Why did it take me so long to figure out that all I needed was waterproof mascaras to keep my thick straight lashes, CURLED? After spending dollars and dollars on high-end mascaras like Chanel (read here), Lancome, ByTerry (read here) ... I've finally purchased drugstore mascaras from Maybelline and I am loving it.
Sephora 15% VIB Haul
9:17 PM
Recently, Sephora did their 15% VIB sale, and I went a little mad by buying some new purchases. I wanted to share with you the things I got, and it's already been a few days since I've been trying them. There are definite loves from this pile, and a few that I'm a little meh about - but the in-depth reviews will come later :)
NOTD⎜ESSIE Lapis of Luxury
4:08 PM
Byredo Parfums BLANCHE⎜Second Series, The Hair Perfume
3:30 PM
I'm coming back to you with a new update on a product I've been carrying around with me everywhere. If you don't know already, you can read this post here about my love for the Byredo Parfums, and especially the one called Blanche. Recently, Byredo Parfums released a new line of hair perfumes.
HELP! HAIR Products Haul
9:22 PM
My hair is a mess. I am tempted to dye my hair again, but I know I shouldn't because it is so damaged.
SPRING READY⎜February Favorites
9:01 PM
Oh so late! But I'm going to put it up anyway. Just take this as my recent favorites, not necessarily just in the month of February :) I especially picked the products that take away the winter blues and bring on the colorful Spring season!
Okay, hand cream. Perhaps this needs a separate blogpost because the L'Occitane hand cream is a dream. Remember the days when L'Occitane was the it-brand? I remember all the girls had their hand creams in their bags. But after dwindling in other hand creams, coming back to this was wonderful. It replenishes and it's everything a hand cream is supposed to do! And the smell is beautiful. It is called the "Pivoine Flora" and smells like a garden! This is the best and it's been with me everywhere, all the time.
Another recent favorite is the NYX butter lipstick. I bought this way back, but never really thought of blogging it, though I loved it so much. The shade I have is "sweet tart" and it is a beautiful medium pink and it's vibrant but still natural enough for everyday wear. What I love about it is not only the shade but how it stays on the lips and just the wear of it. It reminds me a little of the Lord and Berry lipsticks (blogged here).
A palette I love: Pony x Memebox (1st palette) is a great (blogged here). What I love most about it is this one particular shade called "easy brown". It is a lighter shade than MAC's "Soba" and I find it the perfect shade for contouring the eyes and nose.
Another palette is The Body Shop cubes (blogged here). Just look how much product they give! And the color payoff is great too. This palette in particular has it all really. The pearl white, the medium shades, and then the dark chocolate shade that you can use as eyeliner.
Foundation. This will definitely get a separate post, but yes, I'm back on the wagon with Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (shade 120). Check back for a more detailed post :)
NARS Multiple in "Riveria" gives such a sweet flush to the cheeks. You can read more about it here.
To dream of Spring, I've been applying the MAC "Paradisco" shade on my lids. This is such, such a beautiful pink shade - not often talked about. Pink eyeshadow can go totally wrong, but this is the best. It works with my skin tone so well! Highly recommend :)
Finally, Hourglass Brow Sculpting Pencil. I tried other eye pencils, but this is the best. Really.
Which is Better?⎪Eyeshadows that Set like Tattoos
4:12 PM
To start off, the one I wanted to really talk about was the Stila Smudge Crayon in the shade "Antique". The color works perfect for my skin and for the lazy days, I find it so easy to smudge my eyelids with just this shade. Because these smudge crayons by Stila are quite "un-blendable" all I can really do it slap it on. These eyeshadows set completely, pretty much the moment you put it on. I find it almost impossible to blend it, even right after application. Because of that reason, it was something that I didn't quite reach for. But because it sets so completely, it sticks on the eyelids all day. I also love the shade "Antique" in particular because it is so natural but gives dimension at the same time. I find that I can get away with this single shadow across the lid and not needing other shadows in particular.
With that being said, one of the most popular Stila shades is the shade "kitten". If I were fair-skinned, I would have loved this for the all-over-the-lid application. I guess people love the shade "kitten" for the same reason I love "antique" - but the only difference is that "kitten" would look to white on my skin. So if you are medium-olive skin-toned, the "Antique" would be the perfect everyday shade, and if you are fair-light skin-toned, "Kitten" would be gorgeous! But of course there are no rules!
As I was swatching the Stila "Antique" I thought it looked quite similar to Maybelline's Color Tattoo in "Bad to the Bronze" - one of the most talked about shade in the beauty blog world. I delved into this pot as well, but I didn't like it so much. I have still yet to find out what the hype was. First off, the shade was too dark and dull for my skin. Unlike "Antique", which looks natural but gives dimension, I found "Bad to the Bronze" a shade that just darkened my overall features.
The Maybelline Color Tattoo, I found, was also a bit too chunky. This, like the Stila Smudge Crayons, is that it is so difficult to blend. Considering how dark the shade is, I wanted to blend it out. But it just made a bit of mess on my lids! It does set, and the shade has silver pigments in it. I might look pretty on more of the fair skin tones so that the color pops. Otherwise, for me - this was a bit of a no-no.
Now, going on to the high-end products: Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow and Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon. I've already blogged about the Chanel one. I love it, and I especially love it in the summer because the shade is so beautiful and it has a water-wet look. As for the Charlotte Tilbury one, I've blogged about this one as well. I love the shade, pigmentation, and blend ability - all of that! But I still haven't figured out how I can wear it to look nice on me. If you do have light green eyes, this would probably look amazing.
Ratings: (out of 5 points)
Setting Power
- Stila Smudge Crayons: 5/5
- Maybeline Color Tattoo: 4/5
- Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 4.5/5
- Charlotte Tilbury: 4.5/5
Blendability
- Stila Smudge Crayons: 1/5
- Maybeline Color Tattoo: 1/5
- Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 3.5/5
- Charlotte Tilbury: 5/5
Color/Pigmentation
- Stila Smudge Crayons: 4/5
- Maybeline Color Tattoo: 3/5
- Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 5/5
- Charlotte Tilbury: 5/5
Lasting Power
- Stila Smudge Crayons: 5/5
- Maybeline Color Tattoo: 4/5
- Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 4.5/5
- Charlotte Tilbury: 4/5
Sephora Haul⎪Dior, MUFE, Origins
4:00 PM
Oh, nothing new. Just another haul from Sephora. That store is a killer I tell you! But I wasn't too crazy. I bought just what I had in mind.
First up, eye cream. I'm reaching the later parts of my twenties. Eye cream was never a thing, but I did put it on once in awhile. But recently, I mean within the past year, I've noticed fine lines?!?! My foundation would just set in these fine lines and I'd rub in my foundation - and then it'd appear again! I really did see dryness under my eyes but I didn't think too much about it, until now.
After cruising around Sephora I settled for Dior's HydraLife Pro-Youth Sorbet Eye Creme. What I loved about it? It felt super hydrating and my skin felt replenished. I'll have to see how I get along with it and whether it helps with the fine lines. I'll keep you notified!
Then, foundation. I've used up my Nars Sheer Glow foundation. I love, love that foundation to pieces. But I was reminded about the Make Up For Ever HD foundation (shade 120) - something I used baaaackkk in the days. I remembered it worked well with my oily skin, but I'll have to see how I get along with this now.
Then, finally a mask. I'll talk about it in my February Favorites - but I am re-wow-ing with the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal mask. I had forgotten how effective this mask is!!! The small little bumps on my face cleared. Now I remember why I went tube after tube of this before.
On that note, I realize my foundation and fragrance posts are the most popular on my blog. I'll try to experiment with more foundations and keep you notified if there are some good ones on the radar. Give me some recommendations of what some of your favorite foundations are!
First up, eye cream. I'm reaching the later parts of my twenties. Eye cream was never a thing, but I did put it on once in awhile. But recently, I mean within the past year, I've noticed fine lines?!?! My foundation would just set in these fine lines and I'd rub in my foundation - and then it'd appear again! I really did see dryness under my eyes but I didn't think too much about it, until now.
After cruising around Sephora I settled for Dior's HydraLife Pro-Youth Sorbet Eye Creme. What I loved about it? It felt super hydrating and my skin felt replenished. I'll have to see how I get along with it and whether it helps with the fine lines. I'll keep you notified!
Then, foundation. I've used up my Nars Sheer Glow foundation. I love, love that foundation to pieces. But I was reminded about the Make Up For Ever HD foundation (shade 120) - something I used baaaackkk in the days. I remembered it worked well with my oily skin, but I'll have to see how I get along with this now.
Then, finally a mask. I'll talk about it in my February Favorites - but I am re-wow-ing with the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal mask. I had forgotten how effective this mask is!!! The small little bumps on my face cleared. Now I remember why I went tube after tube of this before.
On that note, I realize my foundation and fragrance posts are the most popular on my blog. I'll try to experiment with more foundations and keep you notified if there are some good ones on the radar. Give me some recommendations of what some of your favorite foundations are!
The Little Things⎜Miscellany Favorites
8:13 PM
Here are trinkets and small accessories that make me feel like a blogger.
Byredo Parfums "Blanche" hand cream - So good. Just, so good. That is all.
ETSY's shop "Daily Look" rings - I don't give these rings enough mention. These rings are gorgeous. Although I still love my Catbird rings, when you can't afford some real 14k gold rings, you can find similar ones on DailyLook. This girl seriously is talented and her jewelry are topnotch. They also come in beautiful packaging! Highly recommend you check out her shop :)
Larsson and Jennings Classic Watch - I mean, you know this already right? This is my watch and everyone who sees it asks me where it is from. I mean, everybody.
Warby Parker Holocomb Frames - "Hey, I am a New Yorker". That's what these frames say to me. Never felt so confident wearing glasses!
Chanel Lipstick in "La Romanesque" - Having a Chanel lipstick that clicks out is a beauty blogger's must
Byredo Parfums "Blanche" hand cream - So good. Just, so good. That is all.
ETSY's shop "Daily Look" rings - I don't give these rings enough mention. These rings are gorgeous. Although I still love my Catbird rings, when you can't afford some real 14k gold rings, you can find similar ones on DailyLook. This girl seriously is talented and her jewelry are topnotch. They also come in beautiful packaging! Highly recommend you check out her shop :)
Larsson and Jennings Classic Watch - I mean, you know this already right? This is my watch and everyone who sees it asks me where it is from. I mean, everybody.
Warby Parker Holocomb Frames - "Hey, I am a New Yorker". That's what these frames say to me. Never felt so confident wearing glasses!
Chanel Lipstick in "La Romanesque" - Having a Chanel lipstick that clicks out is a beauty blogger's must
Best Lip Tint in Town⎜Holika Holika Waterdrop Tint Stick
3:50 PM
I am trying to avoid blogging about products that are not easily accessible, but then again, what is the point of a blog if it isn't to let readers aware of new brands and foreign products right? I want to continue on from the January Favorites post I did here and tell you in depth why I love this lip tint so much.
It is the Holika Holika Waterdrop Tint stick. I never heard of it until I walked into their store and the girl there recommend I try it. She said it was quite different from other tints out there.
Rightfully so! This tint is by far the coolest formulation! It feels like you are dabbing water on your lips but the color payoff is amazing! And it stays on. Seriously, put away the Benefit tints. They can't compare!
The color lasts so long and because it is water based, the color won't transfer on your coffee mug. You can maintain those beautiful lips even while drinking and eating. You feel like you have nothing on your lips, which is always the best. If anything, the color is so vibrant that sometimes you might have to wipe a little off right after you apply. Otherwise, I have nothing bad to say about this. It doesn't dry out the lips. It doesn't quite moisturize it either. It really does feel like anything because it just disappears right after you apply it.
They have this in about five or six colors. I have the shade 02 which is a red-orange. I've been wearing this a lot because I love how easy it is!
Life Update #8 ⎜A New Camera for the Blog
3:29 PM
I've been eyeing this videocamera for the longest time. I thought this would be the perfect one to do small tutorials on my Youtube channel as well as vlog for my own personal joy (probably nothing for my channel).
I don't know anything about cameras. DSLRs? No idea how they work. Ultimately, all I do with a camera like that is put it on auto and hope everything works out. I do use a DSLR for my blog right now, but it's something my sister lent me. She tried explaining things to me, but... I just don't get it!
So while I'm taking pictures with a camera I still have to figure out how to use, I made this really cute purchase! It is the Canon VIXIA mini x HD
Seriously though, how cute is this camera? You can lift the screen so you can see what you are filming and also film yourself. I love that it is horizontal so it gives more stability. They have a more recent edition that has image stabilization and longer battery life- but they didn't have it in white! And it was about $100 more - and I just came down to conclusion that with what I need, this cute white one will do.
Also, I love that it is so small. It is as handy as a cellphone, and I think that's more comfortable to walk and record around with. Although I love vloggers I wonder how they ever have the courage to walk around filming themselves. I love that this camera is a bit more subtle.
I don't know anything about cameras. DSLRs? No idea how they work. Ultimately, all I do with a camera like that is put it on auto and hope everything works out. I do use a DSLR for my blog right now, but it's something my sister lent me. She tried explaining things to me, but... I just don't get it!
So while I'm taking pictures with a camera I still have to figure out how to use, I made this really cute purchase! It is the Canon VIXIA mini x HD
Seriously though, how cute is this camera? You can lift the screen so you can see what you are filming and also film yourself. I love that it is horizontal so it gives more stability. They have a more recent edition that has image stabilization and longer battery life- but they didn't have it in white! And it was about $100 more - and I just came down to conclusion that with what I need, this cute white one will do.
Also, I love that it is so small. It is as handy as a cellphone, and I think that's more comfortable to walk and record around with. Although I love vloggers I wonder how they ever have the courage to walk around filming themselves. I love that this camera is a bit more subtle.
Discovery Product #9⎜Balm-Type Egg Primer by Tony Moly
5:35 PM
I introduced this primer in my January Favorites (click here), but I wanted to give you a little more in-depth review of the Tony Moly Egg Pore Smooth Balm. I'm still loving it, if you're curious. It's up there with my favorite primers, including Mario Badescu Special Healing Powder, Benefit Professional, and Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer.
This balm-type primer smoothes over the skin and fills in pores and glides over bumps. It creates a soft canvas for makeup application. What I love is the ingredients contained in this product. It has egg ingredient which helps tighten the pores and reduce sebum production. It is more than a primer in that it helps the skin throughout the day. If you are seriously oily and your makeup does not last, this can definitely help you.The packaging is cute. You open it up. There is nothing in the top layer of the shell, but it does take up a good amount of space doesn't it? You open it up and there is a blob of balm-y type primer contained within. It smells funky, but it's not like it lingers on the face. The texture is, as I said before, a balm type. It blends to a slight powdery finish.
They recommend that you apply this only to areas where you need it. I find that I can apply it all over my face without a problem. I apply with two fingers and just smooth it all over. I don't blend it in where you can barely feel the product. I actually just smooth it over and leave a good film over the face. (This does not mean you should pack your face with this! I just mean don't rub it in too much. Just "smooth" it over).
You can see the reduction of oil when you apply this before your foundation. You can also see the diminishment of your pores. And your makeup is generally better that day.
REVIEW⎜Chanel "Inimitable Waterproof" Mascara
7:09 PM
The beautiful wand that keeps thick straight lashes curled all day. This is Chanel's "Inimitable Waterproof" Mascara.
I don't wear waterproof makeup because I hate having to fuss with taking it off at the end of the day. But then I hear that waterproof mascaras are the secret to curled lashes. I haven't tried too many, but even if I don't have any other mascaras to compare with, I know this thing is amazing! The only other waterproof mascara I can compare it to is the ByTerry Soyeaux Waterproof Mascara. This was also beautiful in keeping my lashes curled, but the price of the ByTerry was...!!!
So in comparison, the Chanel mascara ($32) seemed quite affordable. I love this a little more too because the wand helped coat every lash. The black is intense and you can coat it several times without it clumping.
Here are snaps of my lashes closeup. The curl stays on all day. Love, love! Just remember that my lashes are super straight and just a pain to keep curled. Keeping them in this state is a miracle in it of itself!
I also featured this product in my January Favorites.
January Favorites⎪Makeup Highlights
6:57 PM
It's a little late, so even though I'm posting this as "January Favorites", it's more like makeup that I've been enjoying recently.
I kept the usual ones out of this post because I mention them all the time, products like Estee Lauder Maximum Cover foundation or my Hourglass Arch Brow Pencil. I wanted to add new favorites and products I haven't mentioned in awhile.
Products I've been loving for a long time but haven't mentioned recently: Perfekt Brow Perfection Gel. I love this stuff. Another long time favorite is the Nars lipstick in the shade Honolulu Honey. It really is a beautiful peach nude that works well with my skin tone. (See the swatch here) Love, love it! And finally, this product isn't "new" in that I've already featured it on my blog here but it is fairly a new discovery so I thought I'd best mention it. It is the BeautyBlender makeup applicator.
As for new products, I have quite a few - ones I have never mentioned on my blog before.
You know I've been obsessed with primers right? I mean just the past year, I've used three different kinds of primers for the face. And even still, if I hear about a good primer, I am willing to try it. They make all the difference in the world when it comes to how you look throughout the day. This really cute packaged primer called Egg Pore smooth balm from TonyMoly is a pretty darn good primer! It is meant to be used where you are oily and where your pores are visible. It has a tightening effect because of the egg that they use. It also contains other ingredients that helps clear the skin as well as keeping the makeup on. The egg and camellia extracts controls sebum and oil production. Because it is a balm type, it is amazing in smoothing over bumps, pores, and wrinkles! Above all else, it smooths the face and keeps makeup lasting long and that's what makes it pretty amazing. You can get this on Amazon.
Another new product that I've been in love with is Chanel's "Inimitable Waterproof" mascara. Oh goodness, where do I begin with this mascara? I guess I'll begin by saying that I love that it keeps my curls on... all day. I have thick straight lashes. I don't even expect my eyelashes to curl, let alone, stay curled. The last time a mascara kept my curls was the ByTerry mascara that they stopped selling. After that one exorbitant priced mascara, I went back to be okay with straight lashes. But then, I discovered this and just was amazed. Read the review here.
A lip product that I'll do a separate post about is the HolikaHolika Waterproof Tint Stick. This thing is something I've never tried before - a tint that takes things to another level. Really. You'll have to take my word for it until I write an in-depth review because... it's that good.
Finally, an eye palette that I love because of its versatile use is the Pony x Memebox Palette 1. I love that some of the shades can be used for contouring and even brows. You can create so many looks with this one palette. You can read more about it here.
Makeup Tools⎪BeautyBlender Review
12:08 PM
There are some products you put away because it doesn't work out the first time, but then for some reason you pick it up again and find that it works miraculously! That was the case with this small makeup applicator - the famous BeautyBlender.
I'll tell you why I love this thing, what I don't like about it, and how I use it to make it work for me.
How to Use: It's pretty simple. When you first buy it, it is literally one third the size of what you see in these pictures. You kind of pump it under running water, and it expands. After that, you can squeeze the excess water and then go straight to applying makeup.
How to Cleanse: This is where I found it so hard to keep using this the first time around. I felt like it was so hard to completely wash this clean because it kept soaking up the soap and foaming up more and more. But with the Dr. Bronner's cleansers, I just rub and pump until I find that the visible signs of makeup are gone. It might take more than a single rinse to get all the soap out. It takes me about five pumps and squeezes to make sure that all the cleansing foam is removed. (Beauty blender do their own cleansers, but I find that what you use for makeup brushes also works well with this sponge)
What I love about it:
- Great when applying heavy coverage foundations, something like my all-time favorite Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Foundation
- When using foundations that are high in coverage with a more matte/velvet finish, this applicator makes your skin look more bouncy so you don't look too dry
- You know how annoying it is to wait for your brushes to dry after cleansing? Well, I love that you're supposed to use this damp so right after you cleanse it, you can go straight into applying makeup with it!
What I don't like so much about this:
- Not a lot, I have to say. But I do find that I use a bit more product than I would if I used a brush.
- I don't recommend using this with really watery foundations, but that's just my preference.
- Not the best kind of shape to place it anywhere on your vanity. I find it rolling around everywhere.
- The pink coloring still comes out every time I cleanse.
This is definitely coming out in my January favorites!
The Body Shop⎜Eyeshadow Shimmer Cubes
5:33 PM
Today I want to talk about The Body Shop eyeshadow cubes. The only other makeup I've tried from The Body Shop was their honey bronzer which I didn't have that many great things to say. But after doing some research, I thought I'd give these eyeshadow shimmer cubes a try.
The palettes I purchased are: Palette 06 called "Chocolate Box Shimmer Cubes" and Palette 30 "Spring Bronze Shimmer".
The palettes come with four individually packaged eyeshadows. With the price and the deals that The Body Shop always offers, you get so much product! Because each eyeshadow is individually packed, you can switch them around and make your own palette.
The eyeshadows are extremely pigmented and so easy to blend. All of them are shimmery and they catch the light in beautiful ways. I found that the Palette 30 was easier to work with my skin tone. I personally love palettes that have a frosty white shade to add some shimmer in the inner corners and a beautiful yellow-toned gold shade for all over the lid.
Here are the swatches from Palette 30 - Spring Bronze Shimmer
The Palette 06 "Chocolate Box Shimmer" has much warmer shades. You can definitely create a warmer smokier Autumnal or winter look. The shades in this palette are so pretty. The lightest pink shade is my personal fave!
Here are the swatches:
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