EevIsVain♡

MAC Melon Pigment

2012-01-06T22:44:00.000+11:00

MAC's Melon Pigment is described as a 'soft bright golden peach' colour. Great as a wash of colour all over the lids, also great as a highlight colour (on eyes and cheeks). It kinda has that duochrome quality of yellow and peachy gold.

Eyes: Melon + Brown on outer corners
Lips: Missha Creamy Matte Lip Rouge in PK01 + MAC Superglass in Disco Blend

Two other looks I have done using this pigment:

- Sky at Dusk
- Chinese New Year Inspired

MAC Old Gold

2011-11-07T22:36:00.000+11:00

L: MAC Old Gold on skin. R: MAC Old Gold on top of black eyeshadow.

MAC Old Gold is a very interesting pigment. It looks like tarnished gold in the jar, warm gold/warm brown (like duochrome) with olive/green reflects on skin. When applied on a dark base, the green is pushed forward. The darker the base, the green-er it shows.

Eyes: MAC Old Gold Pigment on top of black eyeshadow + Brown in crease

Lips: MAC Peachstock Lipstick + MAC Resort Life Lipgelee

MAC Morange

2011-11-04T18:58:00.000+11:00

MAC Morange is an Amplified Creme finish lipstick, described as a "loudmouth orange" by MAC. It applies smoothly and very opaque. In my opinion there's no other word that best describes this than INTENSE.

I was not entirely sure of this lipstick because I've never worn something so bold but after wearing it yesterday, I'm glad I got it. I absolutely love it.

With flash

Natural light

I got this together with Ruby Woo through Back2MAC. I can't wait to try that. A few important issues I realise after wearing orange lipstick:

- Contrary to red lipstick, orange lips make your teeth look yellow. Which explains why there aren't any teeth-baring pictures here. Make sure your teeth don't have the slightest stain. If all fails, just smile with your mouth closed.

- It can make you look pale. Make sure to have some bronzer or flush of warm-toned blush on your cheeks.

- The key is subtlety in the rest of the face - it gives a more youthful and fresh look. I barely have anything in my eyes (Only frosty eyeshadow to highlight) but I think it would look great too with a hint of eye makeup. Instead of liquid foundation, I only did a light dusting of mineral powder. If you have the skin for it, I'd say flaunt it and don't mask it.

Golden Gaze

2011-10-28T00:34:00.000+11:00

Eyes: MAC Golden Gaze Mineralize Eyeshadow (Semi Precious 2011)
Lips: MAC Creme de Nude
Cheeks: MAC Tan Tint Skinsheen Bronzer Stick (Surf Baby 2011)
Orange bit on my nose... too much bronzer on the brush >.< sorry!

How To: Audrey Hepburn Inspired Makeup

2011-08-08T22:00:00.000+10:00

Before I begin, I would like to give credits to the amazing Lisa Eldridge for putting up such a fantastic makeup tutorial inspired by Audrey Hepburn's makeup in Breakfast at Tiffany.

I am quite embarassed to say that I am not familiar with Audrey Hepburn (heard of the name but if you were to show me picture of her I wouldn't know it's her) and I have never watched Breakfast at Tiffany. Having absolutely no clue, I was fascinated by the tutorial Lisa Eldridge put up. I really, really liked the look. It looks clean, sophisticated and not overdone.

So here's an Audrey Hepburn Inspired Makeup, inspired by Lisa Eldridge.

Unfortunately, I don't like how my brows and lips turned out. When I was done with the look, I googled Audrey Hepburn. The brows should be much darker and the lips not as light. I will most likely revisit. Sue Lynn suggested completing the look with an updo when I revisit. Hrmm I'm not good with hair but it might be fun trying :)

Face
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (I think...)
MAC Studio Finish Concealer
Lavshuca Loose Powder

MAC Powder Blush in Harmony (contour)

Cheeks
MAC Powder Blush in Her Blooming Cheeks

Eyes
Kate Undereyes Covering Concealer
MAC Eyeshadows in Print and Charcoal Brown (brows)
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
Wet & Wild Color Icon Palette in Lust
MAC Eyeshadows in Wedge, Charcoal Brown, Showstopper and Print
Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Liner
Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in Pure White (waterline), Wet & Wild Color Icon Palette in Greed to set
Bourjois Volumizer Mascara
Ardelle False Lashes

Lips
MAC Lipstick in Creme de Nude

How To: Matte Purple Eyes with Wet & Wild Lust Palette

2011-08-02T00:03:00.000+10:00

You don't need lots of brushes to create a look. In this look, I only used 2 brushes for the eye makeup. If I wanted to I could have gotten away with just 1. The key is to apply a little at a time. Keep the colours light and soft to minimize any mess, so that there is no need to clean up that much. Of course, it also helps a lot by using good eyeshadow.

I also did not use the lid + crease + outer V technique. It's more of just a gradient of colours from light to dark. Nothing wrong with either techniques, I just think sometimes with my eyes, I would rather not do any 'crease work' when I don't have much (crease) to begin with. Sometimes I think it makes the eye makeup too dramatic looking to my preference especially when purple can be quite a strong colour.

I hope the video helps.

Products used:

Face
Chanel Prolumiere Foundation
MAC Studio Finish Concealer
Lavshuca Loose Powder

Cheeks
MAC Skinsheen Bronzer Stick in Tan-Tint
MAC Blush Ombre in Azalea Blossom

Eyes
Kate Undereyes Covering Concealer
Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil in Ash Blond
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
Wet & Wild Color Icon Palette in Lust
Milani Liquif'eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencil in Black
Bourjois Volumizer Mascara

Lips
MAC Lipstick in Angel
Lancome Juicy Tubes in Violette

Look: Baroque

2011-07-29T23:52:00.000+10:00

- Bourjois Smoky Eyes Trio Eyeshadow in Baroque

- Revlon false lashes

- MAC Creme de Nude lipstick

- MAC Superglass lipgloss

Review: Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion (Black Brown)

2011-05-31T23:09:00.000+10:00

When Priceline was having a 50% off entire Cover Girl line promotion, I quickly snagged a couple of their mascaras because without the promotion they are kinda expensive.

I typically go for the classic black and waterproof formula when purchasing mascaras but this time I decided to go different and went with this non-waterproof mascara and picked up the black brown instead. No special reasons, just curious.

The claim:

The pros:

I love how it separates and lengthens really nicely. I did not curl my lashes prior to applying the mascara just to see how it fairs in terms of lifting the lashes and it actually curls them pretty decently. It gives my lashes some definition, making them more visible but not looking like I have 10 coats of mascara on. Another thing I really like is I can never go overboard with it. Usually at the 3rd coat of mascara, my lashes will start to look a little 'spider-y' and sometimes clumpy. Not with this mascara. And even with 3 coats my lashes still feel light and not crunchy.

The cons:

Unfortunately it doesn't hold the curls of my lashes when I curl them. The mascara weighs it down slightly. Another issue I face is sometimes at the end of a long day, I see tiny flakes of the mascara around my eye area. The wand is HUGE, not exactly fun to use for the lower lashes. As far as the volume it claims to give, I've never really experienced it.

Good to know:

This is the first brown mascara I've tried and I didn't know what to expect but I can say I would definitely use this for everyday because it is perfect for it. This is a non-waterproof formula and it comes off easily with water which I absolutely love. At the end of the day, I just want to take off everything and go to bed and I don't like to need to spend too much time removing my mascara. Then again, I need to be really careful when it rains and I can't wear this to watch a sad movie. The consistency is quite dry but it is not difficult at all to apply.

The conclusion:
If there's an amazing promotion again, I will definitely stock up on this one. It's great for everyday use. Otherwise, the retail price here in Australia is too much for what I'm willing to pay for. Afterall, it only lasts for 3 months.

Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion retails for AUD 18.95 at pharmacies and supermarkets but it sometimes go on sale. Otherwise, try Ebay as you might score it cheaper.

Look: Sky at Dusk Inspired

2011-05-23T15:09:00.000+10:00

Picture taken here

I haven't done a colourful look in a while. I wanted to do something coral just to match the coral, sheer flowy top I was wearing that day, went with the flow and this was how it turned out:

This was not inspired by the picture above, I was thinking about the beautiful sky at dusk I once saw which had oranges and purples. I first did the corals and gold without knowing what to add at the outer corners, and I suddenly thought of the sky at dusk and decided to go with purple. I googled "sky at dusk" and the above picture had the best resemblance of what I had in my mind.

Face:
Banila Co Prime Primer Matte
Nars Sheer Glow in Fiji
Lavshuca Loose Powder in Lucent
YSL Touche Eclat in No. 1

Brows:
Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil in Ash Blond
Ardell Brow Sculpting Gel in Brown

Eyes:
Kate Covering Concealer for Undereyes
MAC Paint Pot in Coral Crepe
Wet & Wild ColorIcon Palettes in Lust and Pride
MAC Pigment in Melon
Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Liner
Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in Pure White
Maybelline The Falsies Volum'Express Mascara in Blackest Black

Cheeks:
MAC Powder Blush in Harmony
MAC Powder Blush in Prim & Proper

Lips:
MAC Lipstick in Creme de Nude
YSL Rouge Volupte in No. 13

Review: Nivea Visage Refreshing Cleansing Wipes (for Normal & Combination Skin)

2011-05-03T13:32:00.000+10:00

I've never believed in using wipes solely to both remove makeup and cleanse the skin but I always have a pack around for lazy, headache-y or backache-y days when I cannot stand too long preparing my skin for sleep.

Also, I like to keep one in my bag. It's really handy during makeup shopping moments when I'll be swatching and testing like crazy in stores. Dry tissue doesn't take it all off sometimes.

I picked this one up without much thinking because the back of my hand was full of swatches, I ran out of cleansing wipes and I was already planning to get one anyway.

It claims to:

"Cleanse, tone and invigorate in one easy step. Removes make-up and waterproof mascara for a fresh skin feeling."

Here's my way of describing how I felt about this product when I first used it:

Takes a wipe out. "Hrm... tiny raised surface all over? Probably would take the make up off better."
Gently wipes my face. "So dry?"
Nevermind, continue wiping. Looks at it, nothing. Looks as clean as when it's pulled out from the package.
Rubs harder on the skin. "Ok.. now I see some colour but wth it feels rough on the skin."
Runs it across the lids. "Wth? Eyeshadow still there?"
Rubs harder. "Gosh it's so rough".

Of course, I haven't used it only once to come up with this review cos that would be unfair. I've used it twice. LOL I know, doesn't make any difference but honestly, I wouldn't wanna use it on my face again unless I'm REALLY tired.

Cons
I didn't like how the wipes aren't well soaked, they feel dry. And I assume because of that, it made me rub harder because I felt as though it didn't take off the makeup, hence the rough feeling on the skin. It felt even more uncomfortable on delicate areas like the eyes. I've never tried removing waterproof mascara but if they don't remove eyeshadows easily, I conclude it's not any easier to remove waterproof mascara. I've tried removing regular mascara though. It did the job but with quite some effort and rubbing.

Pros

The only good thing about this is it is supposedly packed with vitamins and natural lotus extract. Um.. I don't really know what's good about lotus extract but I'm just quoting what's on the packaging. Also, it's free of alcohol and the packaging seals securely. This product claims to be suitable for normal & combination skin. It was neither oily nor drying on the skin, which in my opinion is a good balance.

Good to know
Smells fresh, definitely scented. And if you don't cleanse your skin after using it, the scent does linger. Nivea at the moment makes 3 types of cleansing wipes for different skin needs: Normal and Combination Skin, Dry and Sensitive Skin, and Mature Skin. Here's a list of the ingredients for Normal & Combination Skin:

Aqua, Isopropyl Stearate, Nelumbium Speciosum Extract, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Methylisothiazolinone, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, *Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Parmum

*A little confused, in the package it says "Alcohol free", so Benzyl Alcohol is not alcohol? Please enlighten me, thanks!

**After squinting so hard to look into the tiny words in the package and struggling to type out all these uncommon chemical names, I saw the list of ingredients on the website where I could have just copied and pasted it here. =.= Great.

Conclusion
It does remove makeup but it takes quite some effort to do so. Uncomfortably. And I will not recommend using it alone to take off makeup without cleansing with a cleanser afterwards. ~~I've never tried cos I'm a chicken.~~ Tried it, BROKE ME OUT :( It left my skin in a balanced condition - neither oily nor dry - which is great but I wished the wipes could be made more moist, that would have made the product more likeable.

I will still use this but not on my face, it'll only be used to remove makeup I test at the back of my arm or wherever the swatch can be. I don't remember how much I paid for it, most probably around AUD 6-8 for 25 wipes, which I think is not worth the price at all. Definitely won't repurchase.

If after reading this anyone is still interested to try, I got this at Big W and this should be readily available in any supermarkets and leading pharmacies like Priceline.

Anybody has any cleansing wipes to recommend? I've only tried MAC and Biore and I really like both! The Biore one is definitely not available in Australia but MAC's pricing here is kinda steep.

Look: Sunnydazed

2011-04-27T22:45:00.000+10:00

I feel... crippled without my camera T_T Still waiting for my charger to arrive. Here's a look I did one fine day. On my lids is MAC Sunnydaze pigment which I got from one of those sets of mini pigments MAC releases every end of the year. I'm pretty sure its limited edition. Its a metallic soft, cool taupe with silver pearls. Sometimes it appears silver-ish.

Face:
Banila Co Prime Primer Matte
Nars Sheer Glow in Fiji
Lavshuca Loose Powder in Lucent
MAC Harmony Matte Powder Blush
MAC By Candlelight Mineralize Skin Finish
Can't remember what blusher I used sorry!

Eyes:
Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil in Ash Blond
Kate Covering Concealer for Undereyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Sunnydaze pigment (used wet)
MAC Wedge, Charcoal Brown, Smoking and Brulee Eye Shadow
Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Liner
Maybelline The Falsies Volum'Express Mascara in Blackest Black

Lips:
Nothing!

It's pretty windy here in Melbourne and hair stuck on my lips' gloss drives me craaaaaazy.

Current favourite products

2011-04-13T01:14:00.000+10:00

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom EDP

I'm not good at describing scents so my best way of putting it is this perfume smells very floral, subtle and sophisticated. When I first saw this, I admit, I had the urge to smell it only because it was pink. In my opinion this has the same subtle, floral quality with a slight citrus accent to it, (even the same pink colour!) as Dior Addict 2 so if you're a fan of that (I am!) you might just like Fresh Blossom.

Wet & Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Palettes
I finally understood why these palettes have been getting so much of attention. Honestly, until today I've never seen any drugstore/cheap eyeshadow comparable to these. For the price, most of the shadows are spectacular. Not all, but most of it. A few are gritty and lacking in pigmentation, some are very chalky. Nonetheless, these are considerably cheap for its overall eyeshadow quality.

MAC Wedge Eyeshadow (Matte)
I've been using this almost every single time I do my eye makeup. It's a light, neutral brown and I use this to soften the edges of eyeshadows on my eye socket area, also as a transition colour between the crease and brow bone highlight. It's a great colour for all that purposes on my fair skintone.

Kate Covering Concealer for Under Eyes
This concealer only comes in one shade unfortunately but if you're fair, this concealer does an amazing job in brightening the under eye area and in my case since my under eye dark circles are not too serious, it does a great job in concealing too.

Milani Liquif'eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencils
Eventhough it's called 'metallic eyeliner pencils', none of the pencils I own (black and brown) gives a metallic finish. I like how incredibly soft these pencils are and they glide on effortlessly. They are richly pigmented and pretty long lasting too and most importantly, they're cheap.

MAC 138 Tapered Face Brush
This sucker which looks like a huge Chinese caligraphy brush is so expensive but I just can't resist it. I like how it's huge enough to be used all over the face, and the pointed end is small enough to get into tight corners and smaller areas in the face. The bristles are so soft it's as though I'm brushing a feather on my face. There are so many other ways to use this brush and I cannot get enough of it.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
Was a favourite, still a favourite. Now that I'm living in a colder and dryer area this foundation has been holding up pretty well which makes me adore it even more. Read my review here.

MAC By Candlelight Mineralize Skin Finish
Ever since I bought this I have never stopped using it. It basically is a powder highlighter but I know some people use it as a blush too. I use it only to highlight especially on my cheek bones and it makes my skin 'glow' like a manequin or a doll's face!

Sebamed Clear Face Teenage Apt Gel
Ok I know it says Anti-Pimple Gel in the picture but mine says Teenage Apt Gel. I think they're the same. No pimple treatments I have tried can compare to how effective Sebamed works on my skin. Again, the best part is it's cheap!

***

I really wanna properly blog again but I don't have my camera at the moment. Smart me... I left my camera's charger back at home so I'll have to wait till someone posts it to me before I can post makeup looks or reviews. Meanwhile, hello again readers! If there's still any left... haha.

Pewter Smoky Eyes

2011-04-06T11:14:00.000+10:00

How's this for a comeback?

I've missed blogging!

Taking a break

2011-02-14T01:57:00.000+11:00

Sad to say that this blog will be put on a hiatus. I don't know how much time I need to get things settled but I hope I will have time to manage this page again, someday. Some of you may know what I'm up to. To those who do not know, let's just say I'm making a huge 'move'.

I have so many things to juggle at this moment I don't think updating a beauty blog is practical anymore. But if you really wanna know, you can drop by my personal blog as I'll probably be more consistent with updating there. For me, posting beauty-related posts isn't as easy as talking about random stuffs in my like such as what I'm feeling, what I ate, what happened to me etc.

So long, beautiful readers. I'll be back some day.

LOTD: Spectacle of Yourself (MAC Peacocky Collection)

2011-02-11T14:16:00.000+11:00

Another Mega Metal Shadow look! This time I used Spectacle of Yourself, which is described as "deep bronze".

On my face:

Banila Co Prime Primer Matte
Nars Sheer Glow in Fiji
Lavshuca Loose Powder in Lucent
MAC Harmony Matte Powder Blush
L'oreal Blush Delice in Fresh Papaya
MAC By Candlelight Mineralize Skin Finish

With flash

On my eyes:

MAC Strut Eye Brows
Kate Covering Concealer for Undereyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Spectacle of Yourself Mega Metal Shadow (lids, lower lashline)
MAC Showstopper (outer crease, outer corners, lower outer lashline), Charcoal Brown (transition), Satin Taupe (lower lashline) & Next to Nothing (highlight, inner corners) Eye Shadow
Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Liner
Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof

Without Flash

On my lips:

Nothing!

OPI Serena Glam Slam Review and Swatches (Simply Smash-ing! & Black Shatter)

2011-02-10T16:15:00.000+11:00

Product: 5/5

Value: 5/5

Packaging: 5/5

Will I repurchase: Only if I ever run out!

What I like: It's almost like nail art for dummies! Big precise brush, excellent formula, Black Shatter can be used on almost ANY other nail polish.

What I do not like: Nothing! Black Shatter needs a little practice to get it right though.

Where I purchased: Shins. You can also find OPI Nail Lacquers at Colour Culture. The last time I asked, Black Shatter was sold out at Shins Sunway Pyramid, you can only get it with the Serena Glam Slam pack.

How much: RM 96 for this pack, a single OPI Nail Lacquer is RM 59 and a lot of times they have 10% off for certain colours.

In a nutshell, I absolutely love both polishes! I think both colours are contrasting enough to make the cracked effect stand out so I'd say it's a perfect match. I highly recommend Black Shatter because you can wear it on top of any other nail polish, preferably something light in colour to give more contrast. A cheaper alternative to Black Shatter would have to be Barry M's Instant Nail Effects but since we don't have Barry M in Malaysia and I was really desperate, I caved in lol.

Swatches after the cut!

Simply Smash-ing! is sheer but it is jam packed with micro shimmers. It's a metallic/foil golden lemon-lime shade. This was 2 coats and as you can tell, my nails are still visible. I don't think this colour on its own looks good against my skintone, probably better on people with warmer/deeper skintone.

Black Shatter as most people know, cracks when it dries. It finishes off matte, which looks not too bad but I prefer everything to be sealed with a layer of shiny top coat. My only problem was to had to work very quickly when applying it as it dries and cracks almost instantly so the consistency was turning more and more goopy to a point where it became lumpy. Also, it is better to only do 1 coat so I had to make sure it's not too thick (huge patches of black) or thin (cracks hardly noticeable). I can't say it's a bad thing since that is how the polish works otherwise it wouldn't crack and nobody would buy it!

American Apparel Nail Lacquers Review and Swatches (Factory Grey, Office & Mouse)

2011-02-08T03:15:00.000+11:00

36 unique shades of high-quality color. Manufactured in the USA. DBP, toluene and formaldehyde-free.

0.5 oz (15ml) bottle

Ingredients: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Nitrocelliulose, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Isopropyl Alcohol, Camphor,
Benzophenone-1

Source

Product: 5/5

Value: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

Will I repurchase: Yes

What to like: Beautiful creme finish, precise brush, great polish formula, Big 3-Free(?), the cuboid bottle design makes it easy to store

What to not like: Not available in Malaysia, certain shades are quite streaky, the square bottle makes it difficult to roll it between palms to warm and mix the polish

Where to purchase: American Apparel stores are available in the US, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, and Australia. You can also shop online but Malaysia isn't one of the countries they ship to :( The nearest would be Singapore.

How much: Price varies. In Australia (which is where I bought mine), AUD15 each, AUD 22 for 3. In the US, USD 6 each, USD 15 for 3.

***

In a nutshell, I really like how these polishes apply. I thought the bottle design was really edgy and modern but not so fun when I need to warm and mix it. I especially love the formulation - on the thinner side but not sheer at all, applies smoothly with good opacity in just 2 coats. They dry pretty quickly, quite glossy without a top coat and last. All the shades I picked are of creme finish and creme is actually my favourite polish finish. This line has got quite a variety of creme shades to look at so I would definitely want to own more. I won't say I know a lot about the Big 3 but I can definitely say these polishes don't smell too strongly and they don't give me a headache which I really like.

Review and swatches after the cut!

From left: Factory Grey, Office and Mouse. This picture was taken from an iPhone so the colours looks a lot more saturated than they actually are.

Here are swatches of all three, 2 coats each with OPI Base Coat and Seche Vite Top Coat:

Factory Grey is a cool grey which leans towards both blue and purple depending on lighting. It's my favourite out of the three I picked. The colour stands out against my yellow, fair skintone without shouting "HEY LOOK AT MY NAILS" and gives a clean and sophisticated feel to my fingers.

Ok please excuse the disgusting, dry cuticles and fingertips and I admit that is the most horrible looking nail swatch ever. Office is a mint green which looks a little dull against my skintone but it's still a nice pastel shade. This particular nail polish out of the 3 I picked, is the most opaque but also applies the most streaky.

Mouse is a true taupe. It appears very neutral, doesn't have any cool or warm tone in it. I thought this would be my favourite shade but sadly it isn't. It's the reason why I wanted to buy American Apparel Nail Lacquers, the other 2 shades were to add into the 3-Pack deal. Don't get me wrong, it is a gorgeous colour and has great formula but against my skin, somehow it just could not stand out.

LOTD: Centre Stage (MAC Peacocky Collection)

2011-02-07T18:21:00.000+11:00

Here is a look I did using MAC's Centre Stage Mega Metal Shadows (LOVE!!!) from the MAC Peacocky Collection this year. It is described as "frosted chocolate brown". It does not give a metallic finish, more of a sheen. More details in another post along with 2 other shadows I have purchsed from this collection.

On my eyes:

MAC Strut Eye Brows
Kate Covering Concealer for Undereyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Centre Stage Mega Metal Shadow (lids, lower lashline)
MAC Smoking (outer corners, lower outer lashline) & Nylon (highlight, inner corners) Eye Shadow
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Light Medium (to blend out edges)
Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Liner
Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof

On my face:

Banila Co Prime Primer Matte
Nars Sheer Glow in Fiji
Lavshuca Loose Powder in Lucent
MAC Harmony Matte Powder Blush
MAC Dainty Mineralize Blush
MAC By Candlelight Mineralize Skin Finish

On my lips:

MAC Peachstock Satin Lipstick
MAC The Lap of Luxury Baroque Boudoir Lipgloss

New Hair Colour + Wenawave Salon + random FOTD pics

2011-01-31T19:40:00.000+11:00

Long time no blog... again!

Sorry readers, Chinese New Year's approaching (only 3 more days zomg) and I've been busy with baking CNY cookies and cleaning. On top of that I've recently resumed violin lessons so gotta reserve time for practices. And of course, I have to work; in my dad's place and teaching the violin as well.

I don't have anything particular to blog about (actually I have tonnes of things to blog about but I just don't know where to start from...) so I'll just share a recent picture of myself.

Yes, I dyed my hair red.

Why?

Cos I've been wanting to do it but each time I decided to, the stylist would tell me it's not going to last, it's not versatile, difficult to maintain blablabla. And each time, I changed my mind to some typical browns. When I saw Mustardqueen's pictures, I was inspired once again and decided that I HAD to do it. It's either now or never. I'm not young forever. I couldn't do this when I was studying and now that I'm not working in an office (yet... nobody knows the future), I gotta do it or I'll never get the chance to.

True enough, red fades really quickly. As quick as when you wash it the first time after you dye it. Now, each time I shampoo my hair, the foam is pink. The water runs with a red tint, and it stains my towel when I dry my hair. If I'm not carefull, my wet hair stains my clothes! Whether or not you use a colour protecting shampoo, it will still fade, trust me. And I can see a little bit of regrowth on my hair already which I assume is going to look really obvious and weird once it's longer. The colour now isn't as vibrant as the picture above, but you can still tell it's red.

Difficult to maintain? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely. It's exactly what I wanted and I have no regrets doing it. Despite the first 2 days I was a little afraid to show the world, I wore a cap around lol. I even got a shock a few times when I looked at myself in the mirror haha. I honestly didn't expect it to turn out so bright even without bleaching. It's kind of difficult to explain; I wanted something different, but never expect it to be so vibrant. Its scary but at the same time I really like it, if I make any sense.

Ok so here're some information just incase anybody wants to go all out to welcome the Chinese New Year!

Place: Wenawave Salon @ Times Square, Kuala Lumpur

Call for an appointment: +60321423002

Creative Director: Yen (I consulted her for the colour but another stylist did the dyeing)

Price: RM 220 for colouring (my hair's over my boobies) and RM 95 for treatment

Brand used: L'oreal either a shade from the Majirouge or Majirouge Mix+ I don't remember. As for treatment, I don't know either, I usually don't ask.

The place is quite small and busy so I suggest calling to make an appointment before going. And parking at Times Square is freaking expensive so take public transport if you can. Yen is really friendly and helpful, so are the other stylists so I'd say I quite like the service. The only turn off was how I had to wait for about 15-20 minutes when I was there eventhough I had already made an appointment but I understand that it's approaching CNY and the place was packed with clients.

Ok here are some random pictures of FOTDs.

Very basic one colour all over the lids using Urban Decay's Smog. Then blend out the edges nicely, and I think I did darken the outer corners.

A gold, teal and dark blue/black from the Sleek Original Palette. Using very basic application; I used only the sponge applicator which comes with the palette to apply the shadows.

This one required a little more steps to create; using a metallic taupe pigment and some browns on the crease. Urm... yeah that's a pimple under my lips.

Ok, gotta go for now! If I don't make it in time to wish everyone, Happy Chinese New Year!

LOTD: Smoky Plum

2011-01-10T22:23:00.000+11:00

This was done 3 months ago and I guess I was either too busy or too lazy to post it up while I still know what I used. Now I can't remember anymore! :(

But I can be 100% sure that I did use the Stacked 1! Crush Metal Pigments from last year's Spring Color Forecast collection. I used the sparkly, pale icy lilac in my inner corners and the dark plum shade on my lids. There's definitely more but I can't be sure what else. Foundation was most probably Nars Sheer Glow and lipstick was definitely YSL Rouge Volupte in No. 7 Lingerie Pink.

LOTD: Club

2011-01-06T14:31:00.000+11:00

Before After

MAC's Club Eyeshadow (Frost) is a very interesting colour. It's a warm brown with green sheen. When used on the lids blended into the crease, you will look like you have dark green on your inner lids and warm brown on the outer corners. There's a lot of ways to wear this shadow because it is that versatile. The shadow itself is buttery smooth so it's not difficult to work with.

Face:

Banila Co Prime Primer Matte

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Light 5 Fiji

Kate Covering Concealer for Under Eyes

Lavshuca Loose Powder in Lucent

Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze

Cheeks:

MAC Blush in Prim & Proper

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in By Candlelight

Eyes:

Shiseido Natural Eye Brow Pencil in Ash Blond

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

MAC Eyeshadows in Club (lid, lower lashline), Nylon (highlight) and Smoking (outer corners)

MAC Superslick Liquid Eyeliner in Desires & Devices

MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner in Black Line (used on top of Desires & Devices and roots of lower lashes)

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 0L (tightline and waterline)

Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof

Lips:

MAC Lipstick in Blankety

Lancome Juicy Tubes in Violette

Review: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

2011-01-05T16:04:00.000+11:00

A glowing, satin-finish foundation with sheer and buildable coverage. Replete with skincare benefits and the NARS Complexion Brightening Formula, skin is hydrated, more luminous, softer and smoother. Used daily, Sheer Glow Foundation improves skin brightness, radiance and texture. For normal to dry skin types.

Minimizes visible discoloration
Brightens and clarifies overall skin tone
Improves skin luminosity and radiance
Hydrates for softer and smoother skin
Dermatologist tested. Non-comedogenic. Fragrance free.

Source

Product: 5/5

Value: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

What to like: Easy to apply, blends like a dream, photo-friendly, zero cakiness, beautiful finish and coverage for people with decent skin

What to not like: Absence of a pump, not suitable on the slightest oily skin, transfers, not long wearing under humid weather/on oily skin

Will I repurchase: Yes

Here's a picture of my bare face only with a thin layer of mattifying primer, and a picture after I have applied only the foundation.


Before After

I really like how this foundation brightens my complexion without making me look ghastly and it photographs beautifully. The name Sheer Glow does not suggest sheerness in coverage at all. It evens out my skintone, covering redness, light spots and undereye dark circles quite nicely even without the help of concealer.

Anyhow, I have to mention that I don't have too many problems with my skin to begin with. Even after applying the foundation, the scars are still slightly visible but I don't feel the need to conceal them because I'm just really happy with how my skin looks - naturally flawless. So if you're someone who prefers a lot of coverage, this might not be enough for you.

The finish isn't completely 'glowy' or 'dewy', it gives more of a mix of satin + matte finish, which is gorgeous. My skin looks more luminous and fresh.

There's a huge variety of colour to choose from. My shade is Light 5 Fiji, which is described as light with yellow undertone. When I first tested this at a counter, the artist matched me with Light 4 Deauville which is light with neutral balance of pink and yellow undertone. It didn't look too different from Fiji when I tested it at the back of my hand but Deauville does match my face. I went ahead and purchased Fiji instead because the skin from my neck downwards is a little more yellow if compared to my face which has neutral undertone. Also, since my face has a little bit of redness, I don't need to further enhance it.

I like to focus on the centre of my face because that is usually where I need the most correction. With this foundation, I find using fingers is the easiest way to apply due to the foundation's consistency. Also, the warmth of my fingers does help with the blending.

The foundation may look too light but once blended out it matches perfectly.

This liquid foundation is neither too runny nor thick. It felt like a creamy-runny texture. It doesn't dry too fast so it's easy to work with. I can't exaggerate enough on how it blends like a dream. It feels not the most lightweight stuff on the skin but light and comfortable enough for me to sing praises. Only very little product is needed to cover the entire face, I can't say exactly how much since it doesn't have a pump but it's probably about 1.5-2cm in diameter.

Here's a picture of before: only with foundation, and after: with a little bit of undereye concealer, translucent setting powder, bronzer, blusher and highlighter.

Before After

And with some eye makeup, lipstick and lipgloss.

Before After

Last month when my skin was really oily, this foundation was an absolute horror. Currently it's becoming normal so this foundation wears very nicely on the skin now. When Nars says this foundation is for dry to normal skin types, he's not joking. I only see a slight shine at the 5-6th hour wearing this but the shine doesn't make me look disgusting, if anything it only makes me look more radiant. A mattifying/oil controling primer might have helped with the lasting power, I can't be sure how well it'll wear without a primer because I just cannot skip primer in my routine. Oh, in an air conditioned area, I don't get oily as quickly if compared to a non-air conditioned space.

The foundation comes in a glass bottle with a black rubber-surface plastic cap which is a dirt magnet. Apart from that there's really nothing much to praise/complain about the packaging.

The 2 problems with this foundation are:

1. For how much this foundation costs (USD 42 for a standard amount of 30ml, approx. RM 128), I seriously think a pump should be included. Otherwise, cut down on the atrocious price!

2. I live in a hot and humid country so sometimes sweating is inevitable... especially when I do my makeup in the toilet in my workplace =.= When I use a tissue to gently blot of sweat on my face, I see traces of foundation on the tissue. As much as I love this foundation, sadly it transfers and I have to be really careful not to rub clothes on my face especially when I try them in malls.

This is another problem I encountered but I guess it's nothing to do with the foundation but only my skin's condition. I think it's essential to point it out though.

3. A month ago, my skin was really oily. Wearing this foundation only made things worst as my skin would oil up even quicker (about 3 hours max) and when it happens the foundation would oxidise, start melting and my skin would feel really itchy. Conclusion? Oily skin please stay away! If you work in an air conditioned, dry space most of the time AND you have oily skin, you may give this a try but I cannot guarantee if your skin will love this foundation.

Tutorial: Popping Gold

2010-12-31T21:43:00.000+11:00

Let's celebrate the NYE with this gold look which is not OTT but more like "peekaboo" when you blink :P

1. After priming lids with an eyeshadow primer, using a tapered eyeshadow blending brush, lightly dust a neutral brown in the inner lids and the outer corners. Leave the centre of the lids empty.

2. Take a shimmery medium gold and pat it on top of the neutral brown, blending the edges away. Again, leave the centre of the lids empty.

3. Take a shimmery/metallic light, yellow gold and pat it right at the centre, blend into the medium gold but not overlapping it.

4. Apply the yellow gold in the tear duct area and the inner part of lower lash line, and line the rest of the lower lashline with the medium gold.

5. Darken and define with a darker matte brown on the outer V area, or the outer corners. Connect to the outer corners of the lower lashline. Highlight browbones.

6. Line the upper lashline, create a wing if you like. I first used a liquid liner for a more precise and sharp line, then went over it with a pencil to intensify and add more colour. Lightly line the roots of the lower lashes to make lashes look fuller. Line the waterline with a shimmery peach or fleshtone soft eyeliner. Curl lashes and brush on mascara.

Face:

Banila Co Prime Primer Matte

Revlon PhotoReady Compact Makeup in Natural Beige

Shiseido Concealer Stick in No. 2

YSL Touche Eclat in No. 1

Lavshuca Loose Powder in Lucent

Cheeks:

Clip Art Blusher in No. 2

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in By Candlelight

Eyes:

Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil in Ash Blond

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

MAC Charcoal Brown (Step1), Showstopper (Step 5, outer V) & Next to Nothing (Step 5, highlight)

Sleek Original Palette medium brown (Step2) & yellow gold (Step 3)

MAC Super Sleek Liquid Eyeliner in Marked for Glamour

MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner in Blackline (used on top of the liquid liner, and roots of lower lashes)

Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof mascara

Lips:

Revlon Colour Burst Lipstick in Soft Nude

Happy New Year everyone! Have fun but please stay safe!

More please :D

2010-12-25T00:42:00.000+11:00

Been grabbing stuffs from here and there in Melbourne. All of these things are definitely not available back in Malaysia which is why I had to get them. Another reason is of course, they were reasonably priced. Most of these were either on -not much but better than nothing- sale, or inexpensive to begin with.

Except for the Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme, nothing here costs more than AUD 10 :D Everything bought at Priceline. I think out of everything, the best deal is the Pantene Clarifying Shampoo selling at only AUD 4.99. I think it was originally AUD 9 something. That bottle contains 400ml of product, which is a lot for only AUD 4.99 so better grab it quickly while it's cheap. I really like the Essence nail polishes too! Want a cheap alternative to taupe or grey nail polishes? These are only AUD 3 each and the quality's actually pretty good. Rimmel's having some discounts for all of their products... I can't remember how much. It's still cheaper to buy from Malaysia but a lot of things are not available back in Malaysia like the 2 eyeliners I got here.

Another cute ring spotted! This one's only AUD5 :D From Diva

One of my bestfriends was at Korea for holiday and she kindly helped me pick up these things which I asked her to look for! Thank you Maggie! By the way you see that 3 polishes at the far right there? THEY SUCK. Yes I am angry because I thought they would be good and so I went ahead and got 3 so that I can give them away but now I can't. Good news is well, they're quite cheap so no biggie with the money spent. I just dunno what to do with them now. Actually, all of the products aren't too expensive and the best part is some of them perform surprisingly well for the price. Even the packaging is impressive to begin with.

I went into Lush one day with absolutely no intention of getting anything but obviously... that's not what happened. 2 shower gels, 2 solid shampoos and 1 soap. The whole store's so packed with people it's overwhelming especially today.

I was at Centro Box Hill waiting to meet up with my former employer when I spotted a Missha store from far! I literally marched towards it as quick as I could lol! Some things are surprisingly inexpensive but the famous BB Creams aren't :(

Surprised to see American Apparel at Chapel Street! Couldn't resist these gorgeous shades especially that grey and taupe, which look like purple and brown here. That dusty pastel green (which looks like mint green ughh lighting) is just something to add into the buy 3 for less deal.

Aaah. Shopping is so therapeutic.

Tomorrow we'll be heading to Gold Coast for 4 days before heading back to Malaysia. It's Christmas tomorrow so most shops will not be opened and the streets will be really quiet there. Doesn't really bother me since I don't celebrate it, but I hope to see some great deals on Boxing Day.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Look: Soft Blue and Purple using Sleek Original Palette

2010-12-22T02:39:00.000+11:00

As I have mentioned in my previous post, I'm currently away from home for a month-long holiday. To save on baggage cost, I had to pack light. For powder eyeshadows, I only brought with me my Sleek Original Palette and a MAC quad of neutral shades.

Also, I'm with my boyfriend's family and let's just say they are people who think rather conventionally so anything ever so slightly bright on my eyelids will be deemed too much. Through out my stay here with them I haven't been wearing lots of colours - mainly neutrals. People who know me will know how I abslutely adore colours. Another reason being the lighting is extremely terrible. There isn't natural lighting at all in his room. It's all yellow light right at the top and harsh shadow is casted everywhere on my face.

One fine day I was left alone in the house as everyone was out - I had plans with my friends so I took my own sweet time to get prepared. Since nobody was around, I took the liberty to bring a mirror out into the balcony and I really MUST thank myself for doing so.

Doing my makeup has never been that enjoyable. Colours looked so much more true and crisp. Even pictures turned out great! Bizarre but it's true - natural lighting is so important because under artificial lighting, you won't even be able to tell if a foundation is matching your skin properly.

Case in point is the picture you can see below - for 2 days I have been wearing this new foundation without knowing it's too pink for me! I was totally horrified when I stood in the balcony looking at myself in the mirror. The shade's not completely off but if not blended well into the neck, the difference is pretty obvious. And I didn't want to believe my boyfriend when he told me that my face was looking a little 'reddish' heh. Come on, how am I supposed to believe a guy's opinion about makeup right?

If well blended and set with a yellow-toned powder + a little bit of bronzer, it can be disguised.

For eyes, I didn't know what to do so I picked a blue, added a bit of purple, sheered them out so the colours won't look too intense as I was still going to meet the family later in that afternoon.

Face

Banila Co Prime Primer Matte

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in Creamy Natural

Shiseido Concealer Stick in No. 2

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Medium

Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze

Cheeks

Clio Art Blusher in No. 2

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in By Candlelight

Lips

MAC l/s in Blankety

Eyes

Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil in Ash Blond

Urban Decay Primer Potion

MAC Next to Nothing e/s (highlight)

Sleek Original Palette bright blue, purple & medium gold e/s (blue on entire lid, purple on inner lid, gold lightly swept on crease and lower lashline)

MAC Charcoal Brown e/s (crease)

MAC Print e/s (outer corners)

MAC Superslick Liquid e/l in Marked for Glamour

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 0L (tightline)

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in No. 10 Almost Famous (waterline)

Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara