winniewingyi

Paul & Joe reviews | What I got from Cosmogirl HK & FOTD

2012-02-12T23:32:00.000-05:00

A little back story - I won a Christmas makeup competition using this look (HERE) from Cosmogirl Hong Kong and my prize was a set of Paul & Joe cosmetics. I personally had never owned any Paul & Joe products that was why I was really really excited. They said that the best 30 makeup looks would win this prize. I anxiously checked the website on the destined date the winners were announced. Apparently less than 30 people had participated so every single person automatically won wtf-_-

Lucky me I guess?

The products came in with a really very well made green pouch with silver embroidery, that includes 3 sample sized and 2 full sized products:

- Protective Powder Compact Foundation

- Facial Treatment Oil

- Moisturizing Foundation Primer

- Lip Lacquer in 001

- Metallic Eye Gloss in 001

Swatches of the Metallic Eye Gloss & Lip Lacquer

Both products are of such good quality. They are highly pigmented and very long lasting.

The Metallic Eye Gloss in 001 is a cool tone grey with silver shimmers with a slightly white undertone. It spreads easily and is not sticky once it is on. The felt tip applicator takes out the right among of products and makes it messless (besides the finger needed to spread out the product!).

The Lip Lacquer in 001 is a medium pink with a slight corol undertone with micro gold and silver shimmers. They look more like a sheen when on. It is in a plastic applicator just like the Lancome Juicy Tubes, of which I am not a huge fan of in terms of its design. I don't know! I always feel like they look like makeup for kids. However after ~~a few minutes of~~ serious thinking, I understand why some of the most popular companies do design their lipglosses that way - because its the most effective, convenient and easy to control for get products. Compared to other neutral colored lipglosses I own, this is definitely one of the best quality, most comfortable to wear with a mild stickiness and versatile lipglosses that can easily stay put for a few hours. It has a slight floral scent and can be reapplied without causing peeling.

In action

I have been really digging the combo of brown and grey. I like to dap the Eye Gloss on the center of my eyes. It looks rather natural yet the shimmers completes the look with sophistication. The lipgloss is just overall a match for no matter what type of eye colors I am wearing. Overall I really enjoyed these products. Since I am traveling at the moment thus don't have a lot of makeup with me. These versatile, comfy-to-wear products definitely help me out a lot.

FOTD

Since I got my lash extensions I have not been lining my eyes using other pencil/liquid eyeliners. I love the overall fresh look! I will be sure to check out more Paul & Joe products in the future despite the fact that they are discontinued by Anthropologie and extremely difficult to get our hands on.

Check out more of their products from their website in English here:

http://www.paul-joe-beaute.com/en/

Hope you all are having a fantastic weekend! See you all when I am back from Taiwan on Valentine's Day <3!

Hana Professional Flat Iron 1" Review | Photo Demonstration

2012-02-07T20:24:00.000-05:00

Descriptions |

Materials : Ceramic, Tourmaline

Plate Width : 1 inch

Cord Length : 8 ft

Adjustable Heat : 140" - 450"F

Price : $119.98 (Free Shipping from Misikko HERE)

First off I'd like to say thank you to Misikko for sending me the product! I am not paid to do this review. For the matter of fact, I was looking for an alternative to my Remington Sleek & Curl Styler for this trip to Hong Kong and had read such good reviews about this straightener online. Misikko has such great customer services and the product came within 4 business days.

Stuff that came with the package |

Storage pouch, tin case, silicon mat, comb, eye mask, hand sanitizer, nail files, bath rose petals and even ELF stuff that don't really matter to me but would make a great gift

Some cool functions |

1 | Adjustable Temperature Dial - 5 settings from 140-450 °F

2 | Independent on/off switch

3 | LED indicator light remains steady when heating up and blinks when desired temperature is reached

4 | 360" swirl cord of 8 ft

5 | Hanging loop

6 | Corduroy-like top parts prevents burning when crumping hair

7 | Curved plate edges for curling, flipping and straightening

8 | Ergonomic handle design with non-slipping grip

9 | Made in Korea wth

Compared to my beloved Remington Sleek & Curl Styler (Review HERE) |

Pros:

More compact in size - about 1.5 inch shorter in length and 0.5 pound lighter in weight

Corduroy-like plastic makes burning fingers harder to happen

Con:

Does not come with a click plate closure

Material feels cheaper

Demo |

Before

After
straightened & curled

My thoughts |
When the straightener is heated up it takes almost no effort in straightening. It's very light-weighted which is perfect for traveling and not getting tired arms. I do find it performs better on straightening then curling, though its meant to be made for both. For its wide temperature range, its easy to get the job done within seconds. I also think the ceramic makes less damages to my hair as it is styled with a shine even without a heat protection spray. I don't have a ton of hair but I notice some slipping (plates not tight all the way) during straightening that distributes uneven heat, and makes curling even harder to control. However its really mild and the corduroy-like grip does help.

My biggest concern is the material - it feels rather cheap to the touch. Thus overall though it's a beyond average heating tool, it would be very difficult for me to splurge that much on a mediocre quality product. I still prefer my Remington Sleek & Curl Styler unless I am traveling.

NEPAL | Family Travel Story

2012-02-05T10:44:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since my family and I travel together. From kindergarden all the way to secondary school, my parents always took my brother and I somewhere every Chinese New Year. Not only we could skip being asked "when are you getting married?" by relatives, it is also the only time of the year that they can have around 10 days off.

My family hates holiday stuff, we rarely go to relatives' houses or do any relatives' dimsum. My parents are the utmost unpretentious and easy-going people I have ever met in my life so when there is something they ask me to go to, I know its the real deal, the gangster stuff, jk.

Looking past today, we have been to quite a few places already, especially in Asia, given the allowed time. The first country I had ever flew out to was the Philippines when I was 5. Since then, we experienced something new every year. We saw our first snow during our trip to Kyoto, experienced Dubai while it was still not as developed, stole a few bottles of sand at the Sahara Desert wtf, saw a lot of nemos and dorys at the Coral Reef in Australia, got really emo at the Nuclear Museum in Hiroshima, got scared to death when we saw the first naked topped lady boy show in Pattaya Thailand, etc.

Every year around Chinese New Year, we would pick a place to fly to, to get away from this crowded island, and to get a time just by the 4 of us.

Time flies, we then moved to the States to continue our education mid way through secondary school, and then, our family travel tradition had stopped. ~~My parents then used the money saved from spending on the two of us to travel to somewhere even more expensive like Europe, South Africa and New Zealand wtf.~~

It is rare to be able to go travel with them again since I live in the States now, so when I found out I was able to travel with them this year, I was ubbbberrr excited! Since there are many places we have been already in Asia, I suggested to go to India, and my brother wanted to go to Russia. After discussing with the travel agent, it was pretty much only Nepal that could provide this kind of cultural sightseeing tours.

So here we go, props to you if you have read through the whole story. Let me know and I will send you a bottle of Nepali dirt wtf

Hong Kong >> Kathmandu, Nepal
& the hotel we stayed for 3 nights that I loved!
Hyatt Regency Kathmandu
Taragaon, Boudha, Kathmandu

Boudhanath Stupa & Swayambhunath Stupa | Hindu and Buddhist Monkey Temples

Durbar Square | Old Palace

Pokhara | natural scenaries

Nagarcot | sunrise

Chitwan | wildlife

Wandering around some Newali villages in Kathmandu

Nepal, not being a wealthy and material-filled country, fulfills my heart visually and spiritually more than anything I have seen even only by spending 8 days there. Without a planned transportation layout, Nepali people and cars and motorcycles are sharing the same spaces. It was very overwhelming coming from a city that is famous for its efficient transportation system. You always have to stop, watch out for something, and tense up because you can never just walk carefreely on the streets. However, the people seems to care less. The adults sit outside on the ground right outside feet away from the roads. The kids still run around in the dusty city with very dirty cloths on. They are friendly, easy-going, unpretentious, and blessed after all.

"All is nothing, and nothing is all" I am starting to understand why my parents always tell me to own less and contribute more no matter how much this materialistic world is bringing us.

I didn't bring much makeup thus I look like shit in most of the pictures. This would be a good time to crop my pictures to gloat if you are a hater wtf. I don't bother to edit them. I could care less, because I was so into the moment, so into spending time with my folks who are just as blessed as the people in Nepal.

xoxo

Hong Kong | Harlan's The One + D&G

2012-01-31T04:16:00.000-05:00

Located at The One on the Kowloon side, Harlan's has a spectacular view of the Victoria Harbor. I'd highly recommend to people wit ho have never been to Hong Kong to come grab a drink at night, or possibly a romantic dinner for two, despite the time I went it was foggy and the tea set wasn't as yummy as I wished. Anyway I brought my brother's awesome camera to take pictures and lets not let them go waste, neh?

At the end of the day? I am happy that my tea loving friend Suki didn't follow my recommendation and wasted her time here. If you're into afternoon tea as well, make sure you check her blog out (HERE).

If you happened to know little about Hong Kong news, you probably know about the incident that happened at the Tsim Sha Tsui Dolce&Gabanna. Since we were walking pass it, we took a picture because we can take picture in any public places in Hong Kong, regardless of what nationality we are #insider.

Walking with Buddha - visiting HK in the traditional way

2012-01-22T20:30:00.000-05:00

If you asked me what represents Hong Kong the most, I'd probably say International Finance Center in Central, Element in Tsim Sha Tsui. But hey, don't forget the fact that 3 sides of Hong Kong is surrounded by water. With most of the development on reclaimed land in the city, a lot of places in the New Territories and millions of small islands are left untouched.

Ngong Ping is a small village on Lantau Island, and the Ngong Ping 360 tourism project that was built a few years back with cable cars take us on a 25 minute journey overlooking Tung Chung Bay and the mighty Tian Tan Budda Statue. (Read more HERE) With my experience, Hong Kong is almost always gloomy. The day spent outdoor was so beautiful and couldn't be better!

We took the newer cable car that was clear bottomed. The British lady sitting next to us realized it was glass all of a sudden and freaked out. she kept saying "don't your stomach feel funny?" no wth haha.

After we arrived the village we just followed the crowd and talked towards Mr. Budda, who is sitting atop 268 steps. Little tired but able to experience what Mr. Buddha sees everyday? So worth it!

my very asian friend haha jk

We made it to the top and the view is spectacular! No wonder Mr. Buddha doesn't want to move. Surrounding him were a few smaller goodnesses tributing things Mr. Buddha has been lemming #notintendedtobeafactualstatement

Walking back down is the village centered with Bo Lin Temple. For whatever reason I have actually never been to Bo Lin Temple! I knew nothing more than people come eat veggie dishes-_- In addition to all the overly fertiled flowers set up for Chinese New Year, it is just so colorful. Here is this picture of Tedi and incense that are bigger than Tedi

On the way back it was more foggy but it was one of the prettiest scenes I have seen in my life. It reminds me of the never-ending Sahara Desert besides we were 50 feet of the ground and were looking at mountains instead. I could not believe I could see a natural scene like this in Hong Kong. Now I could die without regrets.

I will save some stuff to show you in later on posts. By the time this is up, I will be spending Chinese New Year with my family on a vacation in Nepal :) I am actually leaving now but to those of you who do celebrate cny, happy new year! 新年快樂，心想事成，龍馬Drink神，恭喜恭喜

Review | Revlon Age Defying Foundation

2012-01-07T00:34:00.003-05:00

I thought, why not give myself a new face in to kick off the year. Nice skin is needed even if the world is ending to get the priority to embark onto a spaceship, agree? #ProblematicBlackHumor #iAlwaysSay

I stumbled upon and was drawn to this foundation awhile back because of the name Age Defying - automatically aka more nourishing, but didn't pick this up because 1) my "high end foundations are always better"religion 2) couldn't test out the color. However, I decided to give it a go when I saw this again from the last CVS sale. Reference HERE.

First Impression: I thought it was going to be too dark for me but it actually foams up into a lighter mousse once blended. Its very very light textured, almost like an emulsion or serum that is tinted.

Pros:

- super dewy finish

- light to medium coverage

- SPF 20

- nourishing (+!) with Botafirm - an exclusive line-inhibiting complex of botanicals and hexapeptide that works with the skin's natural proteins to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. The products also have vitamins, antioxidants and varying SPF levels.

- drugstore price

Cons:

- medium lasting power, about 4 hours

- too moisturizing for oily skin

- no pump

- color match, damn you drugstore products

On my skin under natural light | completely unedited as other review pictures

above | with Revlon Age Defying foundation alone

below | with Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder, Nars Orgasm blush

I dotted it all over my face and blended it with my finger tips. As you can see the darkness around my nose and mouth, undereye dark circles are not entirely hidden with its light coverage. It also leaves a very dewy finish (which I love but big no no for oily skin type).

I am really picky about what I put on my face these days, esp face makeup, that's why I pretty much stopped wearing foundation since last year to stop the harm, and have looking for cosmetics that function as skincare. If you can get over the fact that this foundation is targeted for older skin and bear the risk of finding a perfect match without opening the bottle, I highly recommend it specifically for this kind of super dry winter day that you just want a little bit of coverage that doesn't suck the moisture out of your skin.

Best of 2011 - Restaurants Roundup Rawr!!

2012-01-02T23:54:00.000-05:00

Any foodies out there? Seriously why am I putting a list of my favourite restaurants for different food categories, its making me so hungry! Yet I am so proud of having the chance to try so many good restaurants in the year of 2011.

As you will read in a minute, most of the restaurants I picked is either in NYC, Boston and Montreal, simply due to the sad but true fact that I had spent most of my time in 2011 in these 3 cities. As usual, links of the restaurants that I have mentioned on this blog will be embedded for your convenience,

RESTAURANT OVERALL

Fine Dine | Jean George (post soon!) | 1 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023
Regular Dine | Stephi's on Tremont | 571 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02118

RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW
230 Fifth Ave | 230 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

FUSION
Asana | 776 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199

BRUNCH
View | Le Petite Cafe | 502 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Ambiance | Cheeky's | 622 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Decor | Restaurant L'avenue | 922 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Plateau, Montreal, QC H2J 1X1

PANCAKE
Cafe Luluc | 214 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

LUNCH
Aquitaine | 569 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02118

WINE & CHEESE
The Butcher Shop | 552 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02118

STEAK
Capital Grill | 900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02115

SEAFOOD
Balthazar | 80 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012

LOBSTER BISQUE
Cafe Eurpoea | 3726, Rue Jean-Talon E, Montreal, QC H2A 1X9

DRINKS
Asana | 776 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199

DESSERT
Spot | 13 St Marks Place, New York, NY 10003

MACARONS
Macarons Cafe | 625 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022

FRENCH
Jean George (post soon!) | 1 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023

ITALIAN
Giacomo's | 355 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113

MIDDLE EASTERN
Sofra | 1 Belmont Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

MEXICAN
Taco Asylum | The CAMP, 2937 S Bristrol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

KOREAN
BCD Tofu House | 17 W 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001

JAPANESE
Oishii | 1166 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02118

RAMAN
Food | Ippudo | 65 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003
Ambience | Totto | 366 West 52 Street, New York, NY 10019

VIETNAMESE
Viet & Thai | 368 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852

THAI
Siam Square | 84 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA 01060

TAIWANESE
Dimsum | Shangri La | 149 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA 02478
Food | Taiwan Cafe | 34 Oxford Street, Boston, MA 02111

CHINATOWN RESTAURANTS
Boston | New Golden Gate Restaurant | 66 Beach Street, Boston, MA 02111
New York | Joe's Shanghai | 9 Pell Street, New York, NY 10013

MOST OVERRATED
L'espalier | 744 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199

I am really looking forward to trying out more restaurants in 2012 especially venture out to some overseas ones! Who doesn't love food yet made eating healthy as one of the new year resolutions - contradiction of life fol. I'd say we skip some time and stop going to restaurants that waste our money, time, calories quota *list goes on, etc.

If you have any likes and dislikes, whether you live around my area or not, let me know! I'd love to hear about your thoughts and suggestions.

Best Makeup and Skincare products of 2011!

2012-01-01T13:33:00.000-05:00

A series of best of whatever in 2011 is officially going to be launched on my blog. First off - cosmetics and skincare! I am trying to include a higher end and drugstore products in every category and links will be embedded if a review has been done. Without further ado,

MAKEUP |

Foundation Primer

Laneige Makeup Primer Serum Control

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Foundation Primer

Foundation

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Rimmel Match Perfect Foundation (used in THIS look)

Concealer

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer

Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer (in Favourites of 2010 too!)

Loose Powder

Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder (in Favourites of 2010 too!)

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation

Bronzer

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Dark/Medium

Benefit Hoola (in Favourites of 2010 too!)

Highlighter

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Light/Medium

Skinfood Lime Secret Shine Base

Eyeshadow Primer

MAC Paintpot in Bare Study

ELF Eyelid Primer

Eyeliner

Gel - Bobbi Brown Long-wear Eyeliner

ELF Gel Cream Eyeliner

Pencil - 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil

Milani Liquif'Eye Eye Liner Pencil

Liquid - Dollywink Liquid Eyeliner

L'oreal Lineur Felt Tip Eyeliner

Brow Powder

Kate Palette Brown Palette BR-3

Mascara

Majolica Majorca Enamel Glamour Volumn On Mascara

Eyeshadow

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mono Eye Shadow in Spice Bronze

Inglot

Blush

MAC Gingerly

Nars Orgasm

Lipstick

Dior Addict in 224 Tokyo

Nars Dolce Vita (used in THIS look)

Lipgloss

Banila co. Love Affair in Parisienna

NYC Lip Sliders in Sugar Baby

Lip Balms

Sara Happ The Lip Slip

Chapstick Over Night Lip Treatment

Nail Polish

Orly Rage

SKINCARE |

Cleanser

The Face Shop Pomegranate Fine Foam Facial Cleanser

Cleansing Tool

Clarisonic Mia

Toner

Lancome Tonique Comfort Comforting Rehydrating Toner

Etude House Collagen First Essence

Serum

Estee Lauder Night Repair Serum

Skinfood Gold Caviar Serum

Moisturizer

Etude House Collagen Cream

Skinfood Gold Caviar Cream

Loreal Collagen Filler Moisture Filler Night Cream

Eye Cream

Laneige Hydra Solution Eye Cream

Moisturizing Mask

Paper mask - My Beauty Diary Bird Nest

Form mask - Enzo Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Skin Vitality Treatment

I cannot believe there are so many products that I use on a daily basis without doing a review. *running away. What were your favourite products in 2011?

Next up I will have favourite moments, favourite restaurants, favourite travel spot & other randoms of 2011 lined up. Stay tuned and have a great start of 2012 everyone <3

Holiday Glam Makeup in Cantonese

2011-12-25T11:30:00.000-05:00

How can you call it holiday makeup without glittery shimmery eyeshadow and red lip? This is my first (hopefully not last!) holiday makeup tutorial and hope you all like it. I decided to film this in Cantonese, well, because I feel like speaking it is easier for me to express what I wanna say. Often time especially in videos I had to think about how to phrase my sentences and put them in the grammar. It's tiring, man.

Nonetheless, this is my first (hopefully not last!) holiday makeup tutorial and hope you all like it. I will probably wear this look when I am in nyc again for new years eve. I wish I had more time to blog and film but I am preparing for my trip to see my family overseas in 2 weeks piling on top of the stress of moving out possibly at the worst time of the year in 2 days..

If I don't get to talk to you all soon, have a great nye! I will see you all in 2012!

New York Christmas & Bibimbap cake?! (pics heavy)

2011-12-23T22:34:00.003-05:00

From a spontaneous nyc trip last week - I have actually never been to nyc during xmas times. Thank god we didn't get frozen asses unlike this time (HERE), it was surprisingly quite nice to even walk outdoor at this time of the year!

Passing the oh so famous skating rink at Rockefeller Center, looking at the festive decorations on all the big stores on 5th Ave, it was wonderful being able to take some time off from work and just walk around the beautiful city. I couldn't stop but thinking all day - how am I going to throw a little surprise for my friend's belated birthday? As usual, we had dinner at BCD Tofu House at K-town.

When our table was ready, I pretended I wasn't warm so I didn't take my jacket off. While she was looking at the menu, I snapped the star shaped candles that I was carrying all day right to my jacket pocket. I then pretended to go to the bathroom and talked to the Manager at the back.

Me: Hi Manager, its my bestie's birthday, can you please use these candles on a dessert dish? What do you have?

Manager: We don't have desserts here.

Me: (thinking what kind of restaurants doesn't serve desserts these days, while peeking to see if she was looking at our direction or not) What about chocopies? Can you put a candle on a chocopie and bring it out?

Manager: We don't have chocopies either...

Me: (speechless, thinking wtf Korean restaurant doesn't have chocopies?)

Manager: *lightbulb* (half screaming) Pork! Pork on the bibimbap!

(He then took my star shaped candles and quickly put them in his pocket, gave me this Asian OK)

To be honest I had no idea what he meant but I assumed he knew what he was doing since he is the manager and gave me that OK. I saw they prepare the candles at the back corner while my bestie had her back facing them. The manager and two other staff (one holding a piece of cardbox paper, the other one not sure) came to explain and told me he specifically put the candles on the pork and said he was really smart to think of that.

While I was expecting the pretty candles on a bibimbap, all we saw was pink candle wax all melted -_- We almost laughed our asses off. So many people so much effort so little result eh? To make the matter worse, they weren't my candles! The very kind manager stole my candles and used his own cheapass ones wtf. I complained to him and all he did was give me this stupid grin wtf

Anyway, he brought us the 2nd round of cheapass candles for pictures without explaining the loss of my candles...

We had a great time despite the silly manager's farce. Japchae, bibimbap, soondubu. Everything is as good as usual!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas weekend already! <3

Currently Loving: Scents + Moisture

2011-12-18T12:47:00.000-05:00

I am now launching "currently loving" series on my blog since there are many products that I don't really have the time to review separately, and that I am always late for my monthly favourites. It might be a collection of products that I am using at the moment (like HERE), or some LOTDs showcasing the products (like HERE).

Lately I have been obsessed with scented products - perhaps since I am not able to smell my parents in this upcoming christmas wtf

Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Body Spray

I mainly got this because it reminds me of high school. As one of the most popular BB&W scents, a lot of my friends used to love this scent. Its very sweet, flowery & girly. I like to spray it after shower, sometimes on my robes or towels to remind me of the good ol' days that were spent care-freely eating cheap salads from the high school cafeteria wtf.

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Creamy Cleanser

How much I am loving Crabtree products atm! This creamy cleanser is so smooth and I love the scent. It's very clean and smells expensive. I like the concept of rubbing the cleanser on dry skin before washing it off. It feels cleaner than regular cleaners and perfect for washing our hands in winter. It doesn't give me that streakiness after washing my hands.

Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Age Defying Hand Remedy

(aka rejuvenating hand remedy)

Said to be the "pre" base before your actual hand cream, this light textured, immediately absorbed formula is what I like about this handcream the most. I can put it on and put my hands on the wheel right away. I find it significantly reducing the fine lines on my hands only after using it for a few weeks.

Carmex

Not sure I never used Carmex until this point after living in this country for quite some time now? It's seriously becoming my favourite lip moisturizer. As many of you know, waxy lip balms (aka kiehls, vaseline etc...) are really not my cup of tea but this is my cup of coffee! It stays on amazing, keep my lips moist and from peeling. For $1 a pop, what more can I ask for?

Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

Yes yes yes, I know this is one of the most anticipated lip products of the year but honestly I do not understand what the hype is about. It's included in this list because it has a nice finish (only under direct sunlight). However, comparable to Dior Addict lipsticks (Review HERE)? No, no and NO. I own a darker color as well and will do a complete review later. I also find it difficult to open the cap. Peach Parfait is a everyday color and I am trying to use it everyday to get rid of it. Overall the product is okay but not great. Loving? the concept.

What have you been using lately?

NYC Lip Sliders Tinted Lip Balms + Belated November Favourites

2011-12-11T19:51:00.001-05:00

NYC Lip Sliders Tinted Lip Balms in Sugar Baby, Sugar Angel & Sugar Fairy
and swatches

This review has been held off for awhile now because I have been using these so much on the go. They are either sitting in my car or my purse. For less than $3 a pop, these lip balms fit right in the category of lip products that I like - moisturizing like lip balms, pigmented and glossy like lipglosses.

Sugar Baby, Sugar Angel & Sugar Fairy respectively

These can be applied either in a thin sheer layer as a clear lip balm or a thick later as a lipgloss. My lips are very pigmented so the photos above probably don't adjust the real pigmentation of these lip balms. I personally like Sugar Baby the most and in person it is also the color that shows up the most. For drier months I am quite hesitant to use lipsticks and these fit right in the category that is moisturizing yet has s slight tint of color.

Last but not least, if you haven't checked out my SUPER belated November Favourites yet...

Don't forget to check out my blog sale!! Most things are under $10 with free shipping in the US.
Please go to http://www.winnieblogsale.blogspot.com for more details. An actual review will be posted real soon (within this week). Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!

Nars Danmari All About Cheek Palette Review + FOTD

2011-12-04T22:38:00.001-05:00

This palette was undoubeledly one of the most anticipated products from my Sephora F&F sale haul from last month (video HERE) First off I don't have a lot of Nars products and secondly I was looking for a travel palette. This seems perfect because it not only contains Orgasm (review HERE), but also a highlight color, a contour color and 3 other blushers.

Each color is 0.12 Oz. which is 3/4 compared to a regular size 0.16 Oz Nars product which retails for $27. The Danmari palette retails for $65. You do the math. I got it for 20% off which is about $52. That's the price for less than 2 blushers.

If you saw the Nars deal on Gilt.com you could even get it for $40 because they posted a deal you pay $50 for $80 worth of Nars products. Another $10 off for anything over $20. A total steal!

Hungry Heart Duo III | Orgasm | Desire

Casino | Super Orgasm | Sin

Hungry Heart Duo III - This color looks great from far away, however contains micro gold flecks that I personally am not a big fan of (unless you want to look like a disco ball from the 70s wtf). It might be better to be used on the inner corners of the eyes or as eyeshadows. See picture above.

Orgasm - Needless to say, one of my favourite blushes of all times. Great for everyday and is suitable for all skintones. Separate review and in action HERE.

Desire - Very pigmented blush and need a very light hand to apply. It gives a nice flush like you just worked out. I am dabbing the tiniest amount and using it in the pictures below.

Casino - For me its looks like browner version of Benefit Hoola except it is not as pigmented and finely milled. It however is very buildable and stays on nicely for hours. See pictures for reference.

Super Orgasm - Another great brush that would not be as versatile as Orgasm because of its glitters. However I should be able to consume a lot of it during the holiday seasons and Chinese new years wtf.

Sin - The color is not as dark as in the pan and actually goes on as a darker plummy pink color. This plummy blusher would be great for the ashy tons shadow that are frequently worn during winter.

Now FOTD using Hungry Heart Duo III as highlight on cheek bones, Casino as contouring bronzer & Desire as blush.

To sum up, I like everything about this palette. I just wish that they would only include a more versatile highlight color instead of HHDIII. Also, aren't Orgasm or Super Orgasm included in most Nars palettes already? But all in all I love this and will definitely get a lot of use out of this especially during my time overseas in the upcoming months.

Oh lastly, if you are interested in picking a few things from my garage sale (most things about around $10 with free shipping), make sure you check out my blog sale website www.winnieblogsale.blogspot.com or simply click on the logo on the left bar. Give my stuff a second chance of love!

Inspired MOD SQUAD

2011-12-02T01:03:00.001-05:00

Inspired by the truly stylish Alexandra from HRHCollection (get more inspirations from her HERE) and her simply genious idea of mixing 2 nail colors together, I finally painted mine with OPI's Java Mauve-a and Orly's Rage - my favourite polish of the year.

Excuse for my not so perfect nail painting skills. I found my newest purchase OPI's Java Mauve-a to be a little too dark for my taste but adding the shinny Orly's Rage on one side is like adding gold to the finger tips. So mod, so 70s. I love it.

Thanksgiving in Montreal Day 2

2011-11-27T11:34:00.000-05:00

Its not my 1st time to Notre Dame Basilica but I figured $5 a pop to look at this beauty on a windy freezing day surrounded by candles and beautiful stained glass windows. Why the heck not, right? We didn't stay here for that long because we needed our brunch!

Restaurant L'avenue

922 Av Du Mount-Royal E

Montreal, QC H2J 1X2

Love hanging out with my little bro - he always captures the goofy me. Perhaps too much in-my-room camwhoring and dont know how to post, I realized I am actually quite shy in front of real cameras wtf.

Anyway the food was pretty good... taking the servings into account, the food was pretty damn good! Big servings always have an instant boost to the satisfaction even if the food tastes like rubber wtf.

Nah just kidding but the bathroom was so cool I had to pretend to go again just to take a few pictures. I was tempted to go into the guy one to see if they were different but I didn't want to smell anything bad and had to stay there puking the wholesome amount of food I ate while looking at the glow in the dark paint wtf. So we went to get macaroons down the street (more like I forced him to...)

Point G Macarons

1266 Av Du Mount-Royal Est

Montreal, H2J 1Y3

Nom nom nom. It has slowly becomes my routine to bring home macarons no matter where I go. Point G macarons are softer than the ones from the Macarons Cafe from NYC (you can read from my post HERE) They are still pretty good in my opinion. Next stop? Laduree! If you have other macarons recommendations, please send them along the way!

Thanks so much for reading. I have posted a few new videos on my youtube channel so feel free to check them out. You can simply click on the youtube button on the right column :) Hope you all had a fantastic thanksgiving as well!

Thanksgiving in Montréal Day 1

2011-11-25T22:17:00.001-05:00

It's definitely been awhile since I uploaded a travel related post. Within 5 hours of driving radius from Boston, New York and Montreal are pretty much the only choices when it comes to last minute getaways. A winter wonderland vacation with my little bro to spend his last thanksgiving in the States here we come. First we found a place for our thanksgiving dinner. Sans turkey but plenty foie gras.

Au Pied de Cochon

536 Avenue Duluth Est,

Montréal, Québec H2L 1A9

Tarte de boeuf en cornet - Foie gras aux pommes - Tarte de boudin et foie gras au sel

Wandering around this city is probably one of my favourite things to do. Street art, Christmas lights and quiet chapels, the snow just landed which made it even more romantic. While I am still in battle with my winter denial in the late autumn weather in Boston, Montreal is already in peak winter. All I want to do is to sip hot cocoa and snowboard! The hotel we stayed at was old yet charming. The ceiling and dime yellow light reminds me of home in Hong Kong. So sweet.

Hotel Omni Mount-Royal

1050 Rue Sherbrooke O,

Montreal, QC H3A 2R6

Part 2 will be coming up tomorrow. If you were nosy, you could also read my last trip to Montreal 6 months ago HERE. See ya.

Tutorial | Fall & Winter Makeup

2011-11-20T11:41:00.001-05:00

A toned up version of my spring-summer makeup. Same brown bronze eyeshadow with a dash of gunmetal and dark grey. Dark neutral blush and rosy red lips to complete the look.

FFOTD |

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua B10
Skinfood Lime Secret Shine Base
Laura Mercier Secret Concealer 3
Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder in Translucent 2
MAC Bare Study Paintpot
Rimmel eyeshadow in Spicy Bronze
Inglot d.s. 500, d.s. 491 and amc shine 45
Milani Liquif'eye liner pencil
Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On mascara
MAC Gingerly Blush
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Medium/Natural and Shimmer (highlight)
Nars Dolce Vita

What do you put away and take out to use for the colder, drier weather?

Gossip Girl & Instagram

2011-11-17T17:30:00.001-05:00

So apparently I am having some funemployment time and am 4 years behind the whole Gossip Girl trend. I just couldn't believe myself spending the entire day in bed watching 24 episodes of 40min silly drama nonstop. How productive! Well, one good thing that came out from the show, despite the fact that everyone has exchanged gallons of saliva, is that I am falling in love with headbands all over again. I scored this headbands for $3 clearance from Nordstrom Rack. Way late but a little Blair Wardolf, anyone?

Not only I wanted to make this post precise, I also wanted to announce I am officially on Instagram. Find me at winnietsuii :)

Happy Thursday everyone!

Banila co. Love Affair lipgloss review & FFOTD

2011-11-13T13:30:00.000-05:00

My first Banila co. product(s)! and I am so excite to transfer my excitement to all of you. "Love Affair" was a line that came out in Autumn 2010, and these Benefit inspired lipglosses are so pigmented yet light to the touch. Swatches speak louder than words.

Top: Parisienna

Bottom: Amour

Fall Face of the Day with Parisienna,

October Favorites - MAC Gingerly, Inglot e/s, Laneige, Skinfood, Orly...

2011-11-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

This month I really started to feel a little overwhelmed by how many new products I had the desire to try out. Besides the swap from Cathy that I never got around to review, I am waiting for my $500 Sephora F&F package. The sad truth is I want to try them all, however the daily 15 min makeup routine doesn't permit. Too many products, too little time :( Anyway, I realized I had to do this to apologize the lack of updates for you wtf so lets jump into everything...

Inglot Palette - One of the very summery palettes that I can easily alternate the darker colors for fall and winter. Cathy sent me this during our swap because Inglot in the US does not sell pre-made palettes. I will be sure to do a more throughout review on all my Inglot eyeshadows since I did pick up another 10 color freedom system palette from NYC a few weeks ago. But as for now, you can read my very old review HERE to get a sense. The eyeshadows are very pigmented, "wet" in my opinion and very comparable to MAC's. Picture above is one swipe of the eyeshadows.

Kate Palette - Brown Collection in BR-3 - The pigmentation and quality are not necessarily superb however I love the concept of combining brow powder and eyeshadows in one. This baby is always in my morning makeup bag (since I do my makeup in the work bathroom every morning wtf). Having this I can easily make sure that neither my brows or eyes were left behind wtf. The brushes that come with are of great use as well; The small brush allows me to add colors on my brows within seconds whereas the tiny tip of the other brush allows me to line my eyes using the black shadow. Swiping the pink color all over my lids and dapping the lightest silver color on the inner corners, I am good to go!

Majorlica Majorca Enamel Glamour Volmne On mascara - Newest release of the Shiseido Majorlica Majorca family aka my new love (though I got it in late 2010-_-). Read my complete review HERE.

Skinfood Lime Secret Shine Base - I love my base makeup to be a little more luminous, especially for the dry fall and winter. Love adding a drop of this to the base makeup I am using... works great with all BB Creams and foundations. It can also be used alone as a highlighter like the Benefit Moon beam. Though this one is much more luminous and silky however does not grease up on the skin. It is affordable (not cheap but comes in such ginormous volume) and versatile.

MAC Gingerly Blush - One of the recommendations after I saw Sharon's favorite blush video (Check out her channel HERE, 1000 thumb ups!!). Putting Mocha and Plum Foolery aside, I started using Gingerly everyday, this dark nude neutral coral color works well and gives me a hint of romantic check no matter what eye look I am wearing. I notice that it is a bit chalky than other MAC blushers (maybe just mine?!), yet still a wonderful must have blush and fall version of my all time favourite Melba.

Laneige Hydra Solution Activator - using this alone as a serum does not give me enough hydration during the night however padding this on before my sunscreen and makeup in the morning is great! I notice my face has become a better canvas for makeup to stay put longer and my t-zone is also not as oily. Perhaps I am just happy to find a way to make this work so I dont regret carrying this all the way back from Korea wtf.

L'oreal Collagen Moisture Filler/Combleur Hydratant - my favorite night cream at the moment! I first started using it but it broke the hell out of me. It was too oily on my T-zone though I noticed a pretty obvious change on the moist level on my cheeks and forehead. After 2 nights my skin started to react to this differently. It stayed on til the next morning and I notice that my fine lines are slowly diminishing. I am sure my Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum helps (a lot) too but this cream builds a fortification to lock all the nutrients in the skin overnight. (Talk about skin war!) My skin still feels moist the next day. I am already on my second bottle and am planning to use this to fight the New England cold throughout the winter. If you have relatively drier skin and love a super thick cream for the night like me, give this a go!

Orly Rage - Holymoly, I love this polish so much. The color is fierce, shimmery yet subtle enough for work. With different lightings, it may appear as a rose gold or bronze gold. It compliments my yellow undertone skin, applies well with 2 coats and barely chips. Pictures are taken after 10 days of wear. Go figure!

So here are my October favorites. Give me another week and I will be full gear blogging and making videos! A lot of haul, skincare and makeup posts will be coming shortly. Thank you very much for reading and I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!

weekend brunches never get old

2011-10-23T10:33:00.000-04:00

Wandering around the lower East side to find some good eats has spontaneously become one of my favourite things to do in new york. Yes! Screw the night life and up early (sorta.) - my schedule fits perfectly with my heavily jet-lagged sister (She is not my blood sister but that's how I refer her as you know if you read my blog long enough:P). She craved french toasts, I was dying to get some benedict. What else is more perfect with a outdoory brunch on a gorgeous fall saturday morning with simple makeup -

Chanel Vitalumere Aqua in B10, Chanel soft touch eyeshadow in 69 black star, a dash of mac Melba blusher, only camex on lips.

Ha seeing my baby FIT in the background too! I never realized how easy it is to park in new york on weekends. Everywhere are commercial parkings only on weekdays, alas you can pretty much park wherever you want for free on weekends. I am definitely going to go there more often since now my parking issue has been straightened out.

We drove further up near central park I finally went to the Macaron Cafe for the 1st time after millions of visits to the city-_-. They are so yummy! I am sure they're not the best in the entire world but I am happy as a pig. As my first time buying fresh macarons from a shop, a box of 12 is a must :) I highly recommend the tea and flower flavours. As I am writing this, the whole box is already gone.

Hope you're all enjoying the fall weather! New videos and reviews will be posted soon.

Love~

Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour Volume on - Review and swatches

2011-10-16T21:52:00.002-04:00

Adoring simple and natural makeup, I however always need that extra boost for my lashes given the fact that they weren't the best to work with. Over the years, I have fallen in love with Japanese mascaras because they are made best for our short and pointing straight down thin lashes.

I picked up the Lash Enamel Glamour Volumn on mascara which is Majolica Majorca's newest release and so far I am loving it!

The wand (above!) is double sided with thicker and thinner "spikes" for volumzing and separating lashes. I use the thinner side first to give my lashes a nice even coat, then go in with the thicker side to make that extra volume boost at the roots. Here are my "swatches":

Bare curled lashes

1 coat

2 coats

3 coats (a little overkilled I think)

Bottom view -

B+ in lengthening. Outer corner is still hard to be reached.

A- medium fiber. It's definitely buildable, however it crumbs after 2 coats.

No doubt that Majolica Majorca is my favourite brand for mascaras for many years. Over the years they have build a pretty solid product line and here are the few I've owned -

Left to Right-

Lash Gorgeous Wing (very 1st generation MJ mascara, sucks and does nothing to my lashes)

Hope my Lashes are Full and Smooth (Lengthening & Separating)

Lash Expander Frame Plus (Volumizing and Lengthening, read my review Here!)

Lash Enamel Glamour Volumn on (Volumizing, though really not bad for lengthening)

Despite the strangest names for mascaras, they really are the best I've used. promise I will do a more throughout review - Their products are of best quality, water-proof, affordable (if you get them from Asia) and work wonders for Asian lashes. I can't imagine how much of a wow effect it would give for people who already have long and thick lashes!

Shanghai Tang

2011-10-02T13:26:00.000-04:00

Boring life, I wish I lived in a city that is 24/7 inspirational. As times like these, super busy at work M-F, experiencing caffeine withdrawal on weekends, I don't really have the strength to drain my brain even more on a beauty product review. I miss Shanghai, I really missing living there and being inspired no matter where we go.

Day to night- Traditional to modern- I love Shanghai and miss every minute living there. The city is so energetic yet a great balance between traditional Beijing and busy as hell my home Hong Kong. Furthermore, the reason why I miss it so much is because it rarely is one of the few places that I truly felt content living in. The history, the local people, the vivid compliment of skyscrapers and old streets, the comparison between old and new Shanghai lifestyle. I love stalling around the city and casually be inspired. I am already planning to move my ass there once I am jobless lol. I know a few pictures cannot conclude all my feelings but I'd like to share my love for it with all of you.

日與夜－傳統與現代－我真的很愛上海也想念住在上海的每一分每一秒。整個城市永遠充滿活力，但同時是傳統北京和繁華香港一個很好的平衡。喜歡沒事走上街頭輕鬆找靈感，她是我少數住過讓我心靈時常感覺充實的一個地方，她的歷史，民居，高樓大廈與舊街強烈的映襯，新舊生活品味的對比，都是讓我想念她的原因。希望不久的將來有機會搬過去生活吧！

上海，很快我們會再見的 , my beloved city!
P.S. Check out my bestie's blog at http://teditsuruda.tumblr.com

New Hair Color: Clairol nice'n easy Color Blend foam in 5RB Medium Raddish Brown

2011-09-25T13:30:00.000-04:00

Since my hair form dye experiences are a few of the most popular posts in my blogging history, I've promised I will keep you all posted whenever I am changing my hair color. This time around I was shooting for a deep dark burgundy brown color for fall :)

Normally, I would once again go with my Kao Bubble Hair dye (Read my Glossy Brown Here & Mocha Orange Here) but as a curious and responsible blogger, I decided to risk my life and try something new on my hair before you do with yours wtf. It is also a coincidence because a lot of western brands have (finally) come out with their foam dyes. Clariol nice'n easy foam dye in 5BR caught my attention with its gorgeous reddish brown color so I gave it a go...

*Drum sounds.

How I feel about the product?

1) Wrong Color - The color came out much lighter than anticipated. It is not completely off but better products can definitely be found.

2) The Worst Smell - Normally the foam dyes have about the same level of smell as regular hair dyes. I have never come across any hair dye that has such strong smell. I legit almost passed out from extremely strong ammonia smell.

3) Flat Fowm - It does not foam up and is hard to apply just as a shampoo (unlike the Japanese ones). Look at my 1st picture as reference. It is not much of a difference than using a gel-form dye, which defeats the whole purpose of using a foam dye-_-.

4) Difficult Wash - I was aware of the difficulty to wash off the dye from my extremely long hair but still, 5 times? That's just too much.

5) Messy - Apart from all the bad things, the absolute worst part of this product is the mess that was made. The foam does NOT come out white. Look at the photo above. It got everywhere, bathtube, sink, bathroom rugs... my light blue towel was also ruined as it wouldn't come off even after 5 washes.

The good things?

1) Cheap and Widely Available - I got it from a cvs for about $10 and almost all drugstores carry it. But trust me, its not worth the hassle. I recommend paying a few more bucks to get a Kao/Liese one.

2) Smell - the smell after dye isn't as strong though I wonder if my 5 washes had anything to do with it.

Result lol

Upper row - Natural Light

Lower Row - With Flash

The bottom line is the main purpose using a foam dye is for us newbies is to stay as clean and get the best even-ness as possible from a hair dye, unfortunately of which, this product does not deliver at all. I think the color came out okay though it was NOT the color I expected. Will I buy the product again? Absolutely not. Wayyyy too much hassle. I did not bother making a video of it but I wanna make this post because I simply want you all to stay away from it.

Nars Orgasm on Yellow Undertoned Skin

2011-09-18T13:22:00.000-04:00

While some products are simply overrated, we can't deny how awesome and versatile some products are. Nars Orgasm Blush is undoubtedly one of the most raved about products in our 21st century Internet oriented makeup world. I have no idea why I picked this up so late, and am so surprised to see how it works wonderfully on my yellow undertone skin. Duh... Winning! *lame, i know wtf

Close up to show you the beautiful gold sheen this blush offers, along with a heavy swatch and light swatch. They show up as a peachy pink color on my skin since my yellow undertoned skin blends right in with the warm gold sheen.Nonetheless it's beautiful blusher that can go light or heavy depending on the occasion.

The Nars Orgasm Blush appears less coral (more pink) on Asian skintone. There are tons of reviews and swatches everywhere I know but I figured since most of the reviews are targeted for caucasian skintone, having pictures of this on my NC30 skin could be helpful, hopefully, to some of you!