Make Up by Shiv

EOTD + FOTD: Purple and Pink

2012-05-09T14:19:00.000+01:00

Please excuse the ungroomed brows! Need to let them grow out, unfortunately.

Products used:
MAC Pro Longwear concealer
MAC e/s - Parfait Amour and Beauty Marked
UD Naked Palette - Virgin, Naked, Buck and Creep
Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner - Black
MAC Fluidline - Silverstroke
Avon Super Shock Gel Liner
Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara
NARS lipstick - Roman Holiday
MAC Lipglass - Spite
The Body Shop Bronzing Powder - 03
The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter

Thanks for visiting!

NOTD: Nails Inc. - Shoreditch

2012-04-12T23:37:00.001+01:00

EOTD 29.01.12 - Smokey Green

2012-01-29T00:11:00.002Z

Products used:
ELF Eyeshadow Primer
MAC Fluidline in Dark Envy
MAC Humid eyeshadow
MAC Green Smoke eyeshadow
Urban Decay Naked palette (Virgin, Creep, Buck, Gunmetal, Naked)
Maybelline XXL Pro Curl Micro-fibre Mascara
Avon Super Shock Gel Liner

Thanks for visiting!

EOTD 25.01.12 - Arabic Inspired (Using the UD Naked palette)

2012-01-25T01:39:00.001Z

Products used:
ELF Eyeshadow Primer
Urban Decay Naked Palette (Virgin, Buck, Creep & Gunmetal)
Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner in 01 Intense Black
Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara
Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Liner in Black
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC35

Thanks Nish for the Naked Palette!

Thanks for visiting!

Sneezing with my eyes open

2012-01-24T00:15:00.002Z

Hey there bloggeristas! Here is something I cannot resist sharing with you. I hope it makes your day like it did mine.

Thanks for visiting!

Review: Revlon Matte Lipsticks

2011-12-29T05:42:00.002Z

Hello ladies! I finally managed to get some time to type up this review on Revlon's Matte Lipsticks. I am back in Hong Kong for winter break and am spending most of my time with my family which means I get very little time to keep this bad boy up to date. Let's get into it...

L-R: 009 Fabulous Fig, 003 Mauve It Over

Top - 009 Fabulous Fig
Bottom - 003 Mauve It Over

Wearing Revlon Matte Lipstick in 003 Mauve It Over

Wearing Revlon Matte Lipstick in 009 Fabulous Fig

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*Note that these lipsticks will look completely different on people with different skin tones and undertones.

I was never into lipsticks as much as I was into eye makeup, but I've recently developed a pretty severe lipstick addiction. I'd heard a lot about the Revlon Matte Lipsticks so thought I would try them out as I am not one for too much shine.

Consistency:
The consistency is absolutely great. They are very creamy, very pigmented and not at all drying as some matte lipsticks can be. It is VERY important to make sure that your lips are very well exfoliated before you apply matte lipsticks! You don't want your lips peeling off and looking dry because matte lipsticks highlight any kind of dryness that you may have on your lips.

Lasting power:
I was really impressed by the lasting power on these lipsticks. They last 3-4 hours, sometimes even more, even through eating and drinking! I always find myself trying to avoid contact between my lips and the glass I'm drinking from or the spoon/ fork I'm eating with to make my lipstick last longer on my lips and have as few reapplications as possible. These lipsticks have defied the need for constant reapplication.

When using Revlon Matte Lipsticks:

Because they are matte, be sure to apply lip balm before application as they tend to set into the lines of the lips.
These lipsticks don't bleed or feather, so lip liner isn't a must.
Make sure to test the lipsticks before purchasing them. The color shown on Ebay and a few other websites is quite different to what the color really looks like. I made the mistake of not doing so and regret buying Mauve It Over.
They are very versatile. They can be applied as a stain, as a sheer color with a lip brush, with gloss on top for more intensity and simply on its on for a matte finish.
Exfoliate!

Would I repurchase?
I am definitely going to repurchase Fabulous Fig as I find it to be a very wearable red for my skin tone. It has orange undertones which complements my warm yellowish skin tone. Mauve It Over is a beautiful lipstick for cooler skin tones with pink undertones as it has very, very visible blue undertones which does not complement my skin. It brings out the depth of my eyes, the horrible darkness around them and makes me look tired and drained overall. Revlon really knows their matte lipsticks, and these are a great quality alternative to more high-end lipsticks that burn a hole in your pocket.

Other Revlon Matte Lipsticks that I want to try are Wine Not and Cocoa Craving.

I purchased these for £3.50 a piece, including postage, from Ebay, here.

Thanks for visiting!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-28T05:23:00.000Z

Source

Youtube username: WHZGUD2

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T12:00:00.000Z

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MAC for Chen Man Collection, Spring 2012

EOTD - MAC Indianwood Paint Pot

2011-12-15T12:03:00.001Z

Products used:

ELF Eyeshadow Primer

MAC Indianwood Paint Pot

MAC Fluidline in Dark Envy

Sleek Storm Palette

BeautyUK Palette 4

Maybelline Line Stiletto eyeliner

Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T12:00:00.003Z

ASOS Envelope Laptop Case In Faux Croc Effect

£20.00

EOTD - 2.12.12

2011-12-02T14:16:00.000Z

Products used:

ELF Eyeshadow primer
Sleek Storm palette (matte black, matte beige)
Beauty UK palette 4 (matte brown, shimmery highlight color)
MAC Parfait Amour eyeshadow
Sephora Full Action mascara
L'Oreal Perfect Match concealer

Thanks for visiting!

Urban Decay: Naked 2

2011-12-01T22:24:00.007Z

It's finally here! Well not here in the UK, but you get the gist. The widely anticipated sister of the highest selling eye shadow palette Naked is finally on the market. Let's have a look.

Source

Naked (L-R): Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep , & Gunmetal

Naked 2 (L-R): Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted & Blackout

This palette comes with 5 new shades, the Good Karma shadow/ crease brush and (surprise!) a Lip Junkie lip gloss in the shade Naked!

It is a little disappointing that Half Baked has made a second appearance and that the shades in the two palettes are very similar BUT the make up addict in me just wants to get my hands on it anyway. A Primer Potion would also have been great for those who don't own Naked but want to try out Naked 2 but I'm sure the marketing brains behind Urban Decay have their reasons. It is retailing for £36 a piece, which is better than the approx. £180 you'd pay if you bought each shadow, the brush and the lip gloss individually.

Naked 2 will be pre-launched at Debenhams in early January and at other retailers in early February.

I want it. What are your thoughts?

Thanks for visiting!

Day 21 of 30 - My Favorite Lipstick

2011-11-28T13:05:00.001Z

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MAC Taupe

Ensemble of the Week - Bold Winter

2011-11-27T19:49:00.000Z

Skinny Trousers by Helmut Lang
Flats by MICHAEL Michael Kors

Accessory Haul

2011-08-12T06:39:00.000+01:00

Some earrings, rings and a necklace I picked up from Thailand and Hong Kong.

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for visiting!

Thailand baby!

2011-07-28T08:17:00.000+01:00

Hello peeps! I am finally going on holiday! I'll be flying to beautiful Thailand with my family for 10 days which means I won't be able to update my blog. I am really excited though and will definitely bring back loads of pictures to show you guys. Just look at this place!

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See you all in 10 days!

Hope you're all having a great summer.

IIFA Awards 2011 - Best Looks

2011-07-24T18:44:00.000+01:00

Priyanka Chopra

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Malaika Arora Khan

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Shilpa Shetty

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Anushka Sharma

Day 20 of 30 - My Favorite Mascara

2011-07-22T10:33:00.000+01:00

Rimmel Day 2 Night mascara

Day 19 of 30 - Favorite Look by a Beauty Guru

2011-07-21T07:55:00.001+01:00

Pixiwoo

JulieG713

I couldn't decide which one I love more, so here's both of them. Enjoy!

Day 18 of 30 - My Favorite Beauty Guru

2011-07-20T17:31:00.001+01:00

Pixiwoo

Day 17 of 30 - Fashion pieces on my 'to buy' list

2011-07-19T13:22:00.000+01:00

New Look High Waisted Colored Jeans - £19.99

New Look Large Feather Drop Earrings - £ 3.99

New Look Feather Drop Earrings - £3.99

ASOS Cold Shoulder Wrap Front Top - £25

ASOS Mesh Dress in Floral Print - £16

ASOS Nude Feather Clutch - £25

ASOS Bandeau with Printed Mesh - £45

H&M Bracelet - £6.99

H&M Imitation Suede Platform Shoes - £29.99

H&M Earrings - £6.99

Day 16 of 30 - My favorite music

2011-07-18T05:23:00.000+01:00

Hey guys! I can't believe I haven't finished this challenge yet. I know, shameful. Some challenge eh? If you haven't noticed, I skipped 'Day 15 of 30 - A picture of your favorite bracelet'. I almost never wear bracelets, maybe once in a blue moon which is why I don't have a favorite one. Now if it was a picture of my favorite ring, I wouldn't know where to stop!

As for my favorite music, I like nothing more than RnB. If only I could post a picture wearing one of these:

Source

One of my favorite songs at the moment!

NOTD - Revlon Creme in Rum Raisin

2011-07-16T07:53:00.000+01:00

Ensemble of the Week - Adriana skirt

2011-07-07T13:18:00.001+01:00

Shortsleeve Tops by Bebe
Sandals by Christian Louboutin

Mascara Review: Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect VS Rimmel Day 2 Night

2011-07-07T06:56:00.001+01:00

I was running out of my Covergirl LashBlast mascara (which I love!) and was in dire need of a great new mascara that would give me longer and more voluminous lashes. I had been hearing a lot of things about the Rimmel Day 2 Night mascara and the Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect mascara, so I did what I always do and caved into the temptation.

First off, this is my eye without any make up so you can see just how well these babies work!

And please excuse my horrible undereye circles, the weather in Hong Kong isn't being very nice to me. Screw you, allergies!

Rimmel Day 2 Night Mascara

Rimmel says: Rimmel introduces Glam’Eyes Day-2-Night, our first mascara that creates two dramatically different lash looks with just one brush. The secret is the magic double cap! During the day, choose the Length Cap for ultra-long, gorgeously defined lashes – perfect for those flirtatious encounters by the photocopier. And for night time, choose the Volume Cap, and plump your lashes to up to 15 times their normal thickness, leaving them voluptuously

lush-looking and ready to party.

Source: http://www.rimmellondon.com

So as you can see, there are two wands in one bottle; one for length and the other for volume. The Length for daytime and the Volume to spice up the lashes for nighttime.

This is what the Length wand looks like. The bristles are set further apart which really lifts the lashes as you can see in the picture below. I wouldn't say it is harder to use than a wand where the bristles are closer together, but because the wand is quite long, it takes a little more work precision-wise.

1 coat of Length only

The bristles in the Volume wand are thicker and and more tightly packed. This helps achieve the thicker looking lashes. This wand is easier to use as well because it is much shorter than the Length wand.

Length + Volume, one coat each

What do I think of this mascara overall? I think it's great if you're willing to spend an extra minute to do your lashes every day. The fact that it has two wands is definitely a good thing when it comes down to precision, but when it's about the time it takes to get there you'll need another minute or two. The staying power of this mascara is incredible. It stays on for pretty much the whole day which is 10+ hours without smudging or flaking. If you are not accustomed to wearing mascara, this is one to try. Even with one coat of each wand, it feels weightless. I don't believe it is waterproof so may melt in certain conditions.

I have to say I am very impressed with this mascara and personally don't think there is a downside to it. There is very little clumping, if any. It shows how the wand and bristles make such a huge difference with the same formula. The mascara does what it says on Rimmel's website, which is create the perfect lashes for daytime as well as nighttime. I would definitely repurchase this one again. Lashes bring the whole make up look together after all, don't they? Now everything comes down to this: does it beat Bourjois's Volume Fast & Perfect?

Available in brown and black.

Retails for £7.99 at Superdrug, on sale for £5.99 at the moment

Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect

Bourjois says: Innovative new mascara : The new auto rotating brush instantly and evenly wraps around each lash for a false lash volume effect in 30 seconds flat!

The brush rotates 360° and coats lashes from root to tip with no overloading guaranteed.

The rotating motion continuously deposits all mascara from the brush onto the lashes and evenly spreads just the right amount of formula onto the lash fringe effortlessly and in record time.

The Volume Fast & Perfect mascara does the work of a professional make-up artist for you achieving volume and definition in just 1 step!

No need to dip the brush into the mascara tube twice. In only one stroke, lashes are evenly wrapped for maximum volume and a perfect false lash effect.

Source: www.bourjois.co.uk

I was really excited to try this mascara because of the rotating wand!

2 coats of Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect

The bristle part of this wand is quite long, probably much longer than the average mascara. It's great because you can get to a lot more lashes while rotating the wand. As for the rotating aspect of this mascara, I love it. It helped me get right to the bottom/ root of my top lashes and coat the entire length of each hair with the product. It separates the lashes, but when repeatedly applied, it starts to clump a little. I personally liked this clumpiness as it made my lashes look more voluminous. The staying power of this is extremely good! It stays on for over 10 hours and does not flake or smudge. It is not a waterproof mascara, so be careful about where you are wearing it if you sweat a lot! Point to remember: it volumizes more than lengthens.

The wand rotates in two different directions so minimal effort is required when you apply it. The dual rotation makes it easy to apply mascara to both eyes (I find it harder to do the left eye as I am right-handed). One really great thing about the formula of this mascara is the fact that it contains jojoba oil (which is great for hair), vitamin E and natural waxes. These are all said to be good for the growth of the lashes! Come on, who doesn't want that?

The only downside of this mascara is the fact that it can dry out much faster than the average 3 month life of a mascara. Another downside if you are not accustomed to wearing mascara; it does not feel weightless.

Does it do what it claims to do? Not entirely.

Available in black.

Retails for £11.99 at Superdrug.

Who wins?

Rimmel Day 2 Night

Pros:

2 different looks
Really lengthens and volumizes lashes
Separates lashes well
Not clumpy
Stays on long
Doesn't smudge or flake
Easy to remove
Feels weightless

Cons:

None

Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect

Pros:

Contains complex of ingredients for growth of lashes
Volumizes
Rotative wand
Doesn't smudge or flake
Stays on long

Cons:

Can feel the weight of the mascara
If you don't like clumpiness, this is not one for you
Dries out fast

As much as I love the innovative edge that the Bourjois mascara has, I don't think I will be replacing my old-fashioned 'manual' mascara anytime soon. The Rimmel mascara has given me a better finish and has a lot more pros and I fell in love with it the first time I used it. Don't let this stop you from trying out the Bourjois mascara though! It is good, just not as good. Plus it's good to try new things and get a feel of everything right? If you are willing to spend £11.99 on a mascara, try it. It's something creative and new you might actually love!

Do you have any recommendations for a good mascara? Let me know!

Thanks for visiting!