the dull yellowness in my hair. I also use the KERASTASE BAIN CLARIFIANT Regulating Shampoo for Oily Scalp once a week – it’s a clarifying shampoo that removes the built up of my hair and purifies the scalp. It’s the best I’ve ever used as it doesn’t strip the natural oil and makes my hair feel feathery light and clean without being crunchy.

I like to treat my hair with an intensive treatment mask after it is deep cleansed with a clarifying shampoo. My favorite picks for repairing damaged hairs are the ALTERNA CAVIAR ANTI-AGING SEASILK Hair Masque and Fekkai PROTEIN Rx Anti-Breakage Treatment Masque. The Alterna completely rejuvenates and brings life back to my dull hair but its’ quite expensive, and the Fekkai also does a good repairing job and restores moisture.

To slow down colors from fading, I like to use Fekkai Salon Technician Color Care Rapid Results Moisture Mask. It revives the color and deeply moisturizes my hair. When my hair feels relatively healthy but requires a pamper, I reach for the H2O Milk Silkening Hair Mask. It transforms my dry and frizzy hair into silky soft and smooth, and I can sniff my hair for the whole day for that heavenly scent. I always bring a tub of KERASTASE SOLEIL Masque UV Defense Active with me when I go on vacation, as the sun; the chlorine; and sea salt guarantees to make my hair feel straw-like. This is the savior for replenishing overly exposed hair to become softer and radiant.

When my hair is still damp, I like to apply a tiny drop of KERASTASE REFLECTION CHROMA RICHE Luminous softening essence for highlighted or very sensitised colour-treated hair to the ends of my hair – it protects my hair from heat and completely smooths out the cuticles and makes my hair super shiny and sleek. I then a apply a pea size of Bumble and bumble Styling Creme around the roots before I blow dry my hair straight. It is a lovely lightweight styling lotion that gives the hair body and holds the style.

For next-day hair, I like to freshen it up with a nicely scented protein spray. The Aveda Brilliant Damage Control used to be my favorite but at the moment my heart belongs to Label M Protein Spray. If my roots are looking too flat the next day I would rely on my Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion which gives instant volume to my hair and requires zero skill. I don’t use hair spray much, but if I do my holy grail is the Alterna Hemp Maximum Hold Volume Lock. It is unlike any other hairspray I have used, as it gives instant body and hold to my hair without making my hair stiff! Unfortunately most sites do not ship aerosol products to Australia now, so I am really saving this one for special occasions!

Thank you for reading if you have made it to the end! 🙂

{ 23 comments }

Labels: ALTERNA • AVEDA • Bumble and bumble • Frederic Fakkai • H2O • HAIRCARE • KERASTASE • Phyto

Meet My New Everyday Bag

March 6, 2012

I buy myself a new everyday bag every start of the year, and my requirements for it have to be

– black

– roomy

– I can carry it either over my shoulder or with my elbow

– understated – no logo everywhere

– last but not least, it has to be light!

And I have finally found a lovely soft and slouchy grey-black Chanel Tote which is everything of what I am after! It has a distressed leather finish (similar finish as the classic reissue line)- so it looks quite worn already (in my mum’s opinion!) which means I can toss it around everywhere without worrying…The logo is very understated, but the signature Chanel Chain around the bag provides a sense of reassurance.

FYI: It is a size Medium and retails for USD$2900.

{ 29 comments }

Labels: ACCESSORY • BAG • CHANEL • Fashion • My Favorites • SHOP

Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Vitalizing Sleeping Masque Review

March 4, 2012

Sleeping masks have been around for years, and at first I thought it was just a marketing gimmick for “night cream in a mask texture”. But after hearing more and more positive feedback about it, I finally decided to give them a chance! I came across the Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Vitalizing Masque when I was in the US, and I bought it as I thought both the name and the packaging are more alluring than other brands.

Amore Pacific is the biggest cosmetics brand in Korea (similar to Estee Lauder in the US). They own a large number of popular Korean brands such as Laneige, Etude etc, with Amore Pacific being their core brand for high end cosmetics, and they are now available world-wide from limited retailers.

One of the best features in all of their products for me is the use of stabilized Bamboo water replacing normal purified water as the main ingredient, which improves skin clarity. This is the same concept as Chantecaille where all products are made of pure rose water as opposed to normal water.

The Moisture Bound Vitalizing Masque is a lightweight, liquid-gel overnight masque which helps replenish moisture, energy and nourishment for a more vibrant, healthy, looking skin. It has magnesium, copper, zinc and calcium which assist in replenishing the skin’s natural resilience against stress, and Ginger Root Extract helps to brighten and purify.

Full Ingredient List:

Application method:

I apply two pea sizes in place of my normal night cream.

My own thoughts:

Unlike other gel type masks, the lightweight texture of Moisture Bound Vitalizing Masque does not feel tacky on the skin. Although it doesn’t absorb in to the skin immediately, after 5-10 minutes of resting, 90% of the mask is absorbed with a thin film left on my skin. I can then go to bed so the mask won’t stain my pillow case. I normally wash it off with a gentle lotion cleanser next morning, and the result is as if I just treated my skin with a hydrating mask. My skin feels more hydrated, softer and more plumped than a regular night cream would do. It also appears more vitalized and glowing even if I did not have a good sleep! Overall I like this mask – it does what it claims but it is not as hydrating as a real sheet mask such as my holy grail SKII. As we all know, there is nothing better than having your skin prepped with a hydrating mask for a perfect base makeup. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the luxury and time to do so every morning. I realize now that the Moisture Bound Vitalizing Masque (or any sleeping mask in general) is an alternative solution for that – simply leave it on overnight for a glowing skin the next day which makes applying makeup a joy.

Other Information

– Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic dyes, Petrol chemicals, Phthalates, GMOs, Triclosan Free

– Dermatologist Tested

– Made in Korea

I purchased mine at Nordstrom for USD$60. You can also purchase Amore Pacific products from Neiman Marcus and Sephora.

{ 7 comments }

Labels: Amore Pacific • FACE MASKS

Chanel Le Vernis May and June Reviews and Swatches

March 2, 2012

I cannot believe I only did 10 posts for the month of Feb, though I felt I have done more than that…Shame on me! I really wish I can update my blog more as well as catching up on all the blogs that I follow…So I decided to do a quick post on the Chanel Le Vernis from the Spring 2012 Collection for Friday. I only bought May and June and passed on April which just doesn’t appeal to me for some reason…

The colors of May and June are very young and fresh. Chanel is the leading brand for fashion forward colors, and both shades fit right into the pastel-colored theme which is the key trend of the moment. What I love the most about them is they complement my skin tone perfectly! Both May and June are of standard Chanel Le vernis quality – 2 to 3 coats provide an opaque finish and they hardly chip on me.

May is a bright cherry blossom pink in cream finish – a neutral pink that would look lovely on any skintone.

Swatch of Chanel Le Vernis May with 3 coatsJune is a bright apricot shade in cream finish – it wins for its perfect balance between orange and peach which doesn’t pull too yellow/orangey on my skin.

Swatch of Chanel Le Vernis June with 3 coats

So what is your favorite shade of this Spring collection?

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Labels: CHANEL • NAIL POLISH

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

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