SPRING READY⎜February Favorites

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.

Leave a Comment foundation, hourglass, l'occitane, MUFE, nyx, paradisco, Pony, Spring, the body shop

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HERA UV Mist Cushion⎪Review

I want to talk about the foundation that I've been using every day since I first got it. It is the Hera UV Mist Cushion.

These "cushion foundations" are big in Korea, and after seeing Korean girls wear it and look great, I thought I might give it a try. I know firsthand that Korean girls really love that dewy natural glow makeup. There's even a word "Mol-gwang" to define that water glow makeup. My skin is starting to look dull and dry, and I thought putting some moisture and life back into my makeup routine would be a good start. Read the Haul post.

Though I love this and I feel safe since I have three more packs of these left, there are a few downfalls to this foundation. But before I go on with what I don't like so much about this foundation, let me tell you why I've been using this over all my other foundations.

First: GLOW. You'll see in the last picture the natural gleam and glow you get. It's beautiful and your skin looks young and healthy.

Second: BRIGHT. Though the color range is very minimal like most Korean foundation color ranges, what I love is that the bright tone of this color remains that way. I'll try to explain myself better. There are some foundations that after application, oxidizes throughout the day, causing the color of the foundation on the face to eventually look yellow, dull, and darker. But what I love about this Hera cushion foundation is that the shade remains the same throughout the day. No oxidizing and all day "brightness".

Third: COVERAGE. Though the coverage isn't Estee Lauder's Maximum Coverage Foundation, this foundation does a pretty good job covering all my scars. What I love is that though it doesn't cover everything, it gives the impression that you have flawless skin. It glosses over scars and blemishes, and it gives this really natural coverage. But natural doesn't mean it doesn't cover well, because it does!

Fourth: PACKAGING. The inside is replaceable so you don't have to buy a new case and content every time. You can save the price by just buying the inside. You just put it out... you'll know when you get it, how that is done. Also, the whole concept of the plastic-like sponge to apply the foundation is wonderful. It really makes the application of the foundation bouncy and alive.

Now, for the bits of things I don't like about it. This foundation is really rich. At first, I thought there was no way I could wear this and expect the foundation to last even three hours. It definitely felt like it was slipping off my face. But how I remedied that problem was using a powder primer. I've talked about the Mario Badescu Special Healing Powder. I use this as a primer, and wow the difference it makes in the wear and application! Read it here.

So, if you are one really oily skinned person, this foundation may not be for you UNLESS you use a powder-like or a really good primer. You'll have the feeling that your skin is sticky all day, otherwise.

But oh boy, if you have dry skin - you'd love this to pieces!

Anyway, so that was a long in-depth review of this foundation. Have you tried this, and if so, how do you find it?

1 comment foundation, hera, korean makeup

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September Favorites

This month was me trying desperately to get my skin to look better. I don't have too many favorites this month, but the ones that I did pick out were really the best of the best!



First off, my glasses from Warby Parker. The Holocomb frame (www.warbyparker.com/eyeglasses) is just my everything! I had it for over a month now, and I love it more and more each day. I don't mind wearing these frames outside and it gives my outfit such an edge!

I've also been loving the Burberry Sheer Glow foundation. It gives the face such a glowing look without it being slippery. It doesn't break me out either, which is always of my utmost importance. When I find that it isn't covering enough, I mix it with my Estee Lauder maximum cover foundation.

That reminds me of the Hourglass Primer I picked out. If you didn't know, I once raved about this product... then, I found the Benefit Primer and totally transferred over to them. But nowadays, I'm back on the wagon with my Hourglass Mineral Veil primer. It's been working better than the Benefit for some strange reason!

For blusher, I've picked up the Benefit Rockateur blush. I bought this last year, and I didn't like the color, but for some reason, this shade has been looking good on my skin. I also love how the Benefit blushes give you that gleam on the cheeks. It's really so pretty! Oh, and I forgot to mention that the shade is a rose-gold kind of shade.

Lipsticks! I've been loving two. The first is a recent purchase from Tom Ford. I love their lipsticks so much. Unlike the previous shade I had from Tom Ford, which was Violet Fatale, this natural shade called Spanish Rose is a perfect everyday pink shade.

The other lipstick is from MAC. The shade is Syrup, and it is seriously one of a kind. It's a plum, but a muted kind. It's everyday, with something different. I'm going to be posting my "Interview Makeup" post, where I share with you some of the products that I recommend for interviews. This is one of them! Absolutely love!

I'm almost done with the Josie Maran hand cream. This might very well be a repurchase because nothing makes me cuticles disappear as well as this one. The smell isn't all that beautiful, nor the packaging... but the actual substance of this lotion is GOOD.

Finally, fragrance. I used my Sephora points to get a decent travel size of the Nest Midnight Fleur fragrance. I've heard about it so much, I thought I'd give it a try. Not only do I love the packaging, but I love the smell for sure! It is a warm and encompassing scent. It's sweet and it feels like someone is wrapping you with a cozy blanket. I've been wearing it everyday, and it fits really well especially with the Fall here now!

Reminder: search up the brand into the search bar to read the previous reviews on the products!

Leave a Comment benefit, burberry, favorites, foundation, hourglass, josie maran, MAC, nest, sephora, syrup, warby parker

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Review⎪BURBERRY Sheer Foundation

This was an unexpected discovery. Burberry Sheer Foundation has been rolling around my room for some time. My sister left it in my room, and she hasn't worn it since she first bought it so I thought I'd give it a try. I wasn't feeling like wearing a thick foundation, but I did want a bit of coverage. I picked this foundation up, just for the fun of it, and smoothed it all over my face. It was my first time trying it, and instantly my gut reaction was, this is nice.

I've been wearing it everyday since I first tried it. My hands keep going to it, preferring it over all my other foundations. I thought it was about time that I shared it with you guys, telling you what I think about it!

First of all, the full name is "Sheer Foundation" Luminous Fluid Foundation in the shade Trench No. 04. It is the perfect match for me.

Like its name, this foundation is definitely a medium coverage foundation. You can build it up to heavier coverage, but even then, it would be nowhere near the Estee Lauder maximum coverage foundation. Though I love my heavy-duty coverage foundations, I feel this foundation does enough of the coverage and with the shade being just right for me, I am happy with it just being medium coverage. I have my concealers to do the extra job of covering a few spots.

What I love about this foundation is the texture. When you pump it, it look as though it'd be on the velvety-matte side. But once you spread it all over your face, you are left with the dewiest, healthiest glow. This is en par with my all-time fave Nars Sheer Glow foundation. The thing about this is that it is lasts longer than the Nars Sheer Glow, AND it does not break me out! That is a definite big plus.

I've worn this foundation all day, and not only does it last really well (with the primers I wear, of course) but because it keeps the glow on my face all day long and it doesn't break me out, I feel content and safe wearing this! Whereas other foundations sometimes makes my skin feel itchy and makeup feeling heavy, this feels so unbelievably velvety and light, at the same time, giving off that glow and dewiness!

It also smells nice. I'm not one to care for the smell, but this smells nice and even though I have uber sensitive skin, the fragrance doesn't seem to cause any trouble!

Finally, packaging. I mean, it is Burberry and if you need a trophy on your topshelf, this sleek packaging won't do you any harm for sure!

I honestly can't say enough good things about this: good coverage, beautiful texture (dewiness, glow), long-lasting, no breakouts, smells nice, and beautiful packaging.

Highly recommend! xx

Leave a Comment burberry, burberry foundation, burberry makeup, foundation, product review, review, sheer

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Discovery Product #7. SPECIAL HEALING POWDER as a PRIMER

This is for the peeps who have been having trouble keeping their makeup on... on those days with the hormonal breakouts! I'm here with a good news :)



I took an endlessly horrible skin week to find something that would help me look decent and presentable. I have been having such bad skin after I came back from California. Don't know what it is, but when I was in Cali, my skin was behaving so nicely and right when I come back-- it's completely gone!

After doing my usual routine, I decided it was time for change. I did switch up my skincare routine, which helped my skin immensely but something else that has been helping me look quite good-skin'ed is a new healing powder that I've had for a long time, stored away in my cabinet.

It is the Mario Badescu (can I talk about this brand enough?.... no!) Special Healing Powder. I bought this, opened it, and found it made the biggest mess and so I had stored it away. Perhaps I used it twice before, each time saying... "it's good, but it makes such a mess!" and not using it again.

But recently, my skin has been producing so much oil and I was getting painful acne around my chin. I tried hydrating my skin, detoxing it, and doing all sorts of stuff. But nothing was really working, and even my well-beloved Benefit Porefessional couldn't keep up with my skin! Makeup was just dying on me... cracking, melting, and patching away!

So out of the blue, I thought I'd try the MB Special Healing Powder underneath my makeup... as a primer. Although it did make such a mess, I stuck with it. I powdered my face and I did look a bit like a clown! But after I powdered my face evenly, I then went on to apply my Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer... finish it off with the Tarte Amazonian Clay Powder Foundation. Maybe I'll do a separate post on this new foundation routine, but seriously... effective.

The Special Healing Powder is this loose greenish powder. It says on the packaging that: "it is a sulfur based powder that will help not only control excess oils and reduce redness, but will also disinfect and heal blemishes."

I recommend it for the oily-sensitive skinned gals, or for those that are going through that skin-irritation caused by hormonal breakouts period. The green powder, as a primer, helps reduce the redness in the face. Then, when you apply foundation you will see that you skin looks so much healthier, velvety, and the makeup lasts so long.

And what is better than knowing that underneath the makeup you have on (all day, even) is this Special Healing Powder that is constantly working to heal your irritated skin? It reduces oil indeed! And helps with the pore coverage! And, it disinfects and HEALS blemishes.

I don't care if this powder gets everywhere and makes a mess! If this is the result that I am getting, I'm sticking with it! xxx

If the applicator is too much of a hassle and mess, you can use a brush or what not. Also, I know some people use this on top of makeup to set it! I find that using it underneath is the best and when I do that, I don't need to reapply it on top. Also, don't be surprised at how powdery this is! I bet you will all look like a clown after applying it haha. But stick with it and keep spreading it out evenly. Make sure to use it sparingly of course. You don't want to overdo it or you might dry out your skin a bit too much. If you apply this after makeup, make sure you use a BRUSH and dust it maybe in your t-zone area. Don't use the pad applicator that it comes with or you'll end up with blots of green powder. But if you are using it underneath, no worries if you look cray. You just need to go through your next step in apply foundation. Then the green dissolves :)

Leave a Comment acne, discovery product, foundation, foundations, mario badescu, primer, tarte

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b e a u t y h a u l : M A C & N A R S & H O U R G L A S S

Here is a haul of my recent beauty purchases! I know it looks like I've hoarded an unnecessary amount, but I had two gift cards with me and I'm not going to lie. I do have an obsession with makeup. So, where would I spend that gift card than on spending it on the few products I've been eyeing! Also, Sephora has started their VIB 15% sale. That gave me reason to stock up on "essentials"-- foundation, primer, and contour powder. With the VIB card, you also get a plastic bag of samples and a free tote bag!

Watch this video to see the overall: 

MAC blushes: Well-Dressed, Melba, Mocha, Blazing Haute, Blushing All Day

Sunny in Seoul, Cremesheen formula/ lovel pink coral :)

When I went to the mall first thing in the morning, MAC counters JUST brought out this new collection. It's their mineral blush! This is the color Blazing Haute :)

Soft Blush Brush (Angled) #168

I've finished my first bottle, and I had to stock up on my now second Nars Sheer Glow!

Nars Laguna. It was essential :)

2 comments blush, blushes, bronzer, brush, contour, foundation, hourglass, laguna, lipstick, MAC, MAC blushes, mac brush, mineral blush, Nars, oil-free, primer, seoul, sephora

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Creating a Flawless Base! (Current Foundation Routine)

I wanted to make sure to put up the reviews for all the products that I mention here before posting this one. At the moment, this is my current foundation routine, meaning after all my skincare routine is done:

1. Apply This Works "Perfect Look Skin Miracle" with fingers smoothly all over face. It preps, primes, and moisturizes my face!
2. Take needed amount of Estee Lauder Maximum Cover foundation and the Burberry Fresh Glow (1-2 pumps) and mix them together. (The Burberry Fresh Glow is optional, and something that I don't do all the time.) I apply them with my Real Techniques Expert Face brush.
3. Again only when needed, I take my Burberry Sheer Concealer in No.02 "Soft Beige" under the eyes or where I want a bit of brightening. 

So everything here is only the face-base. I've taken away the whole highlighting, blush, contouring, etc., steps to a beautiful face... just the most fundamental. The FOUNDATION routine!

I've blogged about This Works perfect look skin miracle so many times, I wonder if I need to go through that again. As for the Burberry Fresh Glow I just blogged up, linking it right here. The Estee Lauder Maximum cover foundation is perfect for me at the moment. It's a super high quality that is neither too matte nor too glowy. When I do want to create a more glowing and naturally radiant look, I mix my foundation with the Burberry Fresh Glow. It's lovely. It makes the foundation more liquidey which makes applying easier. Also, you can sort of use less of your foundation because it spreads over a large surface area. The Fresh Glow is a makeup base, created to give a luminous glow to the face. I've reviewed that here. 

Applying foundation is great with the expert face brush from Real Techniques. It's a more condensed but very soft brush that really helps my foundation stay on longer and cover so much better! I've put away the buffing and stippling brush all together! 

Lastly, only when I do need it, I apply the Burberry Sheer Concealer to make me look more "awake" and highlight certain areas. It's really great. I've reviewed that here as well.

With the coming warmer season, my foundation routine will likely change. We shall see, but for now, this is pretty much it!

Leave a Comment burberry, concealer, estee lauder, foundation, makeup base, primer, real techniqes, sheer, this works

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Estee Lauder Promising Maximum Coverage!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation has been around for a pretty long time. It was next on my list to try, all because of the great reviews I've heard about the amazing coverage and natural finish. I recently went to my skincare spa that I've never mentioned about before (maybe I'll write a review on it? Tell me if you'd like to see it), and well what happens after a session is that your face is left a bit red and all for about two days. So, I thought, no better time to try out how good this Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation is.

BUT, let me stop y'all there. This isn't the original Double Wear. It's their MAXIMUM coverage. They have a lighter version, the original version, and this. THE MAXIMUM! Although NARS sheer glow and the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundations are amazing and seriously, if I had better skin, I'd wear those two forever... I did need some extra boost. Also, school has started. That means, stress has begun! 

Before I even tried it, I automatically thought this would be like... well, paint. I thought the consistency would be thick and pastey but in fact, I was so surprised to see that it was REALLY liquidy! The consistency is very similar to Nars Sheer glow, although the NARS is a bit more watery. Point is though that this is also pretty liquidly. The Laura Mercier Silk Creme is in fact more pastey than this one is.

When you take a brush and spread it all over your face, you find that it spreads so................. nicely and evenly. And then, it sinks right in! It also finishes with full coverage, and pretty natural. It's not BB cream, but come on, this is a heavy duty foundation! For those of you who really need a GOOD MAX coverage foundation (while taking care of skin, of course!) then do check this out. The finish is neither totally matte nor totally glowy. It's somewhere in the middle I think.

If your skin isn't that terrible, I think the original is enough because the original is known for its excellent coverage. You shouldn't have to go an extra step. But this is for those who really. really want it :)

I bought this at Saks Fifth Avenue and the guy at the counter told me there was no other product on the market that had as good a coverage as this. It kind of frightened me. I thought, what are you selling paint? But, I was pleasantly surprised!

The smell is also neutral. It doesn't smell like anything, so fragrance-free. You're not going to be smelling any paste or paint smell in this.

The wear is also designed for long-lasting. Of course, since it's marketed towards people who want maximum coverage. It stays on really long.

What I also love is that the packaging is uber-convenient! It is so slim and rather small, I thought there wasn't much product in it. But in fact, it has MORE than the NARS Sheer glow :) So, well done Estee Lauder for the perfect packaging! And great coverage! And wear... and well, finish and well... you know, all of it.

The shade I bought is Creamy Vanilla, a bit lighter than my skin tone but I always go a shade lighter than my actual complexion to do the job of brightening. And, it works out really well :) It is a bit pricey, on par with the other high-ends (I believe it is a bit more pricey than the original double wear) but it'll last long and I think it's worth it.

2 comments coverage, double wear foundation, estee lauder, estee lauder double wear foundation, face, foundation, laura mercier, maximum coverage, nars sheer glow, saks fifth avenue

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Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation

This is possibly my newfound favorite foundation! After Tanya Burr kind of raved about it in her beauty videos, I feel so many beauty bloggers went out to try it out, if not again. I too hopped on the bandwagon and bought the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. This is supposed to have the ultimate coverage, be long-lasting, natural and have a beautiful silky finish. 

After using it for a few days, I raved about it to my sister and she too went and got it in a different shade. The great thing about having girls in the house is that beauty talk is always happening, and each girl brings in her thoughts and beauty buzz! It's lovely. Anyway, back to the foundation. I bought the shade bamboo beige. In my research I've seen that these foundations are very yellow-toned which is good for me. I cannot stand foundation shades that have reds in it, not even a bit. That's also why I love Nars Sheeer glow. 

The difficult part was picking out a shade, especially... online. I ravaged through blogs to find swatches of the shades but even then, I had no clue! I just read the description and went with what I thought fit me. (For those who are more rosy toned, they have a bunch of shade for you guys as well!). 

The minute you squeeze a small amount of it out of the tube (you only need the tiniest bit and it's buildable) you kind of get this pasty cream. Then as you blend it, you feel how rich and creamy it is, but also light. I find that I "have" to use the expert face brush from Real Techniques. Other looser brushes just cannot spread this foundation evenly all over the face because it's actually "thick". 

I was so happy when the shade came it really fit me. Now, my sister got a supposedly lighter shade than mine because she is a bit lighter-toned. But if you see the swatch I've made below, you'll see that you can't REALLY see a difference. The shades are so subtle! But I'm sure they make a difference. I recommend that you go to the store and actually check it out in person, unless you're as lucky as me and get the right shade! (I'm light to medium, yellow undertone). My sister bought the beige ivory. I do have to say though that they do run a bit darker than what they seem.

The coverage is excellent. The finish is absolutely natural! You seriously cannot understand how such a thick consistency can end up looking so natural and smooth. The finish is neither matte nor glowy. It's somewhere in the middle. Also, it finishes so smoothly and you're not left with this sticky pasty feeling on the face. I have an oily skin, and yet this lasts quite well for me!

I sometimes compare this with my all-time favorite Nars Sheer glow, which also has an excellent coverage. The difference is in I think the consistency and wear time. I think the Laura Mercier lasts longer and it kind of sticks to your face. The Nars Sheer glow is more watery and it spreads easily and evenly all over the face with all kinds of brush. What I love about both of them is that they have the perfect shade for me, and that... is a big deal! 

Have you guys tried this foundation? They say its recommended for all skin types, for those who care about coverage and those who want a more natural look. It suits all! It definitely suits my taste of things so yay for me :)

4 comments beige, brushes, foundation, laura mercier, Nars, nars sheer glow, Real Techniques, silk creme foundation

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MAC Studio Fix NC35⎪Review!

School is definitely stressing me out! I have been breaking out quite badly and of course, the first step in dealing with that is to focus on skincare. But the problem is I come home just to sleep and the rest of the day is spent out. For immediate solution to the breakouts, I've been looking for something with better coverage for touch-ups. I've hit pan on my Kevyn Aucoin "Ethereal Powder". Although I've enjoyed using the product, after I've found this goodie, I think it surpasses Kevyn Aucoin!

What I love most about this is the color match. I just picked from what I thought would match it, swatching it on a part of my cheeks at the MAC store. But when I came home, I was so impressed with how perfect this shade fit my skin! The Kevyn Aucoin ethereal powders didn't come in too many shades, and though I fall into the light-medium range, I was using the second lightest shade from their available shades, and even that was a bit dark! This is just perfect. I'm using NC35, good for light-medium yellow-undertone skin.

Another thing I like about this is the coverage, of course, since that's what I was focusing on. It can be used as a foundation on its own or as a setting makeup, or for touchup. I find that it is perfect for all three. As I said before, because of my breakouts, I use this for a finishing and touching-up makeup. The girl at the MAC store recommended I use it with a brush instead of the sponge that comes with it. I find it gives a airbrush effect and it does not look heavy at all. Of course, your skin is overall matte and it doesn't look "natural, no make-up" look, but considering the great coverage, it is light and airbrushed. 

 I try to avoid the sponge that it comes with. Like the girl at MAC mentioned, it becomes rather unsanitary and it can clog up pores. Also, if you use that for touch-ups and you have an oily skin, it might get... well, ugly. So using a brush it the best I think.

If you're looking for a nice covering finish/touchup/ high-coverage foundation, try the MAC studio fix. They have great shades as well :)

Leave a Comment foundation, MAC, mac studio fix, setting powder

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