Beauty Blog

Review - Chersamme Reversible Skirt

2012-01-05T06:19:00.002+08:00

Bought 2 Chersamme Reversible Skirts (Zara-Tulip Skirt Inspired) after reading Wendy's review. I thought the skirt looks really cute on her and moreover, I really really like multi-functional clothing.

I've stopped shopping from blogshops online mainly because a lot of "free sized apparels" didn't fit me right and ended up disappointing me. So I took a gamble this time as this blogshop offered bigger sizes. I'm glad I bought these.

I ordered Girly Teenager, which has a strawberry fushia and bubblegum violet combination and The Wonderwoman, which has coral red and electric blue combination.

From left to right: The Wonderwoman (Coral side), Girly Teenager (Violet Side)

From left to right: The Wonderwoman (Blue side), Girly Teenager (Fushia Side)

I would say the colours are true to the website's photos, except for The Wonderwoman's Coral side, which turned up looking more of a coral orange in reality than a coral red. All the other 3 colours are all very rich and vibrant while the coral appears a bit duller in comparison. Nonetheless, I find it to be a unique shade.

The reversible skirts are made of elastic polyster silk and so they are incredibly smooth to the touch. They have a few pleats in front but I don't find them to be that visible. The skirts are not sheer at all since they have 2 layers of coloured fabrics sewn together. The skirt comes with 2 pockets and it's the same even when you reverse it. It is smocked at the back.

When I reversed the skirt to try on the other side, I noticed that it will end up like this (see below) where the different coloured fabrics aren't aligned properly so the blue fabric will peek out a little when wearing the coral side. But I am not that bothered by it as it can still pass off as part of the design (to have it peeking out).

Overall, I really like the Chersamme Reversible Skirts. I like the cool concept of having 2 wearable skirts in one. I prefer The Wonderwoman a little more as the electric blue side is really pretty while the coral side is more muted but still really nice.

They still have some leftovers from backorder so if you are interested, drop by their site at Chersamme.com

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Sneak Preview

2011-12-01T23:29:00.002+08:00

I was looking at Urban Decay products and saw some sneak preview pictures of the new Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette.

OMG..

Compiled them together. They are contributed by UD's Facebook fans (I suppose) so I am not claiming any credit for the pictures.

Isn't it gorgeous?

Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite

Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout

Top row: Swatches from Urban Decay Naked Palette
Bottom row: Swatches from Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

The Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette comes with a mini lip gloss (Lip Junkie) and a dual-ended eyeshadow brush.

Great Deals: Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones by Monster at 60% Off

2011-12-01T16:40:00.004+08:00

Spotted authentic Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones going for up to 60% off at Hautelook. Thought it's a great deal to share. They have Lady Gaga Heartbeats, Diddybeats Headphones and Monster Butterfly by Vivienne Tam Headphones.

Grab it fast if you want it as the sale ends Friday 8am Pacific Time.

Hautelook doesn't ship internationally so you have to figure out a way to get it if you are not from the US or Canada.

Happy shopping.

New Hauls: Watsons Christmas Member Preview Event 2011

2011-11-29T04:26:00.001+08:00

Went to Watsons Christmas Member Preview Event on 16 November 2011. There was 30% discount off for most items. I thought it was a pretty good sale considering Watsons only had 25% off sales for previous Cardmembers' events. I had planned to get KATE stuff but the place was so packed and overwhelming that it totally slipped my mind. -.-

Here's the stuff that I picked up.

I picked up Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex in 21 and PK102 and Majolica Majorca Frozen Splash Eyes in GR732. These came together in a pack for $15. I thought I'll try it as I have never tried MM's lip glosses before. Was also curious about their Frozen Splash Eyes, which is basically like a cream base. It's kind of sheer.

Also bought Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheeks in PK301 Peach Macaron since there's 30% off. I think the original retail price was $22.90 so I got it for $16. Can't wait to use this.

The cosmetic section for brands like Maybelline/L'Oreal/Revlon/Silkygirl had some great deals like "Buy One Get One" for lip products or "Free gift with purchase" so everyone was squeezing over there.

I picked up more Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss as I really like those I've tried. I got them in Peach Petal and Pink Pursuit. Peach Petal is a milky pale peach while Pink Pursuit is a medium pink with lots of shimmer. I don't know if it's me but Pink Pursuit stings my lips if I overapply.

And I finally bought Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in 070 Soft Nude. I have been wanting this for a while but I'm not willing to pay full price for it, which is $21.90. There was 30% off for Revlon products and if you buy their lipsticks, you get a free nail polish too. I get to pick one from 3 shades so I picked out Revlon Nail Enamel in 790 No Shrinking Violet. It's a super gorgeous deep purple (almost eggplant).

I figured I need more sunblock so got Mentholatum Acnes UV Tinted Milk SPF 50 PA++ UVA/UVB and Mentholatum SUNPLAY Water Kids Low Sensitivity SPF 60+ PA+++. I've never tried these before. Bought these after doing some online research about sunblocks.

I also got a twin pack of La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water ($24.90 member price) to try out. It was so crazy as Watsons had twin packs for thermal sprays of different brands like Avene, Vichy, Uriage. I was just so drawn to them all as my skin had been feeling really dry lately.

I actually enjoyed myself and the trip down was worth it. There were some other better deals which I missed out as I was in a rush. I also think I bought too many lip products. The Revlon nail polish was also a really nice surprise. It worked beautifully and I absolutely love the colour. Would totally recommend it.

Review: Jewelmint Serpentine Necklace

2011-11-26T00:53:00.002+08:00

Got the Serpentine Necklace from Jewelmint. If you watch Youtube, you would probably know what Jewelmint is. It's basically an online store selling jewellery pieces designed by Kate Bosworth and Cher Coulter.

It comes in a neat mint green box with a black ribbon. You do not have to untie the bow. It's just a separate piece of ribbon in a bow shape stuck on another piece of ribbon . I feel kind of foolish untying it. -.- You just have to slip the whole thing off the box.

Inside the box, it comes with detailed information on the piece. The mint green box is more true to colour in the second photo.

The box is also well packed with black cushion.

So after removing the top layer of cushion, tada, here comes the necklace.

The Serpentine necklace is made with gold and silver herringbone chains that crossed each other in the front, giving a layered effect. I was impressed that it appears true to the photo provided on the Jewelmint website. The necklace is really pretty. It appears to be really simple but when you touch it, you can feel that it's quite substantial. The piece is also quite shiny in real life.

At the back, you get a clasp that's like those you find on watches. Generally, I find it a pain to open. I laid it flat in the photo above so you can see the gold and silver slinky chains crisscrossing each other at the front.

Here's a closeup of the Serpentine necklace. I had a hard time capturing the real colour of it as it just appears super shiny on the camera. But the colour's pretty close to the closeup shot. Look at how the two chains intertwine with each other. Now you know why it's called the Serpentine necklace.

Jewelmint also suggested that it could be worn as a bracelet.

Serpentine Necklace worn as Bracelet

Overall, I love it. I picked this up because I find it to be a versatile piece for wearing with collared tops, dresses, dressing up simple tops or layering with longer necklaces. Generally I am not a fan of slinky chains like these but I think it goes perfectly with this design. I love that this design is very simple, yet sleek and also the two-tone concept. Like I said earlier, the necklace is also very substantial and definitely doesn't look or feel cheap.

One thing that I probably would rethink about is the price. Each Jewelmint piece is priced at US$29.99. In all honesty, I wouldn't pay full price for it. But I've seen discount codes floating around and "Buy one get one" sales, so that would be a great time to buy instead.

Currently, Jewelmint only ships within the US. They do not take international orders at the moment.

Tips: How to Create 14 Looks with 7 Pieces of Clothing

2011-11-21T04:14:00.001+08:00

I thought this was awesome.

Sharing with you guys.

Review: E.L.F Mineral Lipsticks

2011-11-06T08:57:00.000+08:00

I've been wanting to do swatches for the E.L.F Mineral Lipsticks for a while so finally got down to doing it while cleaning out my stash.

I actually did a "partial" review on some of these lipsticks quite some time ago.

My opinion is pretty much still the same. While I do have some favourites from the range, the E.L.F mineral lipsticks are probably just average. The constitency of the lipsticks is not the same for all. They may be creamy but some glide so smoothly while others can look unflattering on dry lips.

From left to right: Rosy Raisin, Barely Bitten, Runway Pink, Rosy Tan,

Bare Brown, Cool Coral, Party Pink, Natural Nymph

In case you are wondering, the colours look nothing like the colourful stickers on it.

From left to right: Rosy Raisin, Rosy Tan, Natural Nymph, Barely Bitten

From left to right: Cool Coral, Runway Pink, Party Pink, Bare Brown

My favourite from the range is probably Natural Nymph. It's a very pale beige pink shade. It's almost like a lip concealer if I apply it on and can make me look dead. But that's precisely why I like it because I use it in that manner in order to cover my pigmented lips and then go over with a pigmented nude lip gloss to achieve nude lips. The consistency for Natural Nymph can be rather drying so it's best to exfoliate your lips before you use.

My other favourite is Barely Bitten, which is a sheer red lipstick which is buildable. It glides on super smoothly and the reason I like it is because it's just like its name. It gives a lip tint effect. It's a wearable red lip colour to try if you want to experiment with red lips but do not want a full on red lips effect.

Rosy Raisin and Rosy Tan are neutral shades that I don't mind wearing. Cool Coral is a more orangey reddish shade, not truly reflected in swatches. It also has gold shimmers in it. It's actually weird to be named Cool Coral when there's nothing coral about it. Runway Pink is more a bude baby pink while Party Pink is a brighter pink compared to it. (The pinks look the same to me. I had Nicely Nude too but had to throw out as it grew mouldy. :() Bare Brown is just a straight up brown. I wouldn't recommend it if you are fair to light skintone for I don't know what you can use it for. -.-

These retail for US$5. I would probably recommend getting them only during the E.L.F sales.

New Hauls: H&M + Versace for H&M

2011-11-05T06:36:00.003+08:00

Now if you stay in Singapore, you'll probably know by now H&M opened their first flatship store along Orchard Road. I was really excited about it but I didn't go there immediately. I went there weeks after it opened and it was still super crowded. Took a quick browse and ended up not getting a thing due to long queues.

Picked up some stuff during the second visit. I was expecting to shop more but I didn't really see a lot of things that I like and some sizes were sold out.

I ended up picking up a few belts (which was what I had planned to get), a bundle of gold bangles. I needed skinny belts and really like the braided ones and these are really affordable. Also bought a dark navy flowy blouse which is super comfy (not in picture because the camera refuses to capture details) and a pair of black suede flat pumps with fake leather ribbons on it (not in picture because it has been banished to a corner of my shoe cabinet at the moment).

Seriously, the flat pumps hurt my feet so bad. I probably won't really recommend them to people with broad feet.

I actually like H&M. Just can't stop thinking when they'll stock up again with new items. I don't really like the location of the store as I seem to forget where it is easily. But compared to Forever21, I think I have more tendency to buy stuff from H&M than Forever21. H&M carries lots of basic, simple yet chic clothing which kinda appeals to me more. I've been to F21 a couple of times the past few months wanting to get something and each time I came out empty handed.

Oh well, let's hope H&M opens a few more stores in Singapore. :) That'll be awesome.

Anyway I was browsing the H&M Singapore website and spotted the collaboration collection by Versace for H&M and I was like "WHAT!".

Here are some pictures:

I really wonder who will buy these. -.-'

The leather dress from the collection is nice but those above are just so...tropical.

Article: What Your Eyes Are Telling You

2011-10-30T02:12:00.001+08:00

The eyes are not only windows to the soul - but to your general health.
If you are ill, or just under the weather, the first place it's likely to show is in your eyes.

Amy Anderson spoke to Professor Alistair Fielder, ophthalmologist at Imperial College, London, to find out what signs to look for.
Read his top 16 signs below and click on the links in the blue box for tips to look after your eyes.

WHITE RINGS
A milky-white ring around the edge of the eye's cornea - the transparent circular part of the front of the eyeball - is usually called arcus senilis. The white ring is caused by the deposition of fat in the cornea and can mean you have high levels of fat in your blood.

Although this is usually found in older people, a different term, arcus juvenilis, is used to describe white rings found in those under 40. This can be an indication of high cholesterol levels and should be checked.

SORE RED EYES
Cosmetics are one of the most common but least suspected sources of eye problems. Misuse of products and adverse reactions to ingredients are often responsible for eye irritation, allergy and infection. Bacteria can contaminate old make-up, causing infections, so it should be replaced frequently.

WHITE SPOTS
If you have little white spots on your eyelids, this can also mean too much fat in the blood.

PALE EYELIDS
If the skin inside your lower lids looks pale rather than bright pink, this usually means you are anaemic and lacking iron, which is crucial for the healthy production of red blood cells.

RED BLOTCHES
Red blotches appearing infrequently on the whites of the eyes are not dangerous. However, more persistent ones could be an indication of high blood pressure which causes blood capillaries to expand and sometimes burst - leaving red marks.

FAILING NIGHT VISION
Can be a sign of vascular problems due to inefficient circulation. Could also be a symptom of parasites in the intestine and a lack of absorption of essential minerals and vitamins.

The acidity levels of blood can affect the way our eyes work, particularly if the pH becomes too acidic. Acids may come from the food we eat or from under-functioning liver and kidneys. One way to rebalance the system is through diet.

MUSCLE FATIGUE
This is usually caused by poor lighting at work and over exposure to computer screens. In addition emotional stress can be damaging to the eye because stress inhibits absorption of essential B vitamins that help keep eye muscles strong.

The tendency of one eye to close more than the other is another common complaint, especially among student bookworms. This is also a symptom of tired muscles.

To ease the strain, try holding a pencil about a foot away from your face and focusing on it. Then bring it slowly towards you until it goes out of focus, do this three or four times a day.

DOUBLE VISION
Double vision can be an indication of nerve damage and you should consult a doctor.

TOO MUCH WHITE
Sanpaku, meaning 'three whites', is a term from the ancient Japanese system of medical diagnoses called Bo-Shin, closely linked to the philosophy of 'yin and yang', on which the macrobiotic diet is founded.
If a person has Sanpaku eyes, it means that the iris is turned upwards so the white is clearly visible on three sides.

The condition has been recognised for centuries in Oriental countries where it was thought to signify poor physical and mental health - caused primarily by an unwholesome diet too high in red meat and acidic foods.
A person's psychological state can also cause the eyes to become Sanpaku because stress affects the optic nerves. This pulls the muscles up, moving the iris with them towards the eye socket, so white space is revealed underneath. Many high-profile people have been affected, including Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Adolf Hitler and Princess Diana.
Artist David Hockney also recently noted that Cherie Blair (above) has Sanpaku eyes. Some therapists believe that a macrobiotic diet can get rid of the effect, but only over a matter of years.

BLURRED VISION
This can be a sign of glaucoma, a serious eye disorder in which excess fluid causes increased pressure in the eye, or iritis, inflammation of the coloured part of the eye. Your doctor may send you to hospital for urgent assessment. If you have glaucoma, you will need drugs to reduce the pressure in the eye. Iritis needs immediate treatment with corticosteroid eye drops or tablets.

YELLOW EYES
If you have eyes with a yellow tinge this may mean a liver complaint or infection. Check with your GP.

FLASHING LIGHTS
These and floating spots can be the first sign of a migraine, a severe headache. Symptoms can often be eased by self-help measures, such as painkillers, drinking plenty of fluids and resting in a dark, quiet room.

DROOPY EYELIDS
A droopy eyelid can indicate a muscular problem or nerve damage elsewhere in the body, and you should see a specialist.

ITCHY, RED EYELIDS
Blepharitis(inflammation and scaling) may be the cause. This condition is often associated with dandruff. Using an antifungal shampoo may clear both conditions. Unperfumed moisturising cream on your eyelidsmay also help. If the condition does not improve, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroid ointment.

LIDS TURNED IN OR OUT
You may have entropion, a condition in which the eyelid turns inwards so that the lashes rub on the eye, or ectropion, in which the eyelid droops away from the eye, exposing the inner surface of the lid.
Although they are not serious, both conditions can look unpleasant and increase the risk of damage to the cornea. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist for a minor operation to realign the eyelid.

RAPIDLY FAILING SIGHT
Can be a sign of diabetes due to a lack of protein or a violent form of macular degeneration, where part of the retina ages prematurely and loses function. Consult a specialist.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-156166/Can-eyes-saying-you.html#ixzz1cCBoUSko

DIY Niacinamide Rosewater Toner

2011-08-16T13:07:00.001+08:00

I decided to try out this DIY Niacinamide Rosewater Toner recipe which I took down ages ago.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is good for treating acne inflammation, giving oil control and skin lightening. I thought it would be good to try out for my oily, acne-prone skin as I grew to love Niacinamide after trying out the Watsons Green Tea mask which (contains it and) is effective for soothing any swollen and inflamed acne I have.

Things to prepare:
Bottle of Rosewater Toner (I use Guardians rosewater toner)
1g of Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) powder
An empty bottle for storage

The proportion I was recommended to mix for Niacinamide to Rosewater toner was 1g : 25ml so that the percentage of Niacinamide is 4%. Since the glass bottle I have is able to contain 30ml, I just poured close to its brim and poured the 1g of Niacinamide in. After that, just shake the bottle well. It is not necessary to use rosewater toner if you can't find it. Any neutral toner (without all the fanciful benefits and ingredients) will do. Another tip I was told was to add in Witch Hazel toner as it can act as preservative. Or you can just buy the Guardians Rosewater and Witch Hazel toner which saves the extra step. I skipped the witch hazel step as I could finish the mix fast due to the small storage bottle.

I would apply this DIY Niacinamide Rosewater toner with a cotton pad after cleansing my face. Didn't feel anything special initially except the rosewater helps to hydrate the skin really well. After some time, I noticed my skin would produce less oil. There was slight improvement to my skin though it did not stop breakouts entirely. My existing pimples appear less inflammed and I also did notice my skin seem a little brighter.

I would actually continue using this. It's just so easy to make and I like the oil control it gives. The niacinamide in it helps to reduce the rate at which sebum is produced so there's less tendency for clogs (blackheads, whiteheads) to happen, in turn causing less breakouts. It's a little hard to obtain the Niacinamide powder though. I purchased mine from Milagro Trading (Singapore), which seems to only sell it in 1g packets. I would probably recommend purchasing from other websites (if you can find any) in bigger portions for more cost savings. :\

Free Stuff: Samples from Various Brands

2011-07-18T19:32:00.001+08:00

Some free stuff/samples I got over the past few weeks/months. I think they are still available for redemption so if you are in Singapore, give it a go.

All you have to do is to log in Facebook and click the "Free Sample" tab on the left. Then fill in your details. The samples would be sent to you in a week or so.

ChocoMarvel Natural Menstrual Care Sachet (powder)
http://www.facebook.com/ChocoMarvel

Ginvera Nude Cover BB Cream and Green Tea Aqua Whitening Cream
http://www.facebook.com/ginvera.sg

Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion in travel sized bottle
http://www.facebook.com/hadalabosg

Sunsilk Co-Creations Shampoo and Nourishing Conditioner
http://www.facebook.com/sunsilksingapore

Acnes Medicated Skincare Creamy Wash in sachet form and Sealing Gel
http://www.facebook.com/acnes.sg

Bioessence Bird's Nest Nutri-Collagen and Whitening Advancer
http://www.facebook.com/bioessence.sg

Don't really have much to say about these items.

By the way, ChocoMarvel Natural Menstrual Care Pack is a cocoa drink for relieving menstrual cramps and discomfort. I took it while I was having my period and thought it was pretty good. It keeps you warm and fuzzy then you'll stop cranking up from all the discomfort. So I think it's a must-try among those in the list. :)

New on Shelves: Garnier BB Eye Roll-On

2011-07-01T13:43:00.000+08:00

Garnier BB Eye Roll On (Taiwan packaging)

I've read that the Garnier BB Eye Roll-On has finally reached our shores and was really excited about it. I first heard of it on the show 女人我最大 (NRWZD or "Ladies First", it's a Taiwanese show on women and beauty related topics) few weeks ago when one of the makeup artists recommended this concealer that doubles as eye cream/gel too. According to him, this eye roller existed long ago and was first sold in UK and it's a top-selling product. In addition, the caffeine in it helps to reduce puffiness of the eyes, improves blood circulation and since it is tinted, it helps to conceal dark circles and brightens areas where it's dark. Sounds too good to be true right? I was sold immediately and wanted to try it so badly.

Did a little snooping online and turns out that this product is probably just a renamed version of Garnier Tinted Eye Roll-On.

picture credits: Musings of a Muse

So in case, you are looking for reviews for the Garnier BB Eye Roll-On, you might just want to search for the other name "Garnier Tinted Eye Roll-on". Now I'm kind of skeptical about it and wondering if the "BB" (which stands for blemish balm, like in BB cream) was added into the name to appeal to the Asian market. Ahhh.. Feel so cheated. I could be wrong though as this could be a new formula but everything (packaging wise) looks the same to me.

Shall be waiting for more reviews before I buy it. :\

Garnier BB Eye Roll-On retails for SGD$22.90 in Watsons Singapore.

Favourites of the Month: May 2011

2011-06-06T07:18:00.006+08:00

I thought I'll do a quick update. I haven't been updating much as I've been getting lazy. My daily makeup routine has been kept as simple as possible. Thought I'll share some of my favourites. :)

1. Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm VIP Gold Collection (BB Cream)
I bought this a while back from Gmarket Singapore (I took a risk and after verifying, it is real and authentic. But I probably would still discourage people from buying from there as there are really a lot of fakes floating around. The seller I contacted is no longer selling it. ) I didn't like it at first because the BB cream just looks so ashy gray when I pumped it out. Loving it ever since I tried it out in May.

Weather in Singapore during May was incredibly hot and humid. I just couldn't bring myself to put on foundation so I got started on this BB Cream. It takes a while for the BB cream to set so it can look a bit ashy initially. After sinking in, it looks like you aren't wearing anything. My skin looks brighter and it's as if I was starring at skin instead of powdery/liquidy foundation.

I would say it has light-medium coverage. Coverage is buildable if you pat on the Skin79 Gold BB cream layer by layer, preferably with fingers, over problematic areas that need more concealing. It didn't manage to cover all my acne so I still need to top it off with another concealer. Another reason why I love this is that I noticed my undereye concealer staying put really well after I topped it up over the BB cream. (I've read cases of people reacting badly to certain BB creams applied on the undereye areas so please do a patch test before trying out.) I hate it when my concealer starts melting off after a hot day so this is a bonus. After everything, I would set it with either Maybelline Dream Matte Powder or Silk Naturals Silk Mineral foundation. :)

2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef
I'm so loving this colour. It's almost a bright neon coral orange shade. As I've been keeping my makeup simple, this shade works really well as a perk-me-up colour to brighten the face on lazy days.

3. Garnier Pure SOS Anti-Blemish Gel/Pen
If you had read my earlier entries, I've been complaining about acne problems. Sometimes I wonder if my over-reliance on Tea Tree Oil products somehow backfire on me. I dug out the Garnier Pure SOS Anti-Blemish Gel (squeeze tube form) which is really old. I used to really love this in the past but it was never essential for me since I was combating cystic acne most of the time. This stuff works but not on cystic acne. For some weird reason, my recent acne problems seem to be mostly black heads problems.

This anti-blemish tube gel works amazing on blackheads. This product contains sacrylic acid, which is good for using against blackheads. I used it after washing my face with Garnier PureActive Deep Unclogging Pore Facial Wash. My acne problem slowly stopped.

This is also the best-smelling pimple gel I've ever smelled. It smells of sweet longans. I think it has been discontinued in Singapore (sadly) and replaced with the Garnier Pure Active Spot-On Roller though I kind of suspect they don't contain the same formula. Anyway I never figure out why Garnier wants to change it to a roller since squeeze tubes are definitely more sanitary for acne application.

New Hauls: Watsons Members' Preview Sale

2011-05-21T04:48:00.000+08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. I was too caught up following Singapore General Election 2011. Politics has always been the last thing in my mind so I'm pretty shocked by my interest. It is taking a long while for the emotions to sink in. I just feel so exhausted.

Went for Watsons Members' Preview Sale on 18 May. Some of the items had discounts up to 20% + 10% off.

Finally picked up Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheeks in OR302 Apricot Macaron. Had wanted PK 301 Peach Macaron too but it was sold out.

Also picked up 2 items from K-palette that I wanted to try out. There wasn't any testers for this.

I got the K-palette 1 Day tattoo 24Hr Real Lasting Eyeliner in Super Black and 24Hr Real Lasting Eyebrow Liner in 02 Greyish Brown. The K-Palette Eyeliner won BEST Liquid Eyeliner for 2010 in Singapore Women's Weekly 'Best Beauty Buys' award .

Picked up a lip balm from Mentholatum too. I've been using Mentholatum lip balms since young. Don't find them to be very moisturising but I heard this is really good so giving it a try.

Watsons was selling ZA bundled packs for $10, which is quite a good deal.

In one set, you get a ZA Eyes Vibrant eyeshadow trio in E10, a ZA Dramatic Eye Color quad in Green, a ZA Wide Eyes Mascara in Rose (I just realised the mascara is not black -.-').

For the other set, you get 2 ZA Pure Shine Lips in 01 Violet Visions and 02 Rose Toffee. These are really sheer and have tiny glitters.

I think there was also a set for ZA foundations but I missed it. I got these 2 sets since I kept missing out the ZA deals whenever I go Watsons. Not too sure how these items are. I wished there were choices for colour. :\ (What am I going to do with a rose-coloured mascara?!?!)

Other than that, it's really a good deal.

I think I'll end here.

New Hauls: More Cleansers and KATE Dual Blend Eyes GN-1

2011-04-20T20:22:00.008+08:00

Bought three cleansers last week. Lol, I can't get enough of cleansers.

From The Body Shop atrium sale, I managed to pick up the Tea Tree Oil Skin Cleansing Foaming Cleanser. It's in the new formula which I've yet to try. Also picked up the Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash. I didn't really like it when I first tried it last year and used most of it for washing brushes but I've switched over to using this when I was having bad breakouts. This doesn't dry out my skin as badly as the Tea Tree Oil facial wash, when used in conjunction with my pimple creams or acne gel. I really can't decide which I like more now so I had to get both.

And then I picked up another new cleanser which I've never tried - Garnier PureActive Deep Unclogging Pore Facial Wash. I'm actually a huge Garnier fan. I know you probably can't tell as I don't blog about their products much. I have tried their cleansers, exfoliator, creams/moisturisers, sunblock, eye cream, pimple gel, spot whitening cream, masks etc. Lol. Some are average products but I still like most of them. The blue range (previously, the blue range was called Garnier Pure instead of PureActive) cleanser is something which I've used in the past to combat my acne skin as it contains sacrylic acid and zinc minerals, way before I switched over to using Tea tree oil based products. I didn't think much of their cleanser back then as most of my problems are dealing with cystic acne and it didn't show much improvement. But recently I started picking it up my old Garnier Pure Pore Unblock Foam to use and it cleared up a good amount of my clogged pores. Thinking back, perhaps this has been the reason why I don't get much clogged pores/blackheads/whiteheads back then. I wanted to get back the old cleanser but apparently, they revamped the range again. I bought this new cleanser to try but I realise it doesn't contain zinc minerals like the old range. I'm not really sure why Garnier likes to keep changing their formulas, packaging and even product names. It's actually most frustrating. Anyway I've started using this and it did show results (as promised on the bottle). My skin is slowly clearing up. I still wish they'll bring back the Pore Unblock Foam as it has microbeads in it.

Also picked up this tool for cleansing the face. It's made from a soft rubbery material and said to help cleanse the face better. As I got this cheap, I'm really not expecting miracles.

Finally caved in and bought KATE Dual Blend Eyes in GN-1. I've been wanting a moss green eyeshadow for a while. The pigmentation of the moss green is really great and I just love how sophiscated it looks. The lighter green is more of a sheer light minty green wash of colour. It isn't crazy pigmented but the various shimmers in it really make the colour to be very interesting.

By the way, I picked up the KATE eyeshadow quad at John Little. So now besides Watsons, you can also find KATE cosmetics at John Little stores . :D

Review: Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Face Wash

2011-04-13T09:15:00.000+08:00

Will be reviewing the Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid (SHA) Hydrating Facial Wash. I have been using it daily for more than 6 months and have been really enjoying it. Decided to get this after I tried out the Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid (SHA) Hydrating Lotion, which I have mixed feelings about it (I might review it slightly later).

The Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid (SHA) Hydrating Facial Wash is a hydrating cleanser, which promises to help restore and preserve skin's natural moisture. The product is labelled as a gentle cleaner that promises low irritation and to be free of fragrances, mineral oil, alcohol and colorant.

The key ingredient, Super Hyaluronic Acid, helps to lock in twice the amount of moisture than ordinary Hyaluronic Acid does. I wanted to explain how it works in theory but I gave up. Included some illustrations.

Basically when you have well moisturised skin and with a protective shield that helps lock in moisture, your skin layers would fall back in place neatly, thus your skin feels softer and smoother.

When I first started out on this Hada Labo SHA hydrating cleanser, I really like it the minute I tried it. It foams really well and I feel it cleanses really well, removing all the grime, dirt and dead skin from my face. It does not dry out my skin like most cleansers do and that's because of the Super Hyaluronic Acid, which helps to lock in moisture after cleansing. I also felt my skin to be significantly softer after it. In particular, what I'm most pleased with is how the area around my nose isn't dry and flakey.

I started out using this facial wash only once a day to slowly let my skin accustomed to the Super Hyaluronic Acid. After a month of trying, I used it twice daily for several months. After a while, I did notice that my skin got brighter and that the surface of my skin to be smoother (less bumpy).

I would say this is a product that I'll definitely repurchase again. As of now, I did stop using this facial wash for a short period. (I had another breakout which I couldn't figure out what's causing it. It could be due to a mixture of reasons ranging from lack of sleep, diet, stress or other facial products. Basically I switched my usual skincare products just to be sure it wasn't adding on to the problems I have. )

If you have dry skin or are living in an area with dry climate, this product would be great for your dry skin. For those living in humid countries like Singapore like me, it is still fine to use this product. But when the weather turns extremely humid, I feel it's better to stop using the product temporarily. High humidity causes low evaporation hence when you overload your skin with over- moisturising forms of skincare, you might end up blocking your pores (since if they don't absorb fast enough, they just sit on top of your skin and wouldn't evaporate fast enough either).

If you suffer a bad experience from the Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid (SHA) Hydrating Lotion due to its "overpowerful" moisturising properties (lol), don't be afraid to try this facial wash. I would say this facial wash is significantly milder compared to the hydrating lotion.

The Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Face Wash retails for $12.90 at Watsons Singapore.

Review: Stila Collectible Travel Palette No. 1: Road to Radiance - Across the USA

2011-03-27T10:34:00.000+08:00

Did some swatching so here's a quick review.

What it is: Follow this Stila Girl around the world and get five complete looks!What it does: Road to Radiance is the first in a five-part series of collectible palettes. It includes Stila's award-winning eyehadows in four trend-setting shades: Snow Bunny (shimmery champagne), Southern Belle (mauve), Valley Girl (pink), and City Chick (alloy). The palette also includes Convertible Color in "Hibiscus", a limited-edition shade, and a built-in mirror for easy application and touch-ups on the go.

What else you need to know: Born and raised in Los Angeles, Kylie is at a career crossroads. She's an educated, intelligent, and passionately creative twenty-something with the entire world at her fingertips. She's also a free spirit and wary of being held back by a 9-to-5 job. So on a whim, Kylie jumped in her car and decided to live out her life-long dream of crisscrossing the USA, discovering her native country, and finding herself along the way. Join Kylie on the journey of a lifetime, as she travels across the country and uncovers twelve of America's most interesting cities. She mingles with the residents, immerses herself in local culture, and-of course-shares her travel itinerary with you!

From left to right: Snow Bunny, Southern Belle, Valley Girl, City Chick, Convertible Color in Hibiscus

After swatching, I realised I haven't really tried out this palette yet. The eyeshadow pigmentation for this palette was a little disappointing. Basically each swatch takes two swipes to get colour out of it.Snow Bunny is more of a sheer silverish white highlighter, Southern Belle is a sheer greyish mauve , Valley Girl is a very sweet pink. They all have some form of shimmer in it. City Chick is a matte burgundy brown.

But I was really impressed by the Convertible Color in Hibiscus. It's a sweet rosey pink. It's actually super pretty. Kind of surprised I didn't notice it earlier. The Convertible Color doubles as blush and a lip tint. It blends really well so I'm really liking this.

Stila Collectible Travel Palettes retail for USD$10 but I don't think these are still available on their website or in stores anymore. Try Ebay or Amazon if you are interested in picking one to try out.

Article: 11 DIY face masks

2011-03-24T11:18:00.001+08:00

We’re making healthy skin even easier for you with one-ingredient, all-natural, DIY facials made from common supplies you can easily find right in the refrigerator shelf or kitchen cabinet. Raiding your pantry is also a great way to save money and cut back on food waste and packaging.

If you want pretty and healthy skin, don’t skimp on the bare-bone basics. Be sure to always drink lots of water and wear sunscreen moisturizer.

1. Honey -- A humectant, honey, attracts and retains moisture, so it's great for anyone who wants to combat dry skin. Use a cloth damp with warm water and pat skin to open pores. Smear honey onto skin and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then pat skin with a cloth dampened in cold water to close pores.

2. Raw egg yolk -- Egg yolks are high in vitamin A, a common ingredient in acne-fighting products. Spread on face and neck and leave on skin for 30 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

3. Raw egg white -- You'll get a lifting effect as the protein in egg whites dries on your skin. Beat egg white until frothy and spread on face. Wait until it dries and rinse off with warm water.

4. Grapes -- They contain powerful antioxidants, called polyphenols, which help combat aging. Cut one grape in half and rub lightly all over face.

5. Banana -- Bananas are one of the most nourishing fruits available because they contain magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, iodine, folic acid, and vitamins A, B, and E, all of which benefit the skin. Mash one overripe banana and spread onto face. Rinse off after 15 to 30 minutes with warm water.

6. Plain yogurt -- Yogurt contains alpha-hydroxy acids, including lactic acid, which are commonly used to help reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles. It's also rich in B-complex vitamins, including B-5, or panthothenic acid, which is commonly used to promote skin healing. Apply on face after cleansing and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Apple cider vinegar -- It has a tonic action that promotes blood circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate the skin. It's also antiseptic, preventing the proliferation of bacteria, viruses, or yeast that trigger infection. Dilute apple cider vinegar with two parts water and apply over face with a cotton ball as a toner after washing face every day and every night.

8. Olive oil -- Olive oil is a source of squalene, a natural moisturizer used in many cosmetics. Natural antioxidants found in olive oil include A and E vitamins, as well as some polyphenols. Dab on lips at bedtime if chapped or leave on face overnight. It can also be used to de-frizz hair.

9. Avocado -- The fruit is rich in vitamins, A, C, E, iron, potassium, niacin, and pantothenic acid and its natural emollients. Mash avocado, then leave on skin for 10 minutes. You can also use it to strengthen and condition your hair.

10. Baking soda -- This pantry staple has a gentle abrasive action. Use as an exfoliant for face by adding to your regular cleanser. It also helps neutralize skin's pH.

11. Milk -- Seriously? Yes, seriously. Like yogurt, it contains lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid that is often used to revitalize skin. Swab on face with cotton ball, leave on until your skin feels tight. Rinse off with warm water. Your skin will feel super-soft afterwards.

source: link

Review: VOV Castledew Extreme Pearl Up Eyes

2011-03-11T03:34:00.002+08:00

I bought the VOV Castledew Extreme Pearl Up Eyes online a while back. Been wanting to try out some of the eyeshadows from the range because I've read some raves about it, especially their palettes.

I picked up VOV Castledew Extreme Pearl Up Eyes in VL331 Midnight Deep Violet and VOV Castledew Pearl Up Eyes in 9933 Glam Gold.

From left to right: Extreme Pearl-Up Eyes in VL331, Pearl-Up Eyes in 9933

If you are wondering how the eyeshadow packaging looks like, it looks like this. Couldn't snap a proper photo without the shiny surface reflecting off all the light. The packaging does have a cheap plastic feel but looks really pretty like a gem.

From left to right: Extreme Pearl-Up Eyes in VL331, Pearl-Up Eyes in 9933

VL331 Midnight Deep Violet is a medium purple shade with visible microglitters. But when applied, the glitters don't show up as much. It's a really pretty pearly purple shade. Love it.

9933 Glam Gold is no doubt pretty but a little disappointing for me. I was expecting more of a pearly champagne gold but it's more of a pearly beigey gold. It goes on looking like my eyelid colour. Would work well as an all over eyelid shade or highlighter.

From left to right: Extreme Pearl-Up Eyes in VL331, Pearl-Up Eyes in 9933

I actually really enjoy these eyeshadows and was super happy when I got these since they are so pretty. Both colours have decent pigmentation. If you like eyeshadows with pearl finishes, definitely check out the range.

I got these off Gmarket. John Little Singapore carries the VOV brand but I've yet to check whether these VOV Castledew eyeshadows. Will definitely get more if I see them.

Looklet.com 02

2011-03-05T00:18:00.002+08:00

I'm a little bored at the moment.

More looks that I put together at Looklet.com.

Majolica Majorca Chapter 30: Sugary Trap Collection Puff de Cheeks

2011-03-02T14:21:00.002+08:00

I can't wait to get my hands on these Majolica Majorca blush macaroons. They are so adorable. I'm not even a pink blush fan but I feel like collecting all of these. :x

From left to right: PK303 Strawberry Macaron , OR302 Apricot Macaron,

PK301 Peach Macaron and #82 Vanilla Macaron.

PK301 Peach Macaron, OR302 Apricot Macaron are permanent shades while PK303 Strawberry Macaron and #82 Vanilla Macaron are limited edition.

These retail for SGD$22.90 at Watsons. (I'm not sure if #82 Vanilla Macaroon is available in our Watsons).

Urban Decay: Feminine, Dangerous, Fun Palettes Sneak Preview

2011-02-06T20:07:00.006+08:00

All Photos Provided by Urban Decay.

Urban Decay - The Feminine Palette

From left to right: Stray Dog, SWF, Midnight Cowboy, Aquarius , Darkhorse, Ecstasy

Comes with travel-sizes of 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero, and Eden Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Urban Decay - The Dangerous Palette

Stare hard into the mirror
From left to right: Haight, Mildew, Virgin, Oil Slick, Rockstar, Gunmetal

Comes with travel-sizes of 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Rockstar, and Greed Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Urban Decay - The Fun Palette

From left to right: Woodstock, Baked, Uzi, Sin, Flipside, Psychedelic Sister

Comes with travel sizes of 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Oil Slick, and Original Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

These palettes retail for US$34.

Free Stuff: Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion Sample

2011-01-08T04:44:00.001+08:00

Cetaphil Singapore is giving out samples for their Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion for dry and sensitive skin. As I have eczema, I got excited and registered to test out the new sample.

Click the link to redeem if you haven't.

It comes in a huge box (like a small box of mask) but there's only one tube of sample inside.

Collective Haul: Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 3 and Sephora F&F Sale

2010-12-30T03:09:00.004+08:00

I finally got a camera working!

Was really excited about this haul. I had asked a friend to help me get these stuff while she was over there in the US(Thank you angel :) ). I was really worried about Urban Decay's Book of Shadows 3 being sold out in Singapore so I got it online. Turns out Naked Palette was the one that kept running out of stock. Also picked up a few more items from the Sephora Friends & Family Sale 2010, where there's 20% off.

I got Benefit's Some Beauty to Love set. It's limited edition and a Sephora-exclusive. It comes in a neat purse-shaped cardboard box (which I love) and contains a full sized CORALista cheek powder, a full-sized Eye Bright instant eye brightener, a sample sized "That Gal" brightening face primer and a sample sized BADgal Lash Mascara.

The set costs USD $29. That's about the price of a full-sized Benefit's CORALista. And considering there's a 20% discount off, it's super worth it.

I also picked up 3 Stila Travel Girl Palettes. These cost USD$10 each.

Left to Right: Road to Radiance across the USA, Pretty in Paris, Trendsetting in Tokyo

Stila Travel Palette - Road to Radiance across the USA

Stila Travel Palette - Pretty in Paris

Stila Travel Palette - Trendsetting in Tokyo

I haven't really tried these yet so I can't review how great these are. They are really small and compact. Comes with a mirror inside and has a magnetic lid even though the packaging is made from thick cardboard. I've only tried the hot pink blush in Trendsetting in Tokyo and surprisingly, it's so wearable. Even though hot pink blush usually clashes with my yellow skin, I can actually wear it by just applying a very sheer layer to give my face some colour. It doesn't really contrast that much. Definitely give it a try if you are thinking of trying and face the same problem as me.

And finally, here's my Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 3.

If you are wondering about the colours in the palette, you can go to my previous entry to look at it. I wish I could snap a clearer picture of it. The palette is super gorgeous. That's why I didn't have time to play with the other items I bought. :P If you like jewel-toned greens, blues, plums and purples, this Urban Decay palette is so perfect. There's a couple of shades like Midnight Cowboy Rides Again and Maui Wowie that has crazy glitter fallouts, which I'm not a fan of. But it's ok. I think I've found a way to solve the crazy fallout problem. And I love the 2 Travel-sized 24/7 Glide-on pencils in Zero and Ransom in it too!! They are just incredibly smooth to use. I know this palette comes with LED lights and some fanciful pop-up design but I don't really care about that. :P

Overall, I'm super pleased with my haul. I did spend quite a bit but these had been stuff that I've been wanting to get for a long while. The Sephora haul was a bonus so I'm really thrilled I got them at a good deal.

Ginger Tea

2010-12-17T03:50:00.002+08:00

The weather has been turning really cold so I thought I'll share a beverage drink for cold weather. Ginger tea is one of my favourite drinks because I'm really scared of the cold. It keeps me really warm for a long time after drinking it. I also take it when I'm having bad menstrual cramps. According to TCM, it's the "cold" in the womb that causes the menses to be less smooth and painful. Ginger tea helps to ease the pain since it dispels all the "cold" from the body. Trust me, it's super effective for cramps.

It’s the very fiery characteristic of the ginger root that gives it much of its medicinal properties, both in its dried as well as raw form. The dried ginger root is a thermogenic, expectorant, laxative, appetizer, stimulant, as well as an effective cure for stomach disorders. Hence, the dried ginger root is ground and used to cure a whole range of ailments like coughs, colds, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, inflammations of the joints, flatulence, motion sickness, colic, cholera, asthma, headaches, and even anorexia. Raw ginger is also a thermogenic, and is also an anti-flatulent, digestive, appetizer, and a laxative.

Ginger is also used extensively in aromatherapy. An essential oil is extracted from steam distilling the unpeeled, dried and ground ginger root. Ginger oil is used by combining it with the oils of cedar wood, sandalwood, and patchouli, which renders a spicy and woody scent to the mix.

The active ingredients in ginger oil are oleoresin and terpenes, which are responsible for its lymph cleansing, antiseptic, mild constipation relief, and circulation-stimulating qualities. According to research, it has been shown that ginger reduces the absorption of cholesterol in the liver and blood, thereby lowering blood cholesterol. It has also been found that ginger blocks the effects of prostaglandin, which is a substance that is responsible for the inflammation of the blood vessels inside the brain, which is what causes migraine.

Ginger’s property of being a digestive aid is largely due to the shogoals and gingerols that it contains. These help to neutralize the acids in the stomach, stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, and tone the digestive tract’s muscles.

Ginger tea has been used as a remedy against flu and colds for centuries, both in India and China, as well as other countries in the east. According to Chinese culture, its powerful yang energy is what warms the lungs and stomach. Ginger tea has been used in China for 2,500 years to treat sore throat, nasal congestion, and sinus pain.
source

It's very easy to make ginger tea.

Homemade Ginger Tea: All you need is a piece of ginger and some water. Peel the skin off and cut into several ginger slices. Put it in a pot of water and start boiling for about 15 minutes. Then pour it out and serve. You can add honey or some lemon juice to make it taste better. If it's not 'spicy' enough for you, you can add more ginger to your liking.

Ready-Made Ginger Tea: If you don't have the time to make ginger tea, you can consider ginger marmalade instead.

I've tried this Korean Daedong Ginger Marmalade and you can make ginger tea out of it. It's made from raw ginger so you get real ginger bits in it too. All you have to do is just to get a scoop (or two) out of it and add to hot water. Then stir well. Some might prefer the taste of it compared to homemade ginger tea. For me, I don't really like it. But my Mum does.

Alternatively, you can find Instant Ginger Tea in sachets or tea bags form. I can't really find a picture of the brand I'm taking. I've been taking instant Ginger Tea in sachets for years and it works well for me. Until recently I've gotten around to make homemade Ginger Tea that I realise the real stuff is so strong and even more effective.

Generally, I'll recommend taking just one cup of it to keep warm. You can drink more later when it feels cold later. I don't recommend drinking lots at one shot. It can make you over heaty and you'll start to feel feverish.

I hope this entry helps.

Stay warm. :)

Urban Decay Spring 2011 Sneak Preview

2010-12-05T01:24:00.003+08:00

All Photos provided by Urban Decay.

Urban Decay 15-Year Anniversary 24/7 Pencil Set

From left to right: Perversion, Corrupt, Bourbon, Midnight Cowboy, Baked, Stash, Mildew, Electric, Stray Dog, Binge, Ransom, Asphyxia, Rockstar, Zero, Uzi

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Midnight Cowboy (New)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencils (NEW)

From left to right: Clash, Lit, Barracuda, Sin, Morphine, Midnight Cowboy, Clinic, Narc, ,Wasteland, Rehab, Delinquent

From left to right: Sin, Delinquent, Barracuda

From left to right: Lit, Narc, Rehab, Wasteland, Clash

Great Deals: ZA Stardust Wonderland Limited Edition Collection 2010

2010-11-21T07:11:00.006+08:00

The ZA Stardust Wonderland Limited Edition Christmas Collection comes in 8 sets.
You can choose the pink casing (Pink-In-Flight) or silver casing (Silver Mist).

Set A/B: Pink or Silver Case with 2 Skin Beauty 2-way foundation refills + Satin Wristlet

Set C/D: Pink or Silver case with 2 Skin Beauty 2-way foundation refills + True White Plus Trial Set + True White Essence 5g + True White Day Protector 1.2g

Set E/F: Pink or Silver case with 2 Skin Beauty 2-way foundation refills + Future Defense Trial Set

Set G/H: Pink or Silver case with 2 Skin Beauty 2-way foundation refills + Full Sized Concealer Perfection + Pore Smoother 1g Sample

Each set retails for SGD$33.50 at Watsons.

I saw it at Watsons Christmas Cardmember Sale and I just walked past it without giving an extra look. I heard it was actually selling for $20+ after discount.-stabs self- I'm quite impressed by what's included in the sets after looking it up.

All in all, I still find it a good deal compared to previous ZA limited edition sets. At least there's many alternative besides taking the wristlet (the usual freebie). :)

Do check it out if you're a ZA user. And if you aren't, it's a good time to test out their foundation and skincare products. :)

NOS: NYX Box of Eye Shadows

2010-11-19T00:03:00.001+08:00

Just saw this. No way.

NYX Box of Eye Shadows contains 112 gorgeous shades of eye shadows, from rich darks to bold brights, from sultry matters to shiny silvers. It's 7"(18cm) by 7" by 1.125". It retails for USD$35.

That's USD$0.31 per shadow.

Can't wait to see swatches of these.

New Hauls: L'Oreal Christmas Sale

2010-11-17T19:16:00.001+08:00

I went for the L'Oreal Christmas Beauty Sale at Singapore Expo and bought stuff. Wasn't as excited about it as compared to the past. But past experiences have certainly helped because now I work my way through the tables and boxes of items super fast. :D

Bought the

Maybelline Eye Studio Diamond Glow Eyeshadow Quad (also known as Maybelline Eye Studio™ Color Plush™ Silk Eyeshadow in other countries ) in 03 Gray Pink, 04 Ocean Blue, 07 Mocha Brown. (2 for $15)
Maybelline Eyestudio Quad in MX-1 New York Nights.
Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liners in Purple (Limited Edition) (1 for $10)
Maybelline Volume Express Hypercurl Mascara in Very Black (1 for $10)

L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Concealer in W 4-5 (light/medium)
L'Oreal True Match Touche Magique in N3-4-5 Natural Beige
L'oreal Blush Delice in Fresh Papaya (all 3 for $20)

L'Oreal Derma Genesis Pore Minimising Smoother (1 for $10)

The gift with purchase was L'Oreal Paris Re-Nutrition Nourishing Shampoo with Royal Jelly.

I tried out some of the stuff and like most of it. The only disappointment was probably the Diamond Glow eyeshadow quads which I had high hopes for due to the raves for it in Youtube and MakeupAlley. It was just sparkles and little pigmentation when I tested it. I was expecting a little more pigmented. The darkest shade was really nice though. I'll probably try it out again with another eyeshadow primer to see how it goes.

The surprise was actually the L'Oreal True Match Touche Magique Concealer which helped to cover most of my dark circles. I own a Touche Magique Concealer and recall it only comes in 2 shades, a light and a darker shade. I was quite surprised to see it being sold at the sale and that it had a shade labelled on it. Unfortunately there was only one shade but I grabbed it anyway. Quite impressed by how it brightens the undereye area. The coverage is also better than the older Touche Magique I have. It's a little lighter than what I prefer to use but still usable. I might actually pop by the drugstore to see what other shades they are offering. I really hope they are still selling it.

Tips: Eyeliner and Eyeshadow for Different Eye Shapes

2010-10-03T05:10:00.006+08:00

The color that is mostly used is black but there are other shades available like brown, purple, blue, etc.
In order to really enhance your eyes you need to apply the eyeliner according to the shape of your eyes.

Here are some tips to help your eyes look gorgeous with eyeliner:

For Wide Set Eyes
Apply the eyeliner on your upper and lower lid from the inner corner of the eyes working your way towards the outer third of the eye. Use a lighter color eyeliner to line the outer corner of the eye if you desire. This method will create a visual effect which will make your eyes appear closer together.

For Close Set Eyes
Apply the eyeliner from the outer corner of the upper and lower eyelids, working your way towards the third of the inner corner. Do not line the inner corner of your eyes because it will make your eyes appear even closer.

For Small eyes
Apply a lighter shade of eyeliner which gradually thickens from the inner corner of the eyes towards the outer corner. Using a white eyeliner line the water line because it will help brighten up the eyes in order to make them look bigger.

For Droopy/Down Turned Eyes
Apply the eyeliner close to the eyelashes from two third of the eye towards the outer corner, gently sweeping the line upwards to create a cat eye effect. This will create a lifting effect for your drooping eyes.

For Almond Shaped Eyes
Apply the eyeliner only on your upper lid from the inner towards the outer corner of the eye. This will enhance your beautiful eye shape.

For Asian Eyes
Apply the eyeliner on your upper lid from the two third inner corner of the eye towards the outer corner and on the lower lid apply the eyeliner on the entire lid from the inner towards the outer corner of the eye.

Source: link

Other entries:
1. Tips: Application for Different Eye Shapes

Cool Sites: Hautelook.com

2010-09-22T09:37:00.009+08:00

Have been watching some sites which I thought I'll share on my blog.

Hautelook.com is an online "flash sales" retailer which holds private limited-period sale events where top brands are sold off at discounts of 50-75 percent.

Initially I was really skeptical about it but I signed up after hearing there was a Urban Decay sale. True enough, there was one. The Urban Decay Primer Potion was sold at around USD$8 and eye pigments going for USD$3.50. It did seem like a great sale although everything was sold out real quickly.

I just checked and there was a Stila Cosmetics Sale ending soon and Stila's Cheek Color Pan was going for as low as USD$7, Lipglazes at USD$9, Smudge Pots at USD$8.

The site offers designer brand items at sale prices too but I probably wouldn't recommend splurging so much on a new site you haven't tried before.

I do think the site is legit for cosmetics items since a number of beauty gurus bought Rock & Republic blushes from the site. So do check out the site if you haven't.

Hautelook.com only ships within US and Canada.

Urban Decay - The Black Palette (Limited Edition - A Sephora Exclusive)

2010-09-09T13:44:00.006+08:00

All Photos Provided by Urban Decay.
Urban Decay - The Black Palette (Limited Edition - A Sephora Exclusive)

What it does:
This glittery black compact with mirror features a daring palette of five black-based, glimmering, jewel-toned eyeshadows, and Urban Decay's darkest matte black eyeshadow, Black Dog, for adding dimension like never before. The set comes complete with a travel-size 24/7 Eye Pencil in Zero and a mini genie bottle of Eyeshadow Primer Potion, so your color stays deep, dark and alluring all day and night.

This set contains:- 6 x 0.04 oz Eyeshadows in
Black Dog (richest matte black),
Barracuda (black with silver sparkly shift),
Jet (black with purple sparkly shift),
Sabbath (black with blue sparkly shift),
Cobra (black with golden sparkly shift),
Libertine (black with emerald sparkly shift)
- 0.03 oz Travel-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero (black)
- Mini Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden (matte nude)

From left: Jet, Barracuda

Jet

Sabbath

Cobra

Libertine

Article: High Doses of Antioxidant Supplements Induce Stem Cell Genetic Abnormalities

2010-09-08T07:40:00.006+08:00

ScienceDaily (May 4, 2010) — High doses of antioxidant nutritional supplements, such as vitamins C and E, can increase genetic abnormalities in cells, which may predispose supplement-takers to developing cancer, according to a new study from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.

The study, led by Eduardo Marbán, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, was published online in the medical journal Stem Cells. The study also will appear in the journal's July printed edition.

Marbán and his team accidentally discovered the danger of excessive antioxidant doses while seeking a way to reduce the genetic abnormalities that occurred naturally when the scientists sought to multiply human cardiac stem cells.

Marbán stressed that the study's finding applies only to excessive nutritional supplements and not to foods that are rich in antioxidants, such as milk, oranges, blueberries and peanuts. In recent years, multiple studies have touted the benefits of foods rich in antioxidants.

"Taking one multivitamin daily is fine, but a lot of people take way too much because they think if a little is good, a lot must be better," said Marbán, who is also the Mark Siegel Family Professor at Cedars-Sinai. "That is just not the case. If you are taking 10 or 100 times the amount in a daily multivitamin, you may be predisposing your cells to developing cancer, therefore doing yourself more harm than good."

In laboratories, stem cells are often grown in a Petri dish culture than is composed of 20 percent oxygen, whereas cells growing inside human tissue are exposed to just 3 to 5 percent oxygen. But Marbán's team of researchers became frustrated because the higher concentration of oxygen in lab-grown stem cells resulted in 9 percent of the cells being rejected because of genetic abnormalities.

"We sought to counter that oxidation problem by adding high doses of antioxidants directly to the cells," Marbán said. "That's when we made the serendipitous discovery that there is a danger zone for the cells exposed to antioxidants to develop genetic abnormalities that predispose to cancer."

Marbán is leading an ongoing, groundbreaking clinical trial in which heart attack patients undergo two minimally-invasive procedures in an effort to repair and re-grow healthy muscle in a heart injured by a heart attack. First, a biopsy of each patient's own heart tissue is used to grow specialized heart stem cells. About a month later, the multiplied stem cells are then injected back into the patient's heart via a coronary artery.

The two-step procedure was completed on the first patient in June 2009. The results of the trial are expected in early 2011.

Recently, Marbán received a $5.5 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to continue developing cardiac stem cell therapies.

Source: link

Most Commonly Known Antioxidants
Vitamin A and Carotenoids
- Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots (bright-colored fruits and vegetables!)

Vitamin C
- Citrus fruits like oranges and lime etc, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and tomatoes

Vitamin E
- Nuts & seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and liver oil

Selenium
- Fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic

Other Common Antioxidants
Some common phytochemicals
Flavonoids / polyphenols
soy, red wine, purple grapes or Concord grapes, pomegranate, cranberries, tea

Lycopene
- Tomato and tomato products, pink grapefruit, watermelon, Lutein, dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, kiwi, brussels sprout and spinach

Lignan
- flax seed, oatmeal, barley, rye,

Vitamin-like Antioxidants:
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Glutathione

Antioxidant enzymes made by the body:
Superoxide dismutase (SOD)
Catalase
Glutathione peroxidase

Source: link

Article: What Your Pimples Tell You

2010-09-01T02:20:00.006+08:00

I've been getting blackheads on the same spot for a long time. I even got a pimple in my ear, which is like the weirdest location to have one. Caught a Chinese health-related show and it was talking about reading your face to know your health status so if you notice new age spots, pimples, change in colour at that part of the face, something is wrong with the organs related to that area.

Apparently, I'm having some problems with my digestive system, that's why I'm been breaking out in my ear and right cheek. Decided to look it up and here's an article I found.

Image mapping for the left and right cheek is wrong. Just refer to the text to avoid confusion.

Acne is a problem that seems to come with the arrival of summer. In summer, many people find red pimples popping up on their face. TCM recommends adjusting imbalanced energy inside instead of squeezing. The pimples, sometimes, may suggest organ problems that need treatment.

Though acne is called 青春痘 (teenage spots) in Chinese, it can also affect older people. Acne pimples are caused by an excess of oil rising through pores to the skin's surface, especially in the T-zone - the forehead, nose and chin.

Increasing levels of androgen, the male sex hormone, cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum (fat, keratin and cellular material).If the excess sebum can't be excreted through the pores, it blocks them together with dead skin cells and results in acne pimples.

Long-term psychological stress causes endocrine disorder and increases androgen levels, thus leading to excess sebum. Sunshine, hot and wet weather will also make the sebaceous glands produce more sebum.

"Skin conditions are not as superficial as they may seem. All are caused by toxins and imbalanced energy inside your body," says Dr Li Bin, chief physician of the Dermatology Department of the Shanghai Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine.

"Take acne for example. When imbalanced energies can't pass through the body freely as they used to, they collect and become toxins inside, resulting in acne on the face," Dr Li adds.

TCM usually attributes acne to pathogenic heat gathered inside. There are two kinds of pathogenic heat in the body according to TCM - excess heat and a deficiency of heat.

Both are caused by imbalanced yin and yang energy inside. Excess heat is caused by excessive yang energy while deficiency heat is caused by deficient yin energy.

Hormonal changes in teenagers can be a trigger for increasing yang energy while fatigue and psychological stress usually result in deficient yin energy. Most teenage sufferers are bothered with excess heat syndrome while grown-up patients usually have deficiency heat problems.

Therefore, apart from eating foods that help dispelling pathogenic heat such as mung beans and chrysanthemum, having enough sleep and keeping a good mood are also important for adults with acne problems. Regular bowel movements can also help relieve the acne problem by dispelling the toxins, according to Dr Li.

As for the external treatment, Dr Li suggests that washing the face gently twice or three times a day with warm water is enough. Washing too frequently, especially scrubbing, will aggravate the problem, and squeezing pimples could worsen the inflammation and infection, resulting in scars and enlarged pores.

Generally, Dr Li recommends "cold" and "cool" foods such as cucumber and mung beans to help dispel the pathogenic heat inside; fried, fatty, spicy foods and "hot" foods should be eliminated from the diet.

Sometimes the location of acne suggests imbalanced energy in certain organs. Adjusting the condition of the organs by shifting to a healthy lifestyle and certain treatment can also help relieve facial pimples.

Acne location and related possible problems
Location: Forehead
Possible problem: Heart and small intestine
Suggestion: Eat heat-dispelling foods such as lotus seeds soup to get rid of heat in the heart; have enough sleep, control your temper and maintain a good mood.

Location: Between the eyebrows
Possible problem: Heart
Suggestion: Avoid intense physical exercise and over-fatigue; maintain a good mood.

Location: Tail of brows
Possible problem: Gallbladder
Suggestion: Eat less greasy foods and have more heat-dispelling foods such as bitter cucumber.

Location: Nose
Possible problem: Stomach and digestive system
Suggestion: Eat less "hot" foods and more plain foods that can help dispel pathogenic heat such as green beans.

Location: Bridge of nose
Possible problem: Spinal column
Suggestion: Don't sit for too long; stretch your body often.

Location: Side of the nose wings and between the nose and mouth
Possible problem: Reproductive system
Suggestion: Check and treat the problem such as regulating menstrual period.

Location: Right cheek
Possible problem: Lungs and large intestine
Suggestion: Eat more foods that help nourish the lungs such as pear and white fungus; eat less seafood, tropical fruits and drink less alcohol.

Location: Left cheek
Possible problem: Liver and gallbladder
Suggestion: Eat less greasy foods and have more vegetables and fruit and have enough sleep.

Location: Corner of mouth
Possible problem: Intestines
Suggestion: Eat less "hot" foods and move bowels regularly.

Location: Chin
Possible problem: Kidney and internal secretion
Suggestion: Eat more plain foods than stimulating foods like spicy, fried or greasy ones. Take enough rest.

(Shanghai Daily August 4, 2009)

Source: Not linking it because it's a China site and I don't know if it's 'safe'.

For in depth TCM discussion on face charts: link

Urban Decay Holiday 2010 - Eyeshadow Primer Potion Professional Size

2010-08-27T15:10:00.008+08:00

All Photos Provided by Urban Decay.

Urban Decay Holiday 2010 - Eyeshadow Primer Potion Professional Size (Limited Edition) ($45 Value)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Professional Size has 25ml (0.85 fl. oz.) of product. Compared to the original Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, which only has 10ml (0.34 fl. oz.) of product, it is a lot bigger.

Just noticed there's a "Expires 6 months after opening" logo at the back of it. The packaging is definitely better than the original bottle since you don't have to cut it open to get the excess trapped in it but for the size of it, I really doubt anyone can really finish it within 6 months.

This is currently available at Sephora.com for USD $29.

Robin Niu (牛尔老师)'s Beauty Workshop in Singapore

2010-08-24T22:12:00.011+08:00

Taiwanese beauty expert Robin Niu (牛爾老师) is a well-known skincare expert in Taiwanese beauty show "女人我最大" (Ladies First).

What you see is a coverage of his Beauty Workshop in Singapore. I find it to be very informative.

In part 4, he emphasizes on the importance of exfoliating daily, not by using harsh cleansers or exfoliators but by using a cotton pad to rub on the toner (or lotion ). It removes the dead skin cells. Then he flips the cotton pad to the other side to pat the excess toner (or lotion) into the skin repeatedly to ensure all the goodness gets pumped into the skin instead of just sitting on top of the skin.

In part 6-9, he demonstrates the different massage techniques for body and face. Frequent massage of lymphatic nodes at the collar bones, armpits and the groin helps in draining excess fluid, detoxifying the body and improving blood circulation. When done on the face, it reduces puffiness by draining excess fluid. With the right facial massage techniques, it also helps in face-lifting and making you look youthful.

Polyvore.com

2010-08-23T17:12:00.007+08:00

Another fashion related fun application which I stumbled upon long ago.

Had a go with it, trying to put stuff together. I must admit, I'm not very good with it.

Check out http://www.polyvore.com if you haven't.

New Hauls: Revlon BOGOF at Watsons

2010-08-22T03:07:00.007+08:00

Got some stuff from Watsons. There was "Buy One Get One Free" (BOGOF) promotion at Watsons for selected Revlon products. It's really rare in Singapore so I just had to get something.

There was BOGOF for Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss and the latest Spring collection was also included. Picked up Coral Reef (extreme right), which I've been wanting for a while, and 040 Nude Lustre (third from left)

picture credit to: Cambo Soup

Coral Reef is really bright, neonish-looking coral in the tube. Nude Lustre is a nude neutral pink.

There was also BOGOF for Revlon Matte Eyeshadow and Revlon Luxurious Color™ Kohl Eyeliner.

I was rethinking about getting Venetian Blue since it's super bright. But I got it anyway since there wasn't much Kohl eyeliners left for me to choose from. Yup, so I picked up Venetian Blue and Tempting Teal.

From left: Venetian Blue and Tempting Teal

With these two eyeshadows, I feel content in completing my Revlon Matte Eyeshadow Collection (except for Pink Whisper, which I don't see a need for it).

Overall, I'm really happy with my little haul. The lipglosses were better than I thought. Very smooth and not sticky. I'm thinking of getting more.

Revlon BOGOF promotion will last for a week from 19 August to 25 August 2010. It is only available at selected Watsons.

Tips: Balancing Body pH Level

2010-08-19T16:32:00.005+08:00

Bookmarked!

Are you more Alkaline or Acidic?

What does this actually mean?

Simply put, if you are more acidic you are poisoning your body!

If the food you are eating is not pH balanced it is likely to turn into poison once in the digestive tract and then instead of your body absorbing nutrients it will absorb poisons. To live a healthy vibrant life we are to find a balance between acid and alkaline foods.

One of our body’s highest priorities is to keep the blood at an ideal pH balance of 7.365. Eating pH balanced foods allows your blood to be able to extract the maximum amount of nutrition available from those foods. If you are eating more acid producing foods your body will start breaking down and the signs of aging will show before their time.

Fat is an Acid Problem!
A man by the name of Dr. Young has a theory that the cause of obesity is actually an acid problem! What does that mean?
The body creates fat cells to carry acids away from your vital organs so the acids don't choke your organs to death. Fat could be saving your life! Dr Young goes on to say, "Fat is actually a response from the body to an alarming over acidic condition" and the solution is to Alkalize and Energize to rid the body of both acid and fat.

This theory was also the belief of the early Taoists. (Taoism is the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine .TCM). Dr Stephen T Chang who comes from a 400 year lineage of Taoist practitioner’s put it this way, "If one ever goes to the back door of any restaurant, one will find food corruption in garbage cans. Not long ago, this food was served to customers. So the only thing separating the front and back of the restaurant is a wall and a few hours time". "We would not purposely eat garbage because we know we will become sick from ingesting poisons. Yet, we do eat garbage every time we eat without a thought for pH balance".

Fatigue, a major complaint in our society, comes from an acidic body.
The toxins produced in an acidic body reduce the absorption of proteins and minerals. This will then weaken the body’s ability to produce enzymes and hormones interfering with the reconstruction of cells and other necessary components of energy production. The result is fatigue, poor endurance, an inability to add muscle tone, and general weakness.
Some other signs of an acidic body; yellow smelly urine, gas, indigestion, heart burn, headaches, sore eyes, foul smelling stools, bad breath, sore gums and teeth, allergies, aches / pains and nightmares.

So what can we do?

Answer: eat four parts alkaline to one part acid and this should maintain your bloods pH level at 7.365. When this balance is maintained micro organisms such as pleomorphic virus, bacteria, yeast, and fungus will de-evolve back to their original healthy state.

What to eat?

Alkali forming foods – millet, Udos oil, avocado, sunflower sprouts, raw almonds, carrots, dates, coconuts, celery, cucumbers, lemons, limes, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, green leafy vegetables, soy beans, walnuts, soy beans, wheat grass, tofu, lima beans, turnip tops, peppers, beet tops.

Acid producing foods – butter, margarine, eggs, veal, fish, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, prawns, lobster, oysters, whole wheat, rye, cheese, milk, sour cream, yogurt, mushrooms, coffee, tea, alcohol, refined sugar.

I am not saying not to eat these things or you can only eat alkali forming foods though to live a healthy, disease free life you may consider balancing out your diet if you do have signs of an acidic body.

Source: link

Sample Review: Mentholatum Acnes Medicated Sample Kit

2010-08-17T04:53:00.006+08:00

I've been using the Mentholatum Acnes Medicated Skincare Sample Kit (which I got from fr3b.com ) due to bad breakouts.

The products included in the kit are Mentholatum Acnes Creamy Wash, Acnes Powder Lotion and Acnes Sealing Jell. They come in really mini sizes.

Mentholatum Acnes Creamy Wash comes in a tube form. It's stated as a mild and non-irritating cream wash for daily use to effectively prevent pimples, remove excess sebum and keeping your skin soft and moist. The cleanser is indeed very creamy and has a citrus smell like lemon. It lathers all right for me but I do find it does wash off dirt, sebum and dead skin really well. There was no squeaky feeling. The only thing I dislike about the cleanser is that I feel my face looking very white after it and it was not a brightening/whitening effect. It was as if there was a layer of powder over it. I was thinking it could be possible they added some clay inside so that after washing, there'll be a layer of clay to absorb the excess sebum from the face. As I don't have the ingredients list listed on the samples, I can't really check on it right now. Will pop by Watsons to look at it. Another possibility is that it washes off too much dead skin. I also feel the skin doesn't feel that soft but instead feels a little rough as if there's powder. But overall, I find it a good and effective cleanser since my pimples did disappear after a few days of usage.

Acnes Powder Lotion comes in bottle form. It is stated to be a toner that contains oil-absorbing powder to keep face clean and fresh for long hours. It also helps to refine pores and keeps face free from oil. I do like this powder at first. It was in liquid form with white powder sediments in it so you'll have to shake it before using. You can use a cotton pad and pour onto it and use it to wipe all over the face but I just pour it in my hands and dab it on my acne areas. After applying, it dries and you can see that it totally mattifies. This toner did help a lot with my acne. I applied it only over the acne area after using the cleanser and it just helps to soothe the pimples and soak up all the excess sebum. The pimples would dry up really fast and I could wash off the layers of dead skin the next day. However, I do feel it is quite drying and also it does not have ample oil control to last for a day. My face oils up very fast after applying and the amount of oiling was even more than I normally would. It did help initially when I used it on my acne, but after that when my acne was clearing up, this powder lotion ended up giving me more blackheads over the area I applied instead. I supposed it was stripping too much oil, and the excess sebum caused a second round of blackheads. :(

Acnes Sealing Jell comes in a squeeze tube form. It's just normal pimple gel with no weird smell. I don't have much to say about this product. It did shrink my acne and flatten it but it didn't heal it. I do have bad cases of cystic acne so I would say this doesn't work miracles on cystic acne. For normal zits or whiteheads, it does dry them up and force the pus to the surface. I find this to be a decent product but just not fantastic.

Overall, I was still quite impressed with the sample kit. It did work well for me at my worse moments. It also cleared up my chin, which was my acne prone area, and for the first time in a long time, I could actually feel my chin was smooth. -sheds silent tears- It cleared up one side of my cheeks but not the other. I applied more of the powder lotion on one side so I could tell it was the lotion giving me the blackheads. But I really don't think the powder lotion is a bad product. It would work if you have really bad acne prone skin and my advice would be to stop using the powder lotion once your face started clearing up by 80%, just before it backfired. Switch to a normal cleanser or toner since your skin has returned from oily acne skin to normal skin.

If you are based in Singapore and still interested in the sample kit, you can redeem it here .

Mentholatum Acnes has a variety of products ranging from cleansers, moisturisers, masks and oil control sheets targeted towards acne prone people. I really do think they are worth checking out. The range is really affordable and products retail for SGD$6.90 onwards.

Urban Decay Holiday 2010 Sneak Peek - Book of Shadows Vol. III

2010-08-12T04:40:00.007+08:00

All Photos Provided by Urban Decay.

Urban Decay Holiday 2010 Sneak Peek - Book of Shadows Vol. III

Eyeshadows: Perversion, Uzi, Loaded, Kush, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Last Call, Rockstar, Money, Haight, Maui Wowie, Smog, Bordello, Radium, Snatch, Suspect, Psychedelic Sister
Travel-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil: Zero and Ransom
Eyeshadow Primer Potion: Original.

The Book of Shadows Vol. III features 7 NEW shades, 2 Sephora Exclusives (not part of UD perm. line) plus Snatch (Show Pony), 6 Best-Sellers

7Bella - MakeUpShow Giveaway

2010-08-12T04:35:00.004+08:00

This entry is up so that I can enter the giveaway.

7Bella.com (a Singapore-based online store) is having a giveaway here. Prizes include items from Urban Decay, Lunasol, Givenchy and MakeUpShow brushes.

The giveaway is open to all readers in Singapore and international readers.

Rules to enter the Giveaway:

• Join our 7Bella - MakeUpShow Facebook Page by clicking "Like" http://www.facebook.com/pages/7Bella-MakeUpShow/122741217756863

• Enter by clicking “RSVP” to join this event with "Attending" status (ONE entry)

• THREE entries for bloggers who linked this giveaway info on your blog (in your sidebar/ blogroll) and then leave a comment in our Facebook page to inform us.

• SIX entries for bloggers who write a post about the giveaway on your blog, using the title “7Bella - MakeUpShow Giveaway” and then leave a comment in our Facebook page to inform us.
3 winners would be decided through random.orgWinners will be decided and published on 09/09/2010, 11.59pm Singapore Time. Winners will have 1 week to contact us with mailing address.

Giveaway Alert: Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Lip Protectant

2010-07-31T05:17:00.007+08:00

One of my favourite bloggers (-coughs-)Tiphanie's doing a giveaway on her blog for Elizabeth Arden Limited Edition Lip Balm/ 8 Hour Cream Lip Protectant.

Picture taken from her blog

It is not stated but I think it's only open for those residing in Singapore.

Do drop by her blog to participate in the giveaway. :)

Skincare Tips: Removing Blackheads/Whiteheads

2010-07-20T03:01:00.014+08:00

Here's my skincare tip on how I remove my blackheads/whiteheads. This is also done to deep cleanse the skin.

I use these 2 products: St Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask and Daiso's Charcoal Mask.

From left: Daiso's Charcoal Mask, St Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask

St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask is a kaolin clay mask with deep cleansing properties. It also helps to firm and tighten the skin while cleaning. I've looked it up and found it in another packaging. I'm assuming that's the new packaging so here's the pictures of it.

Daiso Charcoal Mask is just a peel-off charcoal mask. Charcoal is also good at absorbing oil and dirt from the skin. Here's a clearer picture. It comes with a Chinese character "charcoal" and a distinct sticker with a girl spotting a black mask. The sticker is crucial for identifying whether it's a mask or a cleanser since it's not that easy to distinguish between the two (unless you know how to read Japanese).

1. Make sure your face is properly cleansed. Always use a cleanser to wash your face before masking because you don't want any more dirt to fall into your pores instead. Pat your face dry.

2. Squeeze a small amount of St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask onto your dry hands. Your hands must be dry because you don't really want to dilute the clay mask. Spread it over your face in a thin layer but yet thick enough that it's opaque minty green on the face. Squeeze more and add if it's not enough. Wait for 5-10 minutes for it to dry when you're done. This mask dries rather fast and you can feel the mask firming up on the face.

3. When the clay mask has dried up, wash it off with warm water. Warm water helps in removing the clay faster. Tap water is fine for me but you just have to be more thorough in washing everything off. After washing, pat your skin dry. You can see some of the whiteheads/blackheads surfacing to the top since the kaolin clay brings the impurities to the surface of your skin.

4. Next, squeeze a generous amount of Daiso Charcoal Mask. You have to be more generous with this because if there's not enough, the mask couldn't be peeled off in one piece. Spread it over the area you want then try to thin it out while making sure it's still opaque black. You don't want this to be over thick too because this mask takes ages to dry. Wait for 30 minutes to an hour for it to be dried completely. To speed up the drying process, I would recommend you to sit in front of a fan. It speeds up the drying process a lot.

5. When the charcoal mask has dried up, start peeling off the sides of the mask. I would usually start from the bottom and go upwards. Slowly peel everything off. You will see all sorts of whiteheads/blackheads or even tiny facial hair stuck on the underside of the peeled mask.

6. After peeling the charcoal mask, use a gentle cleanser again to wash your face. You can skip this step if you feel the 2 masks have over dried your face. I usually do this because bits and pieces of the Daiso Charcoal still get stuck on my face. It is quite hard to get it all off with just water.

7. After masking and all that extraction, your pores are now open. Pat your face with a toner. Perhaps a toner with witch hazel or orange oil as they help to minimise your pores. If you don't want to invest in a toner, just splash icy cold water will do.

8. Follow up with your normal skincare routine by using moisturiser, essence etc.

I've been using this method ever since I learnt this from other forumers. I really find that the 2 masks work well together. You don't have to buy the exact brand. For clay mask, you can try Queene Helene Mint Julep Masque or you can just try purchasing kaolin clay in powder form to DIY your own mask. For the charcoal peel off mask, you can substitute with any charcoal or mud mask.

You don't have to apply it on the entire face. You can just use it on problematic spots prone to blackheads/whiteheads. At times, when I'm lazy, I'll just apply it to my acne prone area. The clay mask alone helps in bringing the pus (in pimples) to the surface and also dries up the pimple. I use it as a form of acne treatment since it's deep cleansing that area. Of course if there's any open wound, it's best to avoid masking.

You can do this mask once every week.

How to Spot a Fake Skin79 BB Cream

2010-07-14T17:11:00.007+08:00

Photos Provided by Skin79 Singapore

As there are too many fake Skin79 products in the market, it's important to know how to spot a fake BB cream from the real deal or else it'll just cause more damage to your skin due to inferior quality.

Skin79 Hot Pink Super+ Beblesh Balm

Skin79 Diamond Collection The Prestige Beblesh Balm

Free Stuff: Mentholatum Acnes Medicated Skincare Sample Kit

2010-07-06T03:22:00.008+08:00

Fr3b.com will be giving away free Mentholatum Acnes Medicated Skincare 3 pieces Sample Kit.

The Kit contains:
Step 1: Acnes Creamy Wash 5g for cleansing
Step 2: Acnes Powder Lotion 10ml for toning and moisturising
Step 3: Acnes Sealing gel for special care

It's free for all. You don't even have to pay postage.

Simply click the banner above or link here to sign up and redeem the sample kit.

Review: E.L.F Studio Cream Eyeliner

2010-07-06T03:20:00.001+08:00

Here's my quick review on E.L.F Studio Range Cream Eyeliner. I swept up 3 colours - Coffee, Midnight and Ivory in one of their sales.

E.L.F Cream Eyeliners in Coffee, Midnight and Ivory

These cream eyeliners come in little plastic square jars. Super adorable. I love the packaging to the max until I realised they were a pain to close tightly (which is a must when dealing with cream or gel liners). Sometimes the screw caps just wouldn't align properly with the jars leaving a gap, which makes you frustrated that air might get it and dry up the liners. Not pleasant when you're in a rush.

The texture of the cream eyeliners differs a little when I first tried it out. The darker shades were creamy but seem to be of a drier consistency as compared the Ivory cream liner. Ivory was nice and fluffy like a mixture of a cream mousse formula.

Swatches: Coffee, Midnight and Ivory (provided by E.L.F website)

The colours are rather accurate on the E.L.F site (they had revamped the site with better pictures. I'm impressed).

Cream Eyeliner in Coffee is a true matte medium chocolate brown. It's just very natural looking. Cream Eyeliner in Midnight is a very dark shade of midnight blue. The swatch for Midnight isn't as accurate for this as it is a lot darker and you can't really see the blueness in it. It's almost as dark as a black. When swatched, the colour goes on pigmented but not very intense. To darken it, you just have to build on a few layers to make it dark. It dries up really fast so you'll have to work really fast. Once it dries up, it wouldn't budge at all and if u keep rubbing it, it flakes. This is kind of terrible to work with if you are intending to use it as an eyeshadow base. When applied with a finger on the eyelids, it dries up almost instantenously making the base look patchy. These 2 cream eyeliners do smudge after a day of long wearing so do remember to use some eye primer before using the cream eyeliners.

Cream Eyeliner in Ivory is a shimmery white paste. I couldn't really figure out whether it should be considered shimmery or sparkly but there's so many multicoloured tiny glitter bits that's so shimmery and it's just so pretty. The texture is super smooth and can be applied sheer and I love it as an eyeshadow base. It doesn't really intensify eyeshadow colours that much but if you layered an eyeshadow that has a pearl sheen, the pearl sheen really intensifies making the colour on the eyelid look more 3-dimensional. If you applied a matte eyeshadow over, the sparkles in it changes the eyeshadow into a more interesting colour. It's just so fun for me to play with this. Alternatively, if you don't want to use it that way, just pop it on at the inner corner of the eye to bring attention to your eyes. It's such a sparkly colour but not so overwhelming and eye catching as compared to when you use a true white eyeliner.

Overall, I find the darker eyeliner shades all right only. They are a pretty good deal for the price you pay and they do work but I'm just not super impressed. I'm not sure if I got a bad batch for the Cream Liner in Midnight just seem very dry to me. Cream Liner in Coffee was nice, just something I'll use for a natural makeup look. I like Coffee a little more than Maybelline's Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Brown. I would definitely repurchase the Cream Eyeliner in Ivory though.

Urban Decay Fall 2010 Sneak Preview

2010-06-22T06:17:00.010+08:00

All Photos Provided by Urban Decay.

Urban Decay Fall 2010 Sneak Peek - The Naked Palette

Eyeshadows: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog,
Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal
Travel-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil: Zero and Whiskey; Eyeshadow Primer Potion: Original.

Swatches: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck (guesses)

Swatches: Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal (guesses)

Double ended 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Whiskey and Zero

Urban Decay Fall 2010 - The Vegan Palette

Eyeshadows: Minx, Urb, Gunmetal, Baked, Smog, and Half baked
Travel-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil: Zero; Eyeshadow Primer Potion: Sin.

Swatches

Tips: Acupressure Tips

2010-06-09T06:53:00.007+08:00

I came across videos teaching about relieving body aches and sores through acupressure (a massage technique under Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCM). I probably haven't blogged about it but recently I'm quite into it ever since I learnt a few tips in relieving menstrual cramps and headache/migraines. Found the whole talk to be quite informative. Posting to share.

Have been religiously pressing the points to relieve soreness and tiredness and it really helps a lot, especially after a long day or sitting too long in front of the computer. I've been sleeping better. Do take a look and I do hope it works for you too. :)

For Stiff Neck, Headache/Migraine, Shoulder Joint Pain, Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) - numbness due to overusage of mouse and handphone, Leg Muscle Cramp, Gastic Pain

Acupressure/Facial Massage for preventing wrinkles.

Relieving Stress, Insomnia, Cold Shoulder, Tennis Elbow - injuries from carrying heavy loads/bags on arm, Backaches, Strains from carrying babies

Pain Relief for Women in Heels, Boost Memory, Menstrual Cramp, Low Blood Pressure, High Blood Pressure,

Free Stuff: Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion Sample

2010-06-01T02:28:00.009+08:00

Fr3b.com will be giving away free Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion Sample to try out. It's free for all. You don't even have to pay postage.

I've been wanting to try this for a while after hearing raves about it so grab one while stocks last.

Simply click on the banner above to register and redeem the Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion sample.

[added]

From fr3b faq page.

1. Why do I get 1 pc sample but some others got 3 pcs sample?

1pc Sample: If you redeem it thru Hada Labo website and fr3b.com My account Page

3pcs Sample: If you redeem it thru a referral link from your friends or blogs =) *
*This is while stock last thus if its OOS, it will be replaced by 1 pc sample.

Review: Sukin Organics Purifying Shampoo

2010-05-26T20:13:00.006+08:00

I bought Sukin Organics Purifying Shampoo sometime last year because I wanted to try a Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS) free shampoo for my sensitive scalp. Sukin Organics is an Australian organic skincare brand. Finally finished it so here's my review for it.

The Sukin Organics Purifying Shampoo is a pure gentle daily shampoo to cleanse nourish and soften any type of hair. It containsa delicate infusion of organic aloe vera, nettle, horsetail and burdock. It is perfect for sensitive scalps since the shampoo has no SLS, no artificial fragrances, no animal derivatives, no harsh detergents, no petro-chemicals, no artificial colours, no triethanolamine, no mineral oils and no parabens. (what a mouthful)

Ingredients list: Purified Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin) Oil, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Vanilla Planifollia (Vanilla) Extract, Citric Acid.

When poured, it is just this yellowish liquidy form that's not thick at all. You can tell it's going to be a lightweight shampoo with no chemicals in it. It has a pleasant smell but there's this citrusy tangerine/mandarin orange smell that really stood out (I wasn't a fan of it at first) so if you are not a fan of tangerine/mandarin orange, you might want to skip it.

The shampoo is really hard to lather since it lacks all the SLS. You just have to wash it as per normal and try to let it not bother you. It takes time trying to get used to a foamless shampoo since people just assume that if it lathers well, it cleans better. I still have mixed thoughts about it after using it all this while. As a shampoo for sensitive scalps, it does a good job. It does not irritate my scalp at all. My hair felt soft and nice after washing. As a shampoo for oily scalp (which I do have), I feel it doesn't cleanse well enough. I do use hair products (hair wax, sprays etc) and if I use only this Sukin shampoo to wash my scalp and hair, I feel that the spray/wax and dandruff don't really come off as easily.

Another thing I dislike about is how the hair turned out. The hair does feel very soft and light on good hair days. But on bad hair days, it turned limp (so soft it fell flat). I couldn't figure out this bit but maybe this is the hair-softening effect it was to give which apparently I never took notice. As I didn't buy the Sukin Nourishing Conditioner to use with it, I can't really tell whether it would have turned out better if I did use the conditioner. But based on reviews I've read, the conditioner seems to be better than the shampoo and helps to condition the hair well.

Overall, Sukin Organics Purifying Shampoo does work better as a gentle shampoo which you would want to use daily, but probably not so if you want to use it after a long day to remove grime and dirt from the hair. I think it's a decent shampoo to pair with a strong anti-dandruff shampoo (assuming you have oily scalp) and you can then alternate between the two since the anti-dandruff shampoo does overstrip oil from the hair and scalp and this doesn't.

I'm still undecided whether I liked this or not. I might give it another go since I've having a bad time with my sensitive scalp after switching up to another shampoo. I probably get this again, this time with the conditioner.

The shampoo comes in 250ml/500ml/1 litre bottles. Retails at Watsons Singapore for SGD $12+(250ml), SGD $19+(500ml), SGD $29+(1 litre).

Review: Essence of Beauty Deluxe Duo Set

2010-05-12T16:05:00.007+08:00

Doing a review for Essence of Beauty Deluxe Duo Set.

I bought this brush set earlier from a local blogshop because I really wanted another concealer brush. Not going to mention the name of the blogshop because wasn't too pleased about their service.

Photos Obtained from Google Images

The Essence of Beauty Deluxe Duo Brush Set contains 3 duo-sided brushes. It comes with a travel-size ziplock bag.

From top to bottom: Blending and Eye Shadow Brush, Blush and Powder Brush,
Foundation and Conceal Brush

The brushes are rather soft and nice. First impression was that I really liked the Foundation and Concealer Brush because it was the most well made out of all. The others just don't look as nice.

Blending and Eye Shadow Brush
This brush has brown bristles that are quite soft. The blending brush is a flat topped brush. It is really big for my eye area. I wasn't too sure what it was for initially because it's just too big. It can be used for applying all over eye lid colour for people with bigger eyes. It can also be used for blending out harsh edges around the crease area. I just find it to be too big for me. Doubt I'll really use this much.

I really like this eyeshadow brush. It's very soft like E.L.F Eyeshadow Brush. E.L.F's regular eyeshadow brush is rounded at the top but this is angled. I like that it's angled because it goes in the crease areas so well and blends out really smoothly. Makes eye makeup such a breeze. Definitely one of my favourites.

Blush and Powder Brush
This brush has soft white bristles at one end and coarser black bristles at the other. The blush brush is small and fluffy and slightly angled. It's too small for blush application but maybe fine for precise blush application. I thought it was really nice to use this for maybe contour work. However one thing I really hate about this brush is that it stinks like crazy after washing. (Maybe I didn't dry it properly) I think the blush brush is made of animal fur. Not 100% sure but it sure smells like it. I really like this brush but it just stinks too much for me. Am not against animal hair brushes or anything but I don't really own any and have no idea how to make it not stink. Sorry if it sounds stupid. It doesn't help that it's duo-sided so it makes brushes harder to dry.

The powder brush is a small domed shape brush. This side leaks dye like crazy when washed so definitely wash all your brushes before using it. It is really small so I wouldn't really use it as an all over powder brush. It is probably good for you to dust a bit of powder to set your undereye concealer or other concealers where you need setting.

Foundation and Conceal Brush
This brush comes with yellow with brown tipped bristles. It is good for creme and liquid application. Both sides are similiar, just difference in size.
The foundation brush is big and nice tapered brush. I like that it's really thick at the sides. I don't really use liquid foundation but after testing it out, it really makes applying liquid foundation a breeze. You can get into corners around your nose and the foundation blends out really well. Would recommend this if you need a cheap and good liquid/creme foundation brush.

The concealer brush is the same except it's smaller. I really like how tapered and thick it is. Really wanted to get this because of that. I have the E.L.F Studio Concealer Brush which is rounded at the top and good for cream concealer application too. But I like the Essence of Beauty Concealer Brush even more. It smoothens out liquid or cream concealer around the undereyes really nice and makes it not as cakey. You get the concealing job done so much faster too. Just dab your concealer on. You can conceal a bit first with your fingers to slightly warm it up. After that use the concealer brush to go over the area and buff it out. It softens the edges of the concealer patch hiding the dark eye circles. The same thing applies to redness around the nose, mouth so on and so forth. One of my favourites from this set.

Overall I'm liking only half of the brushes from this set. The Blush and Powder Brush is my least favourite duo-sided brush out of the 3. Am prepared to throw it away because of the crazy problems it gives me. The eyeshadow and concealing brush are my favourites currently. I think this brush set's worth considering if you want to find cheap and good brushes. It's pretty decent. Maybe you can choose to buy the brushes seperately and not this particular set but am not too sure if their brushes are consistent. Duo-sided brushes probably save a lot of space but I find it kind of hard to dry them properly. Really not a fan of it.

The Essence of Beauty Deluxe Duo Set retails for USD $14.99 on CVS.com.

Review: NYX Eyeshadow Base

2010-04-29T06:39:00.011+08:00

Ok, I've finally finished testing NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skintone which I bought not too long ago. The colour looks nothing like that as the photo taken by NYX website (above).

The NYX Eyeshadow Base comes in a plastic jar with a white cap. The colour is a orangy beige colour that looks darker than NYX Concealer in A Jar in Beige. It is lighter when applied. It is a really creamy base which I had no problem blending but it dries fast when applied so you have to work fast.

On NC25 skin, it has an obvious orange tinge in swatches. As the base can be blended, you can just apply a thinner layer to make it less obvious. When applied on my eyes, the orange tinge wasn't that obvious for me. As I have dark shadows on my eyelids (due to thinner skin ), this eyeshadow base really helps in concealing and correcting all the darkness on the eyelids that I want to be gone. It glides on really smoothly and smoothes the creases on the eyes for me. I find it easy to blend out. The base goes on, giving a sheer coverage.

As a eyeshadow base, I really do not find that it intensifies eyeshadows as stated. You do get colour payoff compared to not using any base or primer but I find it to be average. You might get better payoff working with a good eyeshadow primer instead. There was something I did not like about how the eyeshadows turned out after applying over this base. I couldn't put a finger to it and so I did several swatch tests of this with E.L.F Mineral Primer, L'Oreal De-Crease Primer, Urban Decay Primer Potion, NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk (yes, I have that many. Too bad I have no pictures for this because my camera has broken down). So in short, although colour payoff for eyeshadow applied over this NYX eyeshadow base was decent, there were some colours that didn't turn out the way they should. I had problems with colours that were reddish copper or burgundy purple that turned up darker or more brownish. I believed it's due to the orange tinge in the base affecting it. Somehow the base darkens some of the colours instead of intensifying it.

Overall, I'm not really liking this product as an eyeshadow base to apply eyeshadows over. It is kind of dark. It works fine for me but probably wouldn't work for someone who's fairer than NC25. If you have perfectly fine eyelids (no dark shadows), using it will leave your eyelids looking orange which is pointless. However, I really like how it corrects all the darkness on my eyelids. I would probably use it on days when I don't feel like wearing eyeshadow, just to make the area around my eyelids look less dark. Another use I've found for it is probably as an undereye concealer. Even though coverage for this is sheer, it does help to conceal a little bit of dark eye circles. I suppose it works well as a "orange" corrector and since its consistency is really smooth, it doesn't make the undereye area look dry.

As most cream bases crease on me, usually i would use eyeshadow primer (to prevent creasing) before applying any cream base over to make eyeshadows stick. As this product doesn't work magic for my eyeshadows, it's really pointless for me to do it this way. You can give it a go with this method if it creases for you or the eyeshadow base in another colour (White and Pearl) works for you.

Item retails for USD $6.00 on Cherryculture.com

Comparision between NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk and NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skintone

If you can't decide between the two, maybe this would help. The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk has a slightly creamy and sticky consistency. It is opaque white. You can apply on a thick layer to get a white canvas on the lids or blend it out sheer for a sheer wash of base to let eyeshadows stick on. Colours go on vibrantly and it's really good to have as a cream base to work with. The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil definitely creases if applied on its own. Due to its sticky consistency, it can be hard to blend. Once you pat your eyeshadows on, they wouldn't budge as freely as it normally would (when done without any base).

The NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skintone has a creamy and slightly greasy feel and dries to a clean finish without any stickness. I find it to be easier to blend on top of it as compared to using the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil as a cream base. In terms of colour payoff, it was a little disappointing since it did not intensify colours as much compared to the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil.

Tips: Makeup Don'ts

2010-04-23T11:49:00.000+08:00

This is hilarious. Am sharing it because I think every girl should watch it.
It may sound harsh but xsparkage has good intentions. Even your closest girl friend might not tell you when your makeup just doesn't look pleasing to the eye.

Tips: Makeup Tips For Asian Women

2010-04-05T02:56:00.004+08:00

Just thought I'll share this article.

The original heading caught my eye. The article was titled "Best Makeup Tips. Ever. For Asian Women". lol..

---

Learn how to tackle issues like sallow skin and single eyelids. Plus, other top makeup advice and techniques that flatter Asian features.

1. Asian skintone
Most Asians have a yellow skin undertone, so pick a yellow-based foundation and powder instead of pink-based ones.

If you're lucky enough to have a good complexion, you can choose to skip the foundation. For those who have spots and blemishes, use a good creamy yellow-based concealer with lots of coverage and opacity. Dab concealer on top of the blemish and blend with your finger, then set by dusting a little loose powder all over.

2. Asian lashes
Asian lashes tend to be short and poker-straight. Lash curlers are great for opening up the eyes, but if you love a longer-lasting fuller curl, try using a heated lash curler.

Add definition to your eyelashes with two coats of mascara -- black is the color that complements Asians' black or dark-brown irises. Lengthening mascaras contain micro-fibers to extend lash tips and create the illusion of longer lashes, while thickening mascaras help to volumize if you have thin or sparse lashes. Look for a mascara that comes with a thin brush applicator to reach the entire lash length for a full coat.

3. Asian eyes
Often, Asian eyes lack a crease in the upper eyelid (i.e. single eyelid), or they seem to disappear when the eyes are open. Asian eyelids are also somewhat heavier, making the eyes look tired and puffy.

Add definition with a generous stroke of eyeliner for definition, or try a black eyeshadow for a smoky smudged effect -- this sooty look especially flatters eyes without creases. Apply with a small angled brush, staying close to the lashline.

To disguise puffy lids, blend in brown or apricot matte shadow over the upper lid, sweeping all the way up and out of the outer corner. Blend highlight along the brow bone and along the rim of the inner corner to add dimension.

4. Asian cheekbones
Most Asians have naturally high cheekbones. For a youthful flush, accentuate your cheeks with a blush shade like rose or soft berry that will lift the yellow undertone.

Apply blush with a blush brush and sweep using crescent strokes just below the apples of your cheeks. To locate your cheek apples, just smile -- they're the part of your cheeks that pop out.

For a more dramatic look, apply highlighter to the top of your cheekbones to play up your bone structure.

source: here

New Hauls: NYX and E.L.F

2010-03-27T15:41:00.006+08:00

I'm not in the mood to blog in detail so just thought I'll post up some photos. They are not very well taken because there's just too much stuff. Pardon please.

Did this haul last month, splurging part of my ang pow money. I bought a lot of lip glosses. Wasn't in a good mood then. I'm sooo happy I finally feel so much happier this week. Really thank you to those who helped me take a whole load off my mind. Appreciate it. And of course my lovely trusted spree organizer for this haul.

Most are from E.L.F 50% sale. I think I have enough E.L.F to last me a few years.

The lovely E.L.F Mineral Lip Glosses that I've been eyeing for the longest time. So pretty, isn't it? They have been compared to MAC lip glazes by other reviewers. Since I've not tried MAC lip stuff, I'm not commenting on that. But these glosses are definitely worth getting. Pigmented and super chic and cheap. Probably the best lip gloss among all the lip glosses in E.L.F. (I've quite a few from different ranges).

All items from E.L.F Mineral line. Eyeshadows, lipsticks, eye primer, whole set of lip glosses, lip liners. The mineral eye primer is indeed worth the rave.

All items from E.L.F Studio line. Bought backups of brushes that I like. HD powder, Mineral Infused Mascara, Minty Lip glosses (So heavenly. I like to put them on whenever I feel sleepy), Lip lock pencil (it's lip primer before putting lipstick. Still trying it out), Cream eye liners (I don't find them pigmented enough. Works but not super impressed.), concealers (I'm such a concealer fanatic. Since creamy concealers are hard to find, I like to buy up them in several shades so I can mix ) and face primer.

And from NYX.

The eyeshadow base in skintone and the lip gloss palette in "The Nudes". The lip palette is really pretty and so far I'm really liking it. I don't really like lip glosses in makeup palettes because it's just so inconvenient to dig in and it's just disgusting if it's next to the eyeshadows. But I really like this palette. The glosses are really creamy and it's so easy to mix your own lip gloss shade to your liking. Would suggest to invest in a better lip brush because the one in it is just crappy.

That's about it.

Actually I've more stuff coming in. -guilty look-

Review: Revlon Matte Eyeshadows

2010-03-20T04:53:00.010+08:00

I purchased a couple of Revlon matte eyeshadows from Ulta.com during their Buy-One-Get-One-Free (BOGO) sale. These are from the Matte collection.

From top left to top right: Vintage Lace, Peach Sorbet, Luscious Lime, Riveria Blue, Aubergine, Rich Sable

For the longest time, I've been wanting these. It took me a while to get hold of them and I'm glad I got these.

The packaging is really simple and neat, which I really like. It's not shiny so you wouldn't get your fingerprints all over.

The eyeshadows are all matte. Colours are duller than presented in my photos. The powder is velvety smooth to the touch and pigmented when you swipe your fingers through it. However, they don't give you the pigmentation you want out of it when you swatched them. For light colours, you get a sheer, somewhat chalky colour out of it. For the dark colours, you get a not too sheer, but not highly opaque dark colour you wished for. You get a dark smoked out shadow colour, but just not the full intensity of the colour you see.

From top left to top right: Vintage Lace, Peach Sorbet

Vintage Lace is a light cream colour. It is my favourite out of the lot and I would definitely recommend this. It works awesome as a highlighter. The cream doesn't really show and it appears as a white with a satin finish (slight subtle shine) when you used it under the browbone as highlight. I really love it loads since it makes whatever eye makeup you had on, look more polished.

Peach Sorbet is a soft peachy pink shade. It looks really yummy in the pan but comes off as chalky peach shade for me. I was planning to use it as an all over lid colour. It works and matches the darker eyeshadows from this collection well but I just don't really fancy it. Works well as a highlighter too if you don't like white/cream highlighters.

From top left to top right: Luscious Lime, Riveria Blue

Luscious Lime is a gorgeous bright lime green in the pan but was the most disappointing out of the lot. The colour payoff was really bad and it was just a very sheer, chalky and somewhat green shade which is not very noticeable. I wouldn't recommend this at all. It is a joy to look at this but it doesn't really work well despite trying all kinds of eye bases with it. Luscious Lime with Rich Sable is a lovely combo though if you don't mind a light and sometimes barely noticeable shade of green on the lid.

Riveria Blue is a gorgeous dark navy blue. The colour is really pretty but colour is not that intensive unless you really pack it on with the sponge tip applicator. Great when smoked out.

From top left to top right:Aubergine, Rich Sable

Aubergine is a very deep greyish plum. The colour is so dark and grey(duller than in photos) that you really can't tell it comes from the purple/plum family. I do not adore the colour on its own since it's so dull and dark and not purple but when I paired with other more vibrant purple eyeshadows, I changed my mind. It's pretty good as a darker crease colour.

Rich Sable is a rich dark true chocolate brown. I really love this colour too because it smokes out really well. You can use this as a brow powder for your eyebrows too since it's matte and colour is buildable.

Overall, I enjoyed these eyeshadows although they don't sound easy to work with. Keep in mind these are not the eyeshadows you want if you want to buy something really pigmented and show up on the eyelids. The darker shades are really good for smoking out and the sheer application of "not so opaque" colours makes it very buildable.

I had to ditch the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil as eye base for this because these eyeshadows are hard to blend with NYX as bases. I had to use Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow Quad as eye base to make them work.

I also had some problems getting my eyeshadow brushes to pick up enough eyeshadows or blend properly. Such a pain to work with. I highly recommend to just use the sponge tip applicator when working with the darker shades as it's just easier. Pack on more layers of colours where you need it to be darker and a smoked out look can be obtained easily. The smoked out effect/look is pretty to wear when you don't want to go for a smokey look where you paint your eyelids completely black/blue/purple etc. You get gradations of darkness which I find it rather alluring and sultry.

These are just some of my tips, I hope they work for you.

I still think they are pretty good for matte drugstore eyeshadows since cheap matte eyeshadows are hard to find. Will be picking up the remaining colours like Tempting Teal (dark green shade) and Venetian Blue (dupe for MAC's Electric Eel) when I have the chance to.

Looklet.com

2010-03-07T06:51:00.007+08:00

Got a little bored and was reading through blogs and I stumbled upon this website on tiffy's blog.

The styling application on Looklet.com totally rocks.

You get to put together different looks, like you are doing a magazine shoot for the model. It was endless fun for me. :)

Do give it a go. I find it pretty good for putting together various outfits, testing colour combinations and accessorizing etc. If you feel uninspired, you can go through looks that other people have put together for ideas and rate them.

It's so addictive.

Here's two of my outfits that I put together.

Have fun! :)

Coming Soon: New NYX products and Sleek website

2010-03-06T06:00:00.005+08:00

NYX upcoming products

An orange color corrector! Although I ranted a little about the correctors for NYX concealer jar over here, I still feel like trying this.

And baked eyeshadows!

These look really promising.

There's more on NYX's website.
More palettes, new colours. All coming up within the next few months. The Push-Up Bra for Eyebrow cracks me up.

Sleek Website

Sleek Makeup is finally launching their website in a few more days. That means I can finally get my hands on them. Their 12-eyeshadow palettes are highly raved on Youtube for its affordable price and great pigmentation (but they crumble easily).

picture credited to (click for her review too):
http://asianbeautifier.blogspot.com/2009/09/for-me-it-sleek-which-does-trick_2092.html

Yay!

New Haul: Watsons 20% off sale

2010-01-02T03:29:00.009+08:00

Hello all, Happy new year! :D

Wishing 2010 will be a good year for all of us.

I wanted to post this up earlier but couldn't bring myself to. Feeling a bit tired and drained lately.

Just wanted to share Watsons has been having 20% discount off cosmetics and for the first time, Rimmel London and Majolica Majorca are involved. So be sure to check out Watsons if you want to pick out some items.

I only picked up 2 items. I want more! I heard the sales is still on so there's still time. hehe..

Picked up Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara. Love the purple tube.

Wanted it after watching pixiwoo raving about it in a Rimmel makeup tutorial. She did another review on drugstore mascaras after I bought it. Luckily, it's still her favourite.

Only managed to try this once because I'm having some eye irritation/infection for days. :( It comes with a triple plump brush/wand which's super cute. Reminds me of a cactus plant. It's really very easy to use. I don't like wearing mascaras because I'm not very good with it but this (the wand) really makes wearing mascara so much easier. I grabbed it in 02 Brown Black without checking. It's a very dark shade of brown, deep brown. Might consider getting it black again.

Also picked up another blush from Majolica Majorca in OR211 (Peach) since I loved RD255 (Rose) so much. It's quite sheer for me. Gives a nice peachy glow. Actually it seems similar to Maybelline Angelfit blush in Velvet Peach which I bought earlier. Need to check whether they are really identical.

I had wanted to get OR322 (third from the left) but it was sold out. :(

(Majolica Majorca's website is such a pain to navigate. :x )

Still thinking of getting another eyeshadow quad from Majolica Majorca cos they look so pretty. I have some Urban Decay goodies coming in so I'm contemplating. Hopefully, I'll get to review soon.

Enjoy the long weekend.

Reviews: E.L.F Studio Brushes Part 2

2009-12-20T03:58:00.007+08:00

I can't sleep.

On to part 2 of the review for E.L.F Studio Brushes. (Oh my god, E.L.F studio has new stuff again. :( )

Kabuki Face Brush

The E.L.F studio kabuki is quite big and fat. The bristles are really soft to the touch. It's not dense but still well packed. Love the brush on the face because it's just so soft. Had been using it for quite a while and I really like it. Would prefer it for buffing finishing powder instead of powder foundation cos the coverage it gives is on the sheer side since it's not dense enough.

Blush Brush

I totally adore this brush now. Didn't try it for the longest while since I was hooked to the Powder Brush for blush application. Wished I did so earlier soI could order more. The E.L.F Studio blush brush is quite a tiny brush (for a blush brush). It's really small with a rounded head. It's a flat brush. This brush is really good for precise blush application, when you just want the blush to go on the apples on your cheeks etc. I tested it with mineral blushes and pigmented blushes and it picks up just the right amount without making the face overdone. Love it to bits. However I don't like to use the brush for blending. You might want to use any brush to blend out the brush as it gets it done faster. Have yet to use this brush for applying contour. I should be trying soon.

Contour Brush

This brush is really soft. I really like the touch of it and how cute the head looks. The head is dome-shaped. Ok, as a contour brush, I find it's only all right. The bristles are too short if you want to use it for defined crease application. The ferrel, on the other hand, is too wide and circular for the bristles so they protrude out a little more. When applying eyeshadow in the crease, the ferrel can be kind of scratchy, especially if you are planning to dig the brush in deep to the socket and blend.. It's not very pleasant. If you want to use it blending, it doesn't do as good a job as the E.L.F blending brush from their regular US$1 line. The feeling of it brushing to and fro feels spongy.

However, I think it works well as a pencil brush. It's good for applying eyeshadows precisely in corners, on the lid, or under the lash line. Light blending is all right, just not when you need to blend at the crease line to get a defined crease. They should change the name of it.

Read Part 1 here.

Review: NYX The Caribbean Collection - I Dream of Barbados

2009-12-13T01:39:00.004+08:00

It's been a while. I'm back to blog.

Am reviewing NYX The Caribbean Collection 5 Color Eyeshadow Palette - I Dream of Barbados.

The palette is really gorgeous. Kindly refer to the original photo taken by NYX as colour shows up more true.

Anyway, I picked up this palette from mscuppycakes.com before they jacked up their shipping rates -pouts- (now I can't get small NYX hauls fast anymore). This palette is love. Totally adore it.

Like the other NYX eyeshadow palettes, it comes with a cardboard packaging. This palette is longer and slimmer than the 10 color eyeshadow palettes which I picked up earlier. Comes with a long mirror and it has 2 eyeshadow applicators instead of only one.

I'm really amazed by the quality of NYX's Caribbean collection "I Dream of Barbados" palette. The texture of the eyeshadow is really fine and creamy and blends beautifully. The 10 color eyeshadow palettes have a good amount of pigmentation but some of the colours just don't work. Some are too glittery and some can be too chalky. So maybe out of 10 colours, you'll only like half or more. Whereas for this palette, I seriously like all 5 colours.

Colours from left to right:
1. ████████ Light muted lavender shade with slight shimmer frost.
2. ████████ Charcoal black with shimmers.
3. ████████ Cool toned pastel pink.
4. ████████ Light silver grey with slight shimmers.
5. ████████ Medium purple with slight shimmer frost.

The purples in the palette are quite muted. Not very loud if you are worried they turn up really garish on the eyes. The colours look matte and the shimmers/frost are really subtle. The black is really easy to work with. It's super dark and blends wonderfully. The cool toned pink brings a pop of colour to the eye though I don't really use it.

Overall I really like this palette. Was able to create smokey look with this. Made my eyes look bigger. Totally adore the texture of the eyeshadows.

If you haven't tried this, go and get one as soon as possible. For the same price, you can pick up either the NYX 10 colors eyeshadow palette or this Caribbean collection 5 colors eyeshadow palette. If you really want a lot of colours to work with, you can pick up the 10 colors eyeshadow palette for variety. However, if you already have a preference of colours you want, for instance you just want a grey smokey or a taupe/brown smokey palette, maybe you can pick up the Caribbean palette instead. I think it offers better quality for lesser amount of eyeshadows (though I only bought one). The 10 colors palette may have 10 colours but I don't see the need to get 3 different kinds of blacks and maybe 5 different greys in one palette. (I need to change my "Lemmings" list. )

It's so good for makeup from day to night. You can use the 3 colours for day and the other 2 colours to darken the eye makeup for night. Really love how compact it is. And yes, I'm planning to get more the next time I buy from NYX again.

Review: E.L.F Studio Single Eyeshadows

2009-10-19T18:12:00.014+08:00

Sorry ladies. I've been lazy. I haven't been buying makeup lately because I'm on a makeup ban. But I got myself hooked on buying clothes instead. Left me quite broke. :P

An E.L.F haul/review that I've been forgetting to post.

Oh my god, I sneaked a peek at E.L.F website and they have new items again. :( I want the lip stains. >.< Here's the Single Eyeshadows I bought from the E.L.F Studio line. These come in small packagings. I bought them all except maybe 3 colours.

From bottom left (in clockwise direction):

Coffee Bean, Wild Wheat, Butter Cream, Pebble, Amethyst, Mystic Moss, Charcoal

The colours in the picture above are not true. Refer to the website. It's almost true for all colours except Mystic Moss (which just looks like charcoal grey in the pan).

These eyeshadows are relatively pigmented. Not the best pigmentation but good enough to be used. I tested everything with an eyeshadow primer (L'oreal De-Crease).

Butter Cream: A rather unique shade. It's almost a gold but seems like a creamy yellow shade. Shimmery.
Wild Wheat: A soft brown. Almost like Milo (a chocolate drink). Doesn't really appear on me but great as a all over lid colour.
Coffee Bean: A dark brown with shimmers in it. My favourite. Gorgeous brown as a crease colour.
Pebble: A dark taupe shade with maybe some plums in it. A queer shade. It's too dark of a taupe and too weird for me. :(
Amethyst: Not really a purple. Maybe a plum. Definitely not what it looks like in pictures. It made my eyes look bruised (it might work better if I use a better eyeshadow primer since L'oreal De-crease doesn't really bring out the colours in Amethyst).
Mystic Moss: Supposedly a mossy green but it looks like grey in the pan. Very close to Charcoal except it has some hints of green. I supposed I like it since it's more unique compared to Charcoal.
Charcoal: A dark charcoal grey. Sheer and needs piling. Wouldn't give you that super intense dark grey you would want it to be.

All the eyeshadows have at least a little bit of shimmers in it except for Pebble, which seems matte. I think they are fairly decent eyeshadows. Not fabulous but for the price I paid, I wouldn't mind buying.

Overall, I think they are worth trying out if you like earth toned, more muted eyeshadows. Don't expect vibrant eyeshadows because they really are not. They are really on the dull/muted side but at least they have shimmers. Suitable for work. I would recommend just picking up a few shades to try if you are keen.

I love Coffee Bean a lot. It's my favourite brown. :)

Review: L'Oreal De-Crease Eye Shadow Base

2009-10-06T06:18:00.005+08:00

I have been using L'Oreal De-Crease Eye Shadow Base for quite a long while. It's my first eyeshadow primer.

L'Oreal De-Crease Eye Shadow Base comes with a doe-foot wand applicator. It comes in only one shade which is said to be suitable for all skin tones. It retails for about US$8.48 (price taken from drugstore.com).

This primer looks similiar to L'oreal True Match Concealer, which I also own (in picture below).

L'oreal True Match Concealer has a liquid consistency while L'oreal De-crease has a slightly thicker consistency. The colour of L'oreal De-crease primer is a light beige shade. When applied, it blends out into a light beige colour over your eyelids making your eyes appear more awake since all the darkness on the lids is concealed. I like to just use this alone on the eyelids when I'm running out of time. I don't think it would work as well for darker skintones as the light beige appears really obvious on the lids so wouldn't really advise darker skintone ladies to just use this primer alone.

I'm really not a fan of this primer. It works really well for me initially and I totally adore how it makes me look so awake when used alone. However, gradually I realised the consistency of it just isn't perfect. There are times when it goes on smoothly and blends to a smooth finish. On unlucky days, it blends out to a blotchy finish, the kind of finish you get when you keep rubbing your concealer and it starts to flake. The primer dries fast and just doesn't blend to an even finish so you get patches of super obvious light beige here and there on the lids.

I hated it. But then of course, being me, I would give it another try again and again. So this review is written after I tried it for maybe 100+ times and still, it's the same. -gives face-

In terms of function, this works all right. It's just.....average. It works in making your eyeshadows appear on your eyelids. However, the colour doesn't intensify. You don't get your shadows as bright as they look in the pans. It lasted a couple of hours for me but I wouldn't recommend it for long wearing or heavy eye makeup.

(I think I'm losing touch with blogging. Just can't seem to find the right words or passion to blog. Or maybe I just hate this product. -lol-)

I'm still using it though. It actually works well for me with brands like Silky Girl (also known as Wet N Wild) eyeshadows, which have pretty and vibrant colours but for some reason, they don't appear all that pigmented for me. Else I'll just use it in the following way:

Primer -> Cream base (thin layer) -> Eyeshadow

You have to use the cream base after a primer else it will just crease like crazy. This works the best for all eyeshadows. At least for me so how the primer works doesn't really matter to me anymore.

I would advise you to save your money and invest in a better eye primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion or Two Faced Shadow Insurance (both retailing for about US$22) if your requirements in a primer is to make the eyeshadows pop, minimize creasing and make it last all day. L'oreal De-crease is really average to me and would be only a good alternative for short durations.

An even cheaper alternative worth considering is E.L.F Mineral Eye Primer (US$3). :)

New Haul: Daiso

2009-10-02T20:13:00.003+08:00

Look what I found in Daiso (a Japanese store that sells products for $2)!

An Anna Sui inspired earring stand. So cute! How could I resist it. There's a little butterfly and maybe dragonfly engraving at the bottom of the stand.

I have no idea though whether Anna Sui really sells or produces this item. But it's so adorable. It's quite small though, a little bigger than the size of your hand. But I thought it would be good enough to store a few earrings I always wear and air them (after sterilizing) before I keep them. :)

A blurred picture of how it looks like with earrings on.

Found this acrylic holder too. Am so glad I found it again. I used to buy all the acrylic cups and holders Daiso used to carry because they are pretty good for storing all my lip products and concealers and stuff. But the whole range disappeared. :( I had one of these and needed another. I definitely recommend you to get this holder if you have a lot of lippies and pencil liners/bases/concealers. :) So much easier to find and carry about.

And I finally found these! The bottle on the right is a sponge/brush cleanser. Read reviews that it works and have been wanting to try. I finally found it. :)

The tool on the left is used to prevent mascara from getting onto your eyelids during application. Can't wait to try the both of them. :)

New Haul: L'oreal Sale at Raffles City

2009-09-30T22:23:00.012+08:00

Here's what I picked up at the L'Oreal Sale last week.

Maybelline EyeStudio Quad in GR-1 Matcha Mousse Cake and Mx-4 Venice Carnaval
Maybelline Angelfit Brighten-Up Blush in Velvet Apricot and Peachy Sweetie
Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liners in Black and Brown
Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in 914 Iced Peach Tree and 938 Honey Ginger
Maybelline Watershine 3D Collagen in 425

From top left to right: Angelfit Brighten-Up Blush in Velvet Apricot and Peachy Sweetie
EyeStudio Quad in Mx-4 Venice Carnaval and GR-1 Matcha Mousse Cake

I love these eyeshadow quads a lot. They are not the most fantastic drugstore eyeshadows but I love them anyway. I think it's because this range is formulated for Asians so I find the colours suit me well. I have 3 other quads but I find these 2 (more shimmery) which I just bought have a tendency to fall out and get all over the face. Venice Carnaval (silver/gold/black quad) is rather gritty. Not recommended if you hate making a mess.

The blushes were a pleasant surprise. I've been wanting Velvet Apricot ever since it came out. Am so glad I bought it. It reminds me of the Maybelline Dream Mousse blush in Peach Satin which I bought earlier in the previous sale. Very nice peachy(orange) glow. Peachy Sweetie is a bubblegum pink blush. A little too pink for me but still really nice.

From left: Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liners in Brown and Black

And of course the famous Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liners. They were selling at $10 each so I got both. It comes with a brush each. The brush was all right. Reminds me of the small precision brush. The brush is thin enough to give a really fine line. The jar is just like a normal 5g sample jar, just that they added a thick base to the bottom of jar to make it look bigger.

Am loving the gel liner in Black. Managed to draw a thin line that was super natural looking. Was not too fond of the brown because it doesn't look like a straight brown to me. It seems like a purplish brown with shimmers. Overall I still like these. They don't smudge on me. :)

The only thing I'm probably not fond of is the lipsticks I bought. Was quite excited about these. Had wanted to grab a few more Maybelline Moisture Extreme lipsticks because I really like how smooth it glides on the lips. I had been contemplating to get 914 Iced Peach Tree for the longest time after swatching it. It seemed like a nice light nude peach when I swatched the testers. But after trying it on, it's a bright orange coral colour. ARgh. And I bought two. Got 938 Honey Ginger after reading a review that it's a nice nude colour. It was a straight brown on me. So imagine my disappointment when I realised the nude colours which I bought were so bold on me. Maybelline Watershine 3D Collagen in 425 was nice though, a sweet rosy pink.

So yup, that's it. My entire haul was all Maybelline. Still quite pleased that I like most of it. -Can't stop grinning- I think Maybelline is getting better and better!

Article: Treating Eczema

2009-09-23T17:09:00.002+08:00

Six Ways to Treat Eczema Naturally

If you suffer from red, scaly, dry patches of skin that are extremely itchy, you may have eczema. Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema is an allergy-related skin condition common in young adults, children and infants. Simple measures can often help to minimize symptoms and provide relief. Instead of turning to the topical steroids often prescribed for eczema, which I believe suppress the problem and may worsen it over time, try the six suggestions below and see if they work for you.

Eliminate cows' milk and all cows' milk products from your diet, as well as foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (often found in snack foods and baked goods) and trans-fatty acids (margarine, vegetable shortening).
Take 500 milligrams of black currant oil or evening primrose oil twice a day (half that dose for children younger than 12). These are sources of gamma-linolenic aid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid that promotes healthy growth of skin, hair and nails. You should begin to notice positive changes in six to eight weeks.
Apply aloe vera gel (from a fresh plant or buy lotions or moisturizers containing aloe) or calendula cream to the affected areas of your arm.
Experiment with lotions and salves containing chaparral (Larrea divaricata), a desert plant used topically in Mexican folk medicine for skin conditions.
Bathe or shower as quickly as possible, and use a non-perfumed moisturizing soap. Apply a thick moisturizing cream immediately after patting yourself dry - don't rub your skin when you towel dry your body.
Practice visualization and hypnotherapy. They can have a significant positive impact on allergy-related skin conditions. And try to relax - stress can make the condition worse. Explore relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and yoga.

Source: link

Blogshopping Woes

2009-09-20T03:23:00.004+08:00

Am a little hooked to shopping online blogshops again.

Just saw this. Really made me laugh.

I can imagine it's made by someone equally frustrated that the items from popular online blogshops like BonitoChico, Agneselle, Her Velvet Vase always sell out pretty fast. LOL...

Free Stuff: Seventeen Magazine

2009-09-16T20:41:00.006+08:00

Click here for FREE 2 months subscription of Seventeen Magazine.

This registration is open to all Singapore residents and PRs (non-SPH workers) aged between 11 to 25. Registration starts on the 11th of September, 2009, and is on a first-come-first-served basis.

Grab while stocks last.

Free Stuff: Sunsilk Hair Kit

2009-09-16T20:13:00.005+08:00

This is a little late so I'm not 100% sure if it works.

You can get a free Sunsilk Hair Kit at SunSilk Website if you are based in Singapore.

Just sign up at the link on the bottom right on the site.

In the 10-Day Guarantee Damaged Hair Reconstruction Program kit, you get 4 super fat looking (LOL) sachets of shampoo, nourishing conditioner, 3-minute intensive treatment and control leave-on.

Worth grabbing.

New Hauls: The Body Shop Limited Edition Precious Pearlescents Collection

2009-09-07T00:06:00.003+08:00

I'm back. Am a little reluctant to update actually. Just been feeling so restless lately. :(

Anyway, have you checked out the latest Limited Edition Precious Pearlescents Collection by The Body Shop?

(Drats. As I'm feeling restless, I can't be bothered to find a picture of the entire collection to upload. :( Sorry.)

If you haven't, be sure to drop by your nearest The Body Shop store. Cos this collection is so drool-worthy.

I ran to the nearest store to pick it up after seeing it on Cozycot forum. I picked up the Blush Trio in 01 Cool Dusk and the Eyeshadow Trio in 01 Moonlight Lustre.

From left: Eyeshadow Trio in 01 Moonlight Lustre, Blush Trio in 01 Cool Dusk

These are baked eyeshadow/blush but they are not mineralized like maybe MAC's. They are super gorgeous in real life. I have to admit, these are really just impulse buys because they are too pretty to resist. I picked out Cool Dusk first, but got another $10 rebate voucher so I splurged it on the eyeshadow. :P

Blush Trio in 01 Cool Dusk comes in 3 shades: a light shimmery pink, a medium bright dolly pink, a lilac pink (which just seems like light pink to me). I can't remember how it looks like when it's mixed together but basically this is a very pink blush (which makes me ponder why I bought it as I'm more of a peach girl). The blush looks shimmery in swatches but on the face, it's not. The finish would be like a frosty/pearl finish with a nice sheen. It gives the cheeks a nice glow. The colour is buildable as this blush trio is more sheer as compared to the other in 02 Warm Sunset. The lighter shades work as a very nice highlighter. As for the bright dolly pink shade , it doesn't really work well on my yellow skin. :( But still, I think I can get it to work since it can applied on sheer.

Eyeshadow Trio in 01 Moonlight Lustre comes in 3 shades: a metallic green, a metallic bluish gray, a metallic light purple (almost lilac) shade. These colours are very metallic and quite shimmery. I don't find them to be super pigmented if I use it without any base. They do go on well but the colour doesn't stand up. Would definitely recommend using a cream base or using them wet to get better payoff. Personally, I really like this trio. They are actually quite wearable on a daily basis. They may be shimmery but it's not so overbearing. I actually like that they are metallic colours. Very pretty trio that you can use from day to night to create many looks.

I can't decide which one I like more.
I'm actually considering getting the other blush and eyeshadow trio in the collection. Ahh... Lemming for them. But I do find them quite pricey. :( The blush is SGD $36.90 and the eyeshadow trio is SGD$28.90. I wouldn't recommend getting them unless you can get them at a good discount or have vouchers to use.

The new collection also consists of 5 eyeliners and a new range of lipsticks which seem really creamy.

If you need more information or better swatches of this collection, just look it up on Youtube. A bunch of Youtube gurus actually got the whole collection for free just to review. Am so jealous.

Also you can watch this video for creating looks.

New Hauls: Fyrinnae Eyeshadows, Glow Blushes and Lip Lustres

2009-08-30T02:18:00.009+08:00

Here's my Fyrinnae haul I got a few weeks back.
** note: Fyrinnae is not exactly a mineral makeup line. They are a vegan makeup company. :P

Anyway, I bought 6 sample eyeshadows, 2 sample blushes (or glows) and 2 full-sized Lip Lustres. They gave me a free eyeshadow. :) I was so excited about my haul when I got these because everything is just so vibrant in real life. The pictures definitely don't do justice.

Their samples are really generous.

From Left: Digital Faerie, Anemone, We're All Mad Here

Digital Faerie was really vibrant and pretty blue which seems a little teal.
Anemone was a little sheer compared to the rest and is a light green blue.
We're All Mad Here is somewhat of a kiwi colour - yellow green.

From Left: Nijiro, Koala, Polar Bear (Freebie)

Nijiro is just a cream colour with different coloured sparkles in it.
Koala is supposed to be a rosy taupe but it seems very plumish to me in the jar. :\
Polar Bear (the freebie) is a gorgeous light gold shade.

From Left: Hypnotize(Glow Blush), Rapunzel Had Extensions, Enchant (Glow Blush)

Rapunzel Had Extensions is a beautiful peach shade. When applied on the eyes, it goes on a little sheer and the gold shimmers get really obvious.
Hypnotize looks mauve in the jar but I think it gives a very natural peach glow on the cheeks.
Enchant is this super bright (almost neon) bright coral blush (looks almost orange). It's super pigmented and gives the face a really nice glow. I use a little bit only but still make the face look overdone so you really have to be super light handed when using this.

Overall, I really like the eyeshadows. They are vibrant, beautiful and just.. hard to explain. When I play with Fyrinnae eyeshadows, I get totally blown away. You will understand what the owners of Fyrinnae meant about their shadows being " complex and "layered"". I get so fascinated how the shadows look whenever I play with these colours.

I actually owned a few more sample eyeshadows that I ordered before this haul and those were the reason I decided to order from them again. Breath-taking colours. You just really have to try them.

As for the glow blushes, I think they really do leave a nice "glow". But it can be quite a hassle to work with super pigmented blushes like these. I look drunk when I overapplied Enchant. :P

And here's the 2 Lip Lusters I got.

From top: Flavor of the Day, Meloncholy

Flavor of The Day is this semi-sheer peachy shade with gold shimmers.
Meloncholy is a lot brighter that in the picture. It's really...coral orange.

The lip lustres are supposed to work more like lip tints than lip glosses. They come with wand-like applicators and are scented in different flavours but I only remember a butter smell.

They are a little too runny for my liking. They are almost liquid and when rubbed on the lips, there's this slippery feeling that I didn't like. Flavor of the day was not very distinctly visible on the lips but it gives a metallic finish on the lips that I like. I don't see a huge difference between the 2 except Meloncholy was brighter and more orange.

I doubt I will buy the Lip Lustres in full sizes again. They have really nice colours and packaging but don't seem to last on me. Maybe applying lip glosses will work better.

If you are interested, definitely check out their site. You get free shipping for USD$20 of orders. Shipping time may take very long as they are famous for taking their time. I did get my haul faster than I expected so maybe they are better now. Be prepared to wait though. Usually they will update how fast their processing is on the website.

One more thing! Sometimes you just can't log in their website. It's most annoying so have a little patience. I had lots of hiccups getting in my orders that I almost gave up but I'm so so glad I did order these in the end.

My First MAC Blush

2009-08-22T02:31:00.005+08:00

I finally got my first MAC item. Couldn't resist the 25% sale a few months ago. This came in late because it was specially air-flown over by a darling angel. -coughs- -wide grins-

I bought 2 items but the MSF I wanted was out of stock. It was all right because I ended up spending on something else instead. So anyway, here's the MAC blush in Style that I got.

Style is described as "Coral-peach with gold pearl (Frost)" on MAC website. First impression was it really looks that unimpressive as the picture I posted. It looks like a boring orange peach. It doesn't really look like a coral to me.

I would describe Style as a sheer coral-toned peach with gold shimmers (or frost) in it. The frosty finish is rather hard to describe. It's a mixture of a shimmery and satin finish where you see the shimmers but they are muted and not loud, giving it a nice subtle sheen on the face. I don't find it very pigmented on my NC25-30 yellow toned skin. I piled on quite a bit and really don't find it as pigmented as some have reviewed it to be on MakeupAlley.com. I guess it works differently on different people. It goes on like a subtle peachy glow, very natural. I just put this on and it makes my face look so fresh and awake. It's super gorgeous. Really am loving it.

I'm kind of glad I chose this over Peaches (true matte peach) which I really wanted to get. Think coral blushes suit me better than peach blushes. I love the glow that Style gives.

Is this the start of a MAC blush addiction? Heh. :p

Review: E.L.F Studio Complexion Perfection and Bronzers

2009-08-18T01:27:00.006+08:00

Here's some goodies I got from the E.L.F 50% sale. Couldn't resist getting more from the E.L.F Studio range. :P

The ELF Complexion Perfection compact contains 4 corrector colours:

Yellow (for correcting purple eye circles)
Blue (for highlighting or correcting orange bruises)
Green (for correcting any redness and neutralising red acne scars)
Pink (for correcting green veins or eye circles and providing complexion with a radiant glow)

You can actually get more colours by mixing. For instance, you can get purple by mixing blue with pink. Purple can be used as a highlighter and dusted all over to make the face look less sallow.

The powder is very fine and sheer. They don't give much colour when swatched. The yellow shade is too sheer for correcting my dark eye circles. Would probably use it to dust over the area after using another concealer/corrector. I couldn't really find a use for the blue shade so didn't try that. (Think I'll try the purple trick next time.) The pink shade gave a mild radiant glow which was all right. I was however, surprised by the green shade. The green is very sheer so it needs a bit of piling before it works on the redness from my acne that I was trying to get rid of. I packed it on with an eyeshadow brush and it blends beautifully. It did not give me full coverage but the redness was neutralised by at least half without leaving an ugly green patch, which most green correctors usually do. I actually really like it and think I would use it the most.

If you blend all the 4 colours together, you get an almost white powder that can be used all over the face. It helps to neutralise colours that shouldn't be there and make your face look more radiant. I tested it on the face without any makeup on. It goes on sheer without much coverage. The finish was nice, somewhat satin-ish. I did notice my face look a little bit brighter and healthier.

Overall, I'm think I might repurchase this product. It's not superbly good but it's still fun to have. The green shade did come in handy for me but I'm not sure it's going to work for those who have plenty of redness in their skin since it's sheer. If you feel you have a lot of correcting (of redness or for correcting dark eye circles) to be done, you might be better off looking for another alternative compact/concealer that provides better coverage. However, if you just want to try out what a corrector compact (or complexion perfection compact as named by E.L.F) is like or you would like your correctors and loose powder to be in one compact for convenience, this could be what you are looking for.

From Left: Warm Bronzer, Golden Bronzer

The ELF Studio Bronzers are so pretty. I really like these (a lot) but I actually don't have that much to say about these. They are very shimmery and pigmented. I've swatched them side by side for comparison's sake but I don't see a huge difference in colours between them except the Warm Bronzer is a little darker than the Golden Bronzer. ( The Golden Bronzer doesn't look as dull in real life as in the photo I posted. My camera washes it out. It's still pretty with shades of gold and browns.)

I really like these but I think they are too shimmery to contour the face. They are however, very nice to use as highlighters/bronzers to dust on your cheekbones or all over to give it a sunkissed glow. They are shimmery when swatched but when on the face, it gives it a nice glow (with the shine but without the shimmer bits). I prefer Golden Bronzer as it's the lighter of the two and suits my skintone better. Warm Bronzer would probably suit you if you are slightly darker with more of a medium to dark skintone.

For more photos/swatches of these, you can check out this link. I know the blush in the Warm Bronzer looks really peachy in the swatches photos in the link but mine's not really the same. Mine's more shimmery than pigmented.

And oh, if they don't work as a bronzer for you, you can use them as eyeshadows too. I've tried. They don't go on as smooth as real eyeshadows but with a sticky base, it shouldn't be a problem. ^.^ (I love multi-functional products.)

SN Mix #02

2009-08-12T12:56:00.002+08:00

SN Mix #02

2 scoops of premix (Yellow corrector + Buttery Yellow + Medium Ivory)
1 scoop of Buttery Yellow base
0.5 scoop of Glow
4 scoops of Medium Coverage Ivory

Review: NYX Concealer in A Jar

2009-08-10T18:14:00.010+08:00

Here's a review for NYX Concealer in a Jar. I have been using these for months so I think it's time for a review!

Got the picture from Google Images.

Previous hotlinked images to NYX were removed several times.

It all started when I searched a frantic search for the perfect undereye concealer. I figured all my other liquid/stick drugstore concealers weren't really doing anything for me. So I decided to find a creamy concealer which would ensure better coverage for my dark eye circles. And so I found NYX!

NYX Concealer in A Jar has a total of 9 concealer shades (that's a huge variety). They also have 3 colour correctors shades, namely Yellow, Green and Lavender. These concealers/correctors come in a glass jar. It's almost a 5g sample jar size except the glass is extremely thick, making it look bigger.

Currently, I'm using Beige for my undereye circles. I also have 2 correctors: Yellow and Green.

Beige is a slightly darker match for my NC25-30 skin. I prefer using a slightly darker undereye concealer shade as I think it works better in terms of coverage. I hate it when I was pushed to buy lighter concealer shades by sales assistants and ended up making my dark eye circles look ashy instead. Would describe Beige as a medium beige concealer with lots of yellow in it. (The picture I posted was not taken by me but it certainly looks like Beige in that picture.) It was perfect for me to use for concealing. The consistency is very creamy (not dry creamy but smooth creamy) and very easy to blend. Of course it would still cake and show off your fine lines if you pile on a lot so you just got to use it moderately. I really like that it's buildable and gives good amount of coverage.

I must say I really love it!

I've tried it for concealing acne and such but I don't think it's as good as compared to using it to conceal. It doesn't last as long for me. Moreover, this concealer contains mineral oil. I wouldn't really advise it for using it to conceal pimples as it might just irritate it instead if your skin is very sensitive towards mineral oil.

The correctors, however, were a disappointment for me. They are not bad but not what I expected. I wished they were a little deeper in colour.

Yellow is meant for correcting dark eye rings. It's a bright pastel yellow shade. When applied, it sheers out but on my eye circles, it comes off as a whitish patch. It doesn't really does much for me nor neutralises the purples tones in my eye circles. It certainly goes the job of brightening the eye area but I wouldn't use it alone. I think it would be better for those with fairer skintones as the "whitish patch" wouldn't be as obvious.

Green was a recent purchase. It is meant for neutralising redness in the face. It's a minty green shade. I used this on my acne just to see if it helps in reducing redness. My verdict is you really need to use just a minimal amount or the greenness would be obvious on the face. I'm not a fan after using it as I find it too much of a hassle. And maybe I shouldn't be using something with mineral oil on my acne (I'm sensitive to it.). But I think this would be great for those with rosacea problems and really want to neutralise all the redness on their face.

That's about it. Overall, I still like these concealers. Mineral oil bugs me at times but for the price, it's really worth it. I can't remember the price but I believe it's 5 USD or even less during sales. If you are really in need of a concealer, this product is definitely worth a try.

For swatches of the NYX concealers, try looking through youtube. :)

New Hauls: NYX Eyeshadow Palettes

2009-08-09T02:39:00.009+08:00

So here's the little surprise I just got a few days ago. The new NYX palettes! I only ordered 3. Am wondering if it's enough so whether I should get more. :D hee.

So far I've been excited over these.

I got NYX Runway Collection in Champagne & Caviar, Versus and NYX For Your Eyes Only in For Eye Colour Brown.

The palettes came with a cardboard box packaging. It's pretty neat as the colours are coded at the sides so it's still easier for you to find them even you store them in those cardboard boxes. The compact is in black shiny plastic, not like the matte plastic the NYX trios come in. It's definitely very sleek looking. These palettes were smaller than I imagined to be or from what the photos I've seen online. But it's a pretty handy size for putting into your handbag and purses.

NYX Runway Collection: Champagne & Caviar

NYX Runway Collection: Versus

NYX For Your Eyes Collection: For Eye Colour Brown

Have played with these palettes and they are definitely pigmented and very easy to blend. They show up even without using a primer or cream base. But I would still advise using one to make the colours show even more. Very pleased with them.

Most of the colours work for me except one or two which didn't work or come off right. I do feel that some colours belong to NYX's single eyeshadow colours. So if you already own a lot of their single/trio eyeshadows, you might want to compare whether you have same colours in your stash. Overall, I think they are really good buys for their prices. :D

I'll probably do a detailed review another day. There are quite a few details which need me to focus like colour description (oh...big headache) and I really can't focus now.

In case you are wondering about the size again, here's a comparison made between NYX trio eyeshadow, NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil and the palette. It's about the length of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil.

For locals Singaporeans who don't know how long a Jumbo Eye Pencil is, it's about the size of the famous ZA 2-way foundation blue compact. :) Just a weeny smaller and slimmer. :)

Help that helps.

Added:

Link to swatches here. I swear you would want everything after going through i.

Happiness is....

2009-08-05T16:34:00.001+08:00

Got my NYX package and another surprise waiting for me in my mailbox. So happy today! :D

Review: E.L.F Studio Brushes

2009-07-25T04:14:00.008+08:00

I've gotten a couple of the E.L.F Studio brushes and I've tried my best to take pictures. As they are black, it's really extremely hard to capture any details. I'm skipping photos for these. I think they show up better on E.L.F site. :(

Overall, I really like these brushes. They are made of taklon and I think they're really neat and not poorly made. They're worth every penny paid. (Oh my god, I just realised they have new brushes again! -.-) So if you have a chance to pick them up, don't hesitate. At least pick up the first two brushes mentioned below. The Complexion brush and Powder brush are must-gets. They are so cheap and so useful.

Powder Brush
This is a flat-top brush that's slightly flared out. It's very soft and dense. It's very good for applying mineral foundation and very easy to buff it out on the face. Also good for anything that needs blending. I find it similiar to Everyday Minerals Flat Top brush just that EDM's brush is more dense and it isn't flared. Personally I prefer ELF's version as EDM's flat top brush has been irritating my skin. This has taken over as my favourite flat top brush after using it.

Complexion Brush
Oh. This is one of my favourites too. It's a dome shaped fluffy brush. It's not a rounded brush if you look at it from the top. It's just a flat brush (from the sides) like The Body Shop blush brush, but more fluffy at the top. It's super soft on the face and I love it. I find it good for when you need a light dusting of loose powder all over the face or when applying blush or bronzer. I like using this, especially for pigmented mineral blushes (mineral blush that comes in loose powder form which can be a pain to work with if I use the TBS blush brush, as the brush is slightly flatter and would cause all the blush powder to stick together). It'll go onevenly on the brush and go on light-handed on the face like a sheer blush. Perfect!

Concealer Brush

The ELF Studio Concealer Brush is just flat and dense. I find it really good for applying and blending creamy concealers.

Small Angled Brush
This brush head is really small. I think it's half the size or maybe two-third of the size of a normal small angled brush. It worked decently in applying gel-liners or for using it to apply eyebrow powder to the brows. It can also be used to line eyeshadow along the corners or along the lower lids. I really like it for applying gel-liners. What I hate about this is the handle is really long so it's a hassle to keep.

I still have a couple more brushes which I haven't tried. Will get to it and continue with part 2. ;)

Tips: Application for Different Eye Shapes

2009-07-15T02:12:00.008+08:00

I've been experimenting with the "defining your crease" method on my eyes.
It was all right. It worked for some colours but when I go a little darker on the colours, it got messy. Still trying hard to grasp it.

I don't think it really suits all Asians' eyes (-gives face-).

But if you are interested, here's a pretty good read on it..

Bookmarked from here!

There are 6 basic eyeshapes:

Almond/average Deep Set
Prominent
Wide Set
Close set
Hooded

Then i feel there are a couple more to add that i feel are also pretty basic that i will also throw in:

Small
Asian
Down set

Identification: Looking straight ahead with head straight forward (not tilted up or down) the classifications are as follows.

Almond/Average eyes: this also known in the beauty world as the "perfect eye shape". Basically the proportions of your eye are the ideal quantity of 1/3 lid and 2/3 brow area. So in the mirror if the amount of lid seen is 1/3 of the rest of the eye area above the crease you have almond eyes. Also there is little drooping of the upper or lower lid... like the shape of an almond!

Deep set eyes: with this type of eye, you commonly see that the eye is set back farther into the socket and the brow is extended farther out away from the face. The crease is deep set and often times when you close one eye the crease can still be seen.

Prominent eyes: Many text books call this shape "bulging" eyes but i greatly dislike that term... so i just like to say that with this shape your eyes are the most prominent feature of your face! Usually the eyes protrude from the socket slightly more than most eyes... a great way to determine if you have this eye shape is to place a pencil or brush vertically across your eyebrow and letting it rest on your cheek... if your eye can touch it (or in my case i cant even get the pencil to rest on my cheek without my eye being in the way) you have prominent eyes. In the same sense if your eye doesn't come close to touching the pencil (or your eyelashes bat it) then you have deep set eyes!

Wide set and close set eyes: Basically everyone is a little wide set or close set... no one has perfectly spaced eyes... but the way you determine whether you are a little wide set or close set is to see if you can fit the length of one of your eyes in between your eyes. Odd sounding i know but take your pinky finger and hold it horizontally under your eye... it should be the same legnth from the tip of your pinky finger to the middle knuckle (not the one closest to your nail or the one closest to your hand) as your eye! then set that across your nose. Line up with the pink of one eye. If your knuckle overlaps the other eye, you are slightly close set, if you have space to spare you have wide set eyes!

Hooded eyes: Unfortunately we all need to know how to apply makeup to this shape generally because it's the shape of mature eyes... in other words as you get older your eyes will start to have this shape. This eye shape is classified as having a fold of eye skin that usually hides the crease diminishing the lid (when looking forward) or all together hides the lid and touches the lash line.

Other types:
Small eyes: usually the eye appears smaller in comparison to the proportions of the face... Usually these eye shapes have little to no crease.
Asian eyes: Not to be confused with small eyes. Asian eyes still have a crease however the lid area is half the size or width of almond eye shapes.
Down set eyes: Also known as "droopy" eyes, the outer corners usually tilt upward for most eye shapes, however with this eye shape the outer corners of the eyes slant downward in a "droopy" fashion... but never fear, this is one of the easiest and most dramatic of fixes!

Application Techniques:

Remember the one rule of thumb- lighter colors bring features forward and into focus, while dark colors push features back and diminish lines.

Almond: This eye shape can pull off any look however the most flattering look for this shape would be a smudged smokey look. Eyeliner on top and bottom smudged to blur and neutral medium shadows for the lid.

Deep set: This eye shape needs little contouring... so though you shouldn't wear too dark of shadows or go heavy with the liner, you can however pull off almost any color! For these ladies i'd suggest liners in many shades like gold, silver, blues and greens. Try to avoid a lot of blacks and dark browns. If you just can't part from the dark liner, be sure to only apply a very thin line to the lashes or just stick to the waterline. Remember the darker colors will only make deep set eyes look even more recessed than they are... light colors will bring them forward and balanced.

Prominent eyes: This eye shadow technique is all about making the lid more diminished. Darker eyesahdows are your friend and will minimize the "bulging-ness" of the eye. However use caution. NEVER go above the natural crease or you will end up with deep set eyes. Also with most prominent eye shapes, the under eye area can cast a shadow making it appear as though you have under eye cirlces, so be sure to stick close to the lash line.

Wide set eyes: with wide set eyes you want to create the illusion that your eyes are closer by creating a crease and liner that widens as it gets closer to the eye. So you want to stay away from cat eye looks and keep the crease color to a minimum at the outer edges of the eye.

Close set eyes: Application is just the opposite! Liner and crease should widen as you reach the outer corners of the eye. Cat eye looks are the perfect answer for this!

Hooded eyes: for many women the technique may seem daunting but as long as you keep to the rule, application will be a breeze! Keep lighter shades at the lash line and under the brow. Medium shades at the inner 1/3 of the lid... and forget the natural crease... apply darker crease colors only on the skin that seems to "hood" over the rest of your lid and blend well... this dramatically diminishes the part of the eye that seems to sag over your lid.

Small eyes: soft looks are the best when it comes to small eyes... dark colors just close the eye area and often lead to making the eyes look even smaller. Use brighter colors and contour with soft shades above the natural crease... this gives the illusion of open bright eyes.

Asian eyes: Liner is your friend! Just make sure its thinner in the center and widens at the outer and inner edges. Keep the colors bright and apply neutral shade for contour at the inner corners of the lid add dimension.

Down set eyes: Lift outer corners by applying shadows and liners that move in upward motion away from the downward edge of the eye... make liner much thicker at the ends and blend crease color into what would be a cat eye on most other eye shapes. add balance by contouring the inner corner of the lid with a darker shadow effect (unless eyes are also close set)

ETA: Now deep set eyes and hooded eyes most likely won't touch the pencil on the pencil method, however the main difference is determined on if the lid becomes covered by the skin above the crease... More often than not hooded eyes will cover 1/3 to over half of the lid when looking forward.

And remember ladies this all just a guideline! All eye shapes are beautiful and when make up is applied right every eye shape can be enhanced!

Other entries:
1. Tips: Eyeliner and Eyeshadow for Different Eye Shapes

Review: E.L.F Studio Blush & Bronzer Compact

2009-07-12T22:20:00.011+08:00

Another E.L.F haul. Finally got it. So happy with it.

I bought a couple more brushes but I keep forgetting to take pictures of those. I'll try to do a post on E.L.F STUDIO brushes as soon as I can. :D

And I finally got the USD$1 Eyeshadow Blending brush. It is amazingly soft. I used to blend with those normal eyeshadow brush and would get irritated over it cos it seemed to scratch my eyelids so much. I was starting to worry about saggy eyelids. Worry no more. I can use this. It actually looked better than I saw in pictures. I wonder if they change the way it's made.

And I also bought E.L.F STUDIO Blush and Bronzer Compact, the Translucent Matt Powder and the Eyebrow Kit in Dark.

The packaging is really nice. These come in cardboard boxes and when you open it, you'll see a piece of black cardboard paper keeping the compacts in place. The compacts are very smooth and sleek. However, they are a pain to open. They are not made like those drugstore 2-way foundation compacts where a push in the button will unlock the clasp and the compact will open easily. For these compacts, you have to exert some force to "force" it open. :\

The mirror for the bigger compacts is a good size. However, I was a little disappointed with the size of the pans in the compacts. They look a lot bigger in the cardboard boxes above or other photos posted online. They are actually smaller than the size of the pans for drugstore 2-way foundation(think ZA, L'Oreal, Maybelline). The blush and bronzer duo is still all right for the size (I guess). But no wonder people feel cheated when they bought the translucent matt powder (since the size of it looks like it wouldn't last long).

The Contouring blush and bronzer powder in Blushed/Bronzed is gorgeous. It looks darker in real life. It looks like a peach blush but I don't think it really is. Have tested both and the blush is really really gorgeous. I think maybe it is a coral peach with gold shimmers that are not over the top. Very natural for everyday. It's pigmented and yet I didn't overdo it with my The Body Shop blush brush (I always overdo it if I use it on pigmented blushes). I don't have NARS blushes so I don't know how this compares to them. However I have a few NARS Orgasm's dupes like Majolica Majorca Blush in RD255 (which is my favourite blush!) and The Body Shop Cheek Blush in 04 Golden Pink (which I bought because of this review but it didn't turn up well on my cheeks). I did a swatch with the 3 of them but photos didn't turn up well. (sighs) Basically they look like they come from the family with the same amount of golden shimmers in the following order from lightest to darkest: TBS blush in 04, Majolica Majorca in RD255, ELF Studio Blush duo.

04 Golden Pink didn't turn up much with one swipe that's why it's the lightest. :P

A significant difference between Majolica Majorca Blush in RD255 and ELF Studio Blush duo is the former is more peachy while ELF Studio Blush is darker and obviously more reddish.

Majolica Majorca Blush in RD255 used to be my favourite blush ever since I got it because it's so wearable everyday. But what I don't like about it is that it does not give me enough of a glow. Now my favourite is ELF Studio Blush! Holy Grail!

If you are not interested in reddish blush, you might want to consider Milani Blush in Luminous, another NARS dupe which I heard is more pinkish. :) I have not bought it yet, not yet. ;P

As for the bronzer, it is really quite a dark shade. It's super pigmented. I think it's more suitable for those with skintone NC30 and above. I'm between NC25-NC30 and it's super obvious on my face. But I think I still might be able to use it if I'm super light-handed. I would recommend getting the E.L.F STUDIO Complexion Brush for bronzer as it's pretty good for applying pigmented blushes or bronzers and making them appear more sheer. I haven't tried it on the bronzer yet but it works pretty well for my pigmented blushes.

Overall I think this is a pretty good buy. Get it if you are interested! I think it should be a flattering shade for most ladies. It might not work as well for those who are too fair (since it's darker than in the photo I posted).

Reviews of the other 2 compacts will be done when I've tried it.

And I just realised E.L.F Studio released new products on their site again -bangs wall-

New on Shelves: NYX Eyeshadow Palettes

2009-07-07T16:16:00.011+08:00

NYX has new items up on shelves. And they are eyeshadow palettes (There are new single eyeshadow shades, lippies and pigments but I'm not really interested at the moment. lol.). Pretty palettes with 5-10 shades in it. And at a very good price.

The Carribbean Collection - 5 Color Palette

The Runway Collection & For Your Eyes Only - 10 Color Palette

I'm wanting these so bad. The prices look so tempting.

I've strayed to look for other sites selling NYX at better prices since there was feedback that MsCuppycakes.com is currently taking longer to sending out packages as they are experiencing higher business traffic flow.

Prices on this site really looks good. (Click banner for site)

NYX Runway Collection (removed link)

NYX Eyeshadow For Your Eyes Only (removed link)

NYX Eyeshadow Carribean Collection (removed link)

I've not tried ordering from that site yet but prices for some of the items I'm interested in are cheaper than Cherry Culture or MsCuppyCakes. Well, it looks good until you hit the "checkout" button and click "shipping to Singapore". Then you'll start wondering how the shipping rates are generated. That's the part where I got bummed whether or not to order.

If you are based in USA, you are in for a treat for there's free shipping for orders above USD$50. -sulks-

If you are not, like me, what should I do?

I need a solution. :(

Free stuff: Kao Laurier F. Sample Pack

2009-07-05T03:14:00.003+08:00

If you are interested to try it, you can redeem it here. It's free! :)

Can't review it lah because I don't think anyone is interested in a sanitary pad review. :P

Review: Jason Natural Vitamin E Oil 5000IU

2009-07-04T03:49:00.003+08:00

I purchased this product after reading endless raves about it on Everyday Minerals forum.

It's supposedly all organic, containing 5 different types of oil.

Ingredients:
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, and/or Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil*, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Natural Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Triticum vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Lecithin, Essential Oil Blend. *Certified Organic

You can read this for more information.

This product doesn't look like an oil. It seems really watery in the bottle. The cap is terribly frustrating to work with. It's those cap where you just press one edge and the other edge will pop up for you to pour it out. However, the oil doesn't come out that smoothly. And when it does, it overflows and gets the cap oily.

It smells really good. It smells of sweet almond oil, a really nice sweet scent. When I used it, I just pour a drop or two, rub it in my palms and pat it gently all over my face. And because we're in Singapore, I was advised to spritz some toner before using any form of oil. So I spritzed a lot and used the oil on my cleansed face.

It goes on really well, oily but you wouldn't feel your face is greasy to the touch. I do feel the skin is plumped. I used it on and off for a while now and my verdict is....

It is overrated.

Although this Vitamin E oil works all right as a moisturiser, it doesn't seem to improve my complexion. I don't feel any different. Definitely not as miraculous as the other ladies raving about it in the forum. And I did end up with breakouts. I haven't gotten new acne in a while and this Vitamin E oil left me with a new pimple after each use. :(

I headed back to the forum to look at the thread again and suddenly I saw a few other ladies having the same problem. There was a discussion regarding the ingredients and apparently wheat germ oil is rated as HIGHLY comodogenic and rated a 5 out of 5 (List of acne causing ingredients).

I wanted to scream :( at myself for not doing my homework.

I had wanted to try this Vitamin E oil to see whether it was really that miraculous and it disappointed me greatly. I had wanted to see whether it would help with fading scars but I don't see any improvement.

So the answer is clear. Do not get it.

This has probably worked for ladies in cold dry climates but I've given it enough chances. Getting your pores clogged is not fun. I can't deny I love the feeling of it on the face but I'm never going to try it on the face anymore. I've even tried dabbing it under my eyes to see whether it helps to "reduce fine lines" as claimed. I ended up with milla seeds about to surface. :(

Think it would be banish it into Cold Palace. Or probably just use it on my neck or body. I'll update again if anything miraculous happen.

New Hauls: The Body Shop Atrium Sale

2009-07-04T03:32:00.005+08:00

Went to The Body Shop Atrium Sale and picked these up.

Wanted to stock up my Tea Tree Oil Facial Wash as it's running low. Luckily they have it. It's a full size. I think it can last me a while.

Tea Tree Oil Facial Wash - $16.90 with 30% off
Wild Cherry & Passion Fruit Shower Gel - 2 for $14.90

Guess it's a pretty good deal. I almost bought it off their stores at 20% off instead. :P

Oh, and Wild Cherry smells wonderful. I thought Passion Fruit was nice but Wild Cherry is way better. Can't wait to use it. I don't find their shower gels particularly moisturizing or whatever. I just love the scent. Currently using the Strawberry Shower Gel, which just keeps me happy everyday.

And I miscalculated so my purchases weren't over $30 so I didn't get the stamp. Boo.

If you are a The Body Shop member, you would know why you get obsessed with their products. Their membership and "collecting stamps" system makes you addicted to buying them whenever you see a sale.

I'm lemming for something from their Hot Brights Summer collection. Waiting for a discount in stores or a voucher to drop my way.

Review: Joppa Minerals Lip Twist in Melon Crush

2009-07-02T23:10:00.007+08:00

Had a swop with a forumer for this tinted lip balm - Joppa Minerals Lip Twist in Melon Crush. (And she gave me a bunch of stuff too. :) Thank you. :P)

The ingredient list alone makes it sound yummylicious.

Ingredients: Caster Oil, Iron Oxide, Mica, Bees Wax, Candelia Wax, Avacado Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Oil, Titantium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Carnuba Wax, Cranberry Seed Oil, Olive Squaline Oil, Liquid Silk, Vitamin E, Essential Oil Blend, Grapefruit Seed Extract

As you can see from the packaging, it's very much a homemade lip balm. Like someone just poured heated lip balm in it and let it cool. I've checked the whole tube and found a dent in the balm, so don't expect it to be perfectly made as there's bound to be errors (or bubbles trapped) when they cool the balm in the tube.

Upon opening the cap, I cringed. This Lip Twist doesn't smell all that good to me. It has this "wood"-ish smell. Something like perhaps how musk fragrances smell. Or maybe not. It annoys me quite a bit because I've never dealt with lip balms smelling like that. I've checked the ingredient list several times but still couldn't figure out why it smells that way. Wish they could change the smell of it. I think the evem the Joppa Minerals Tinted Concealer Base smelt better. (That one smells like shea butter.)

This Lip Twist goes on really smoothly for me. The colour looks dark but on my lips, it's like a muted rosey shade. There's this blue-toned pink iridescence in this lip twist which initially I was annoyed about. But after wearing it for minutes, I fell in love with the colour. The iridescence was visible on the lips but it didn't make it look that bad. It gives my lips a really nice shine. It wasn't loud and is very natural like I've got healthy plumped lips. Plus the lip twist is very moisturising and goes on really well. It's almost like a lipstick and lip balm. :D

Overall, I loved it despite the "wood"-ish smell. I can bear with the smell since it doesn't linger too long. I would purchase it again if there are nicer colours. Melon Crush was like the neutral lip colour among the rest. If you want something more visible, opt for the darker shades. I find the price of it at USD $7 steep. Sit out and wait for Joppa sales before grabbing this. :)

Review: NYX Blushes

2009-06-27T01:23:00.012+08:00

These are some of the NYX blushes I bought during 50% NYX sale and what I owned before that. Yes I bought all 3 types of blushes they have: - Mosaic Powder, Powder Blush and Rouge Cream Blush. I'm loving all of them. Can't decide which I like more. One thing's for sure. I'm not done. I still want more. :P

From left: NYX Mosaic Powder in Dare and Rosey

Dare is a coral shade. It's very pretty with some shimmery browns/bronze along with the coral shade in it. Very pigmented and gives a very pretty glow on my face.

Rosey is a medium pink shade. There's a light pink, rosey pink, purple shades in the compact. The overall turnout is really just a vibrant rosey pink shade, which I find it a bit hard to wear. It can turn out to be quite loud when you overdo it. Would probably try using the colours separately as blush. You would need a smaller brush as the compact looks big in the picture but in real life, you would find it to be smaller and harder to just dab on single shade.

For the two mosaic blushes above, they will just turnout like the top rightmost shades.

From left: NYX Mosaic Blush in Peachy and Highlighter

Peachy contains shades like a beige, peach, brown, bronze as illustrated in the photo. The turnout is just a natural flush on the face, which I would say is good for everyday when you don't feel like wearing pink/peach/red cheeks.

Highlighter contains shades like a yellow, pink, purple, white. It is a highlighter for the face, not really a blush. The turnout is really nice, giving a soft focus to where you dust it. It's not really translucent as you can see a little bit of whiteness. Probably would not recommended for darker tone girls. I really like this a lot. :)

Overall, the NYX Mosaic Powders did not disappoint. The blushes look smaller in real life as compared to pictures you see online. I'm not sure why. It could be the mosaic prints playing tricks on the eyes. These are pigmented, but they are also very powdery so it can be a mess after swirling to get a good mix. Some people find it chalky but I don't really think so. Like I've said earlier, you can try using a smaller blush brush to use the shades separately. Haven't really done that so I can't review.

The mosaic powders can be used as eyeshadows too. I've tried it with Dare and it works well. Definitely pigmented enough to be used this way. Pinks and oranges blushes might not work that well as eyeshadows because I doubt most people can carry them off as eyeshadow shades. You can consider getting the brown shades in the Mosaic Blush collection to double as bronzer and eyeshadows. I'm not really interested in the browns in this range so I can't review those. :P

From left: NYX Powder Blush in Pinky and Peach

Pinky is this bright hot fuchsia pink. I feel it is too cool-toned pink for me. It did not work for my yellow toned skin. Looks really off. I have tried it very light hand but it doesn't work. Not recommended for very yellow toned girls. It doesn't go well with yellow. :\

Peach is a very pretty peachy pink. I read it off another blog that it is recommended for Asian ladies so I had to get it. It is such a pretty colour. It's like the most perfect peachy pink I've seen. I like this a lot for it really gives me a nice glow.

Overall, the NYX powder blushes did not disappoint too. They are very pigmented and also very powdery. They are definitely not chalky compared to the NYX Mosaic blushes. As I don't like my blush to show up very obviously, I don't really need to use a lot. I love both colours in the compacts although only Peach suited me better. They look really gorgeous. I'm lemming for more shades from this range.

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Rose Petal

I bought this with the intention of using this as a cream blush base to make my powder blushes stay longer. Haven't tried it that way yet. NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Rose Petal is the lightest shade in the range so I picked it up. I thought it would be a soft earthy pink, like a rose petal shade. But when swatched, it's just pink. The shade wasn't that bad but it was not what I pictured. When applied on the cheeks, it's very easy to blend and colour is buildable. That's a plus point for me for it's so easy to use. It's something that wouldn't go wrong since you can pile it sheer and build it up another layer if you want a more intense colour. Super easy to use.

I'm lemming for more NYX Rouge Cream blushes too but as cream blushes have a shorter shelf life compared to powder blushes, I don't suggest going excessively crazy over it since they expire faster. Would probably just get one more next time and that's it. :P

If you haven't tried these blushes, what are you waiting for? For their pigmentation level and the price you pay, it's very value for money. Get these if you are ok with powdery blushes that might be a mess.

For swatches of the NYX Powder Blushes, you can check this site.

Free stuff: Breathe Right Samples

2009-06-17T05:32:00.002+08:00

I think I better blog fast before it's gone.

Fr3b.com is giving away free Breathe Right samples. It's FREE.

Fr3b is a site where you can earn points and claim free samples (but you have to pay for postage). To be honest, I haven't used my points yet because I'm too lazy to top up postage. For this time, they will giving these samples free of charge. You don't have to top up postage. Just sign up and it'll turn up in your mail box.

Just log in. If you haven't joined, click the banner below.

At the account page, you'll see the link to claiming the sample. If you cant find it, look under their "Blog" section for details.

If you have no idea what Breathe Right is for, it's for relieving snoring or nasal congestion. I've been curious about this product. It's a long story.

Anyway, I just got my package today and they gave me 2 pieces of samples in small-medium. :\ Actually I got it for my father so I was hoping for a large. No idea how you are supposed to answer the questionnaire (in order to get the samples) in the right manner to get the right size. Maybe I'll use it for my blocked nose.

And oh, enclosed in the package is a $1 off coupon due to expire by the end of June 2009. So if you are interested in this product, what are you waiting for?

Tips: Disinfecting Your Makeup

2009-06-13T18:15:00.003+08:00

There has been a lack of updates because I caught a flu and for weeks it doesn't seem to be getting better. Even made a few hauls to "make myself feel better" but I've received the packages but am still feeling

I don't really touch my makeup much lately because I think it's gross to do so when you're sick. Especially lip products.

Got interested reading up articles or watching videos on disinfecting makeup.

Bookmarked!
Source: http://noreenyoung.com/secrets3.shtml

Beauty Tool Cleanliness

When was the last time you cleaned your makeup and disinfected your brushes and beauty tools?

If the answer is never or last year. Listen up!

Makeup and brushes can make you prettier however, they can make you sick. Examples: Eye infections, skin conditions and lip sores and may bring you to an unexpected visit to the dermatologist.

You wouldn't eat three meals a day seven days, a week with the same used for, spoon or knife would you?

I share with you my personal recipes for keeping it all clean!

Let's start with cleaning off all your shelves where your beauty items live from day to day. Give those shelves, bins or cases a soap and water or Windex wash down at least once a month. Wipe down all mirrors in compacts and eye shadow kits, and your hand mirror too!

Next, sharpen all your eye and lip pencils and put them in the freezer overnight or a few hours. Why you ask? It will help them last longer! (Especially if you have left them in a hot car and they have lost their form.)

Next, wipe down your lipstick tubes (used portion only) with an alcohol sprayed paper towel.

Freeze them.
This practice also disinfects the lipstick tube. Suppose you had a fever blister or flu. You recover and you go back using the same gloss wand or lipstick tube. YUCK! Freeze your tired, melted or poor lipsticks need to recover from being left in a hot car too. This will firm them up and be easier to use as well as make them last longer.

Next, line up your powder blushes and eye shadow. Look for any oily buildup. They will look like little uneven road maps or small dark hard bumps. This is bacteria and an oily skin buildup. Sometimes this dilema does not allow your blush or shadow to smooth properly on your brush. Take a small h'orderve knife and gently scrape off the hard area. Throw the residue in garbage.

Now unto your makeup brushes (including ones inside the compacts or eye kits you get) line up your dirty brushes and one by clean them with a dime size amount of liquid soap swirling it in the palm of your hand. Rinse until all colored residue comes out. Gently squeeze with your fingers all the water out and pat dry with a paper towel. Avoid the handle or base of the brush you do not want the brush to get unglued! However, you can gently wipe down and disinfect the base with a paper towel and a dash of warm water.

Lastly, spray the brushes and a spray of rubbing alcohol. I like to keep it on hand with this mix. 50% rubbing alcohol and 50% distilled water in a spray bottle. I keep it at my vanity to do a quick disinfect of my brushes or tools. Rest on paper towel overnight with brush side hanging a bit of a counter top. Your brushes will dry faster with my professional recommendations and be fresh as a daisy for your use. Do this cleansing ritual once a week. Pretty please!

Wipe down with warm soap and water a dash of rubbing alcohol your tweezers, eyelash curler, nail clippers a and more!

Powder puffs, make up wedges, body sponges and loofahs all need the same love and attention. Makeup wands that have a sponge on a brush handle last longer but need to be cleaned like all the rest of your brushes.

GENTLEMEN: These tips are not just for girls there for you too! Once a month or every other week. Look over your tweezers, nail trimmers, nose clippers, hairbrushes and combs. They need the same attention to keeping it clean detail. So get going!