a watercolour sky

Sally Hansen Crackle Polish - Fuchsia Shock

2012-01-03T15:28:00.003-05:00

Its been a shockingly busy week for me...I started classes on Monday the 2nd, and have been spending entire days either in class, doing readings, writing papers or working on business simulations. But luckily I did a lot of photo editing for posts over the break, so I just need to write the words!

So I've been staying clear of the crackle nailpolish bandwagon, mostly because I couldn't really see how to combine colours with the crackle effect and also because I rarely do my nails. However my friend recently gifted me with a Sally Hansen Crackle polish in Fuchsia Shock so it was time to try it out.

I got some suggestions on twitter and ended up going with purple holo for my first pairing attempt. I used 2 coats of Milani 3D Holo in Hi Res, and once dry used Fuchsia Shock on top.

It looks better in pictures than in real life for some reason...I wasn't loving it much while wearing it, and ended up removing it in 2 days. I had used a medium to thin coat of crackle polish, so I think thats why the crackle effect isn't as much and tends to be more vertical. The thicker the coat the more horizontal crackle appeared.

Sooo...have you ever used a crackle polish? If so do you have a favourite to recommend?

Marcelle Rouge Xpression Lipstick - Jezebel

2012-01-02T13:51:00.006-05:00

One of the products I'd been excited to try from Marcelle is their Rouge Xpression lipsticks.

It comes in a matte dark blue tube, very simple and elegant. The case does feel a bit light compared with higher end lipsticks which have a more solid feel, but it looks nicer than any drugstore lipsticks I've seen.

Jezebel is a dusty rose in the tube and appears darker when swatched. It has a creamy texture and very opaque colour.

On my lips, it tends to lean toward the cooler side of rose pink. The coverage is amazing though, it goes on opaque in just one coat which does not happen often with lipsticks for me.

Here's a full face look just so you can see the colour in context.

Eye makeup is the T'estimo Frame Impact Eyes palette in 01.

The lipstick feels amazing on my lips. I have very dry lips in winter, and am constantly applying lip balm. Most lipsticks, including MAC, emphasize my dry lips in winter, but Jezebel goes on smoothly and doesn't require any lipbalm or special prep underneath. It also makes my lips look a bit plumper than usual, probably due to the fact that it de-emphasizes my lip lines due to its creamy formulation.

In terms of wear, because the lipstick is a cream formulation, the colour does not last as long since it trades off longevity for an extra moisturizing feel and intense colour. However it lasts just as long as other cream lipsticks such as the Joe Fresh lipsticks and longer than the Korres Guava lipsticks. It stays on through drinking and eating with care, just as long its its not oily or greasy foods.

Overall, I'd recommend this lipstick for anyone who wants intense, moisturizing, full coverage colour. For someone like me with naturally pigmented lips already, it can be hard to find lipsticks that show a similar colour to what's in the tube, however the Marcelle Jezebel lipstick fits the bill for me.

You can check out the other shades in the line via Marcelle's Youtube channel. They have a series of adorable clips featuring certain shades!

Holiday look: Gold & berry

2011-12-31T10:33:00.003-05:00

For most of this year I've been wearing mostly neutrals, so for Christmas I decided to do something different for a change. I was wearing red glitter tights, and a green wool skirt so it seemed like a good idea to match it with berry lips and gold eyes:

Closeup:

Products used:

Cream bases
Shiseido Hydro-Powder in Glistening Sand on inner corner of eye
MAC Brassy Fluidline on rest of eye

Eyeshadow
MAC Gold Mode pigment on inner corner of eye
MAC Cosmic eyeshadow on middle of eye
Annabelle 101 eyeshadow on outer corner of eye
Lunasol Geminate Liner EX02
Blinc Kiss Me mascara

Lips
Lancome berry coloured lipstick from a GWP a while back

Face
Lunasol Water Cream Foundation
Cle de Peau concealer
MAC Emote blush to contour

Eat, drink, shop, & be merry ;)

2011-12-30T17:42:00.005-05:00

I can't believe 2011 is almost over, and with that the last few days of my holidays. So far I've spent most of the time watching movies, catching up with friends, eating and shopping.

First I met up with Rasilla and Babybubblz at Aroma Espresso Bar, and tried the white hot chocolate for the first time which was awesome!

On Christmas Eve, I also had an dinner with friends, we kept it simple with store bought rotisserie chicken, spinach & berry salad, roast potatoes, cinnamon raisin bread and apple pie for dessert.

The holidays wouldn't be complete without some wines to accompany the food.

On Christmas Day, I ended up cooking a full dinner for the boyfriend's family...turkey, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, avocado salad...but ended up not taking pics, lol. Mostly because by the time I was done cooking I was too tired to remember and only thought about it after the turkey was already carved.

I also treated myself to a few things for Christmas ;)

First I had spotted these Cookie Monster mitts online and finally found them at Chapters. Granted these are the kids size not adults size, but from the measurements I found it looked like the kids definitely suited my hands better.

The material is surprisingly of good quality - 80% wool. The mitts have a lining which probably accounts for the 20% lining, which helps keep my hands warm and prevents the wool from feeling scratchy.

Esprit had a 50% sale off outerwear the week before Christmas (still on-going) so I picked up down jacket. The only jacket I had previously was the North Face Greenland Parka (see below) which tended to make me look like a shapeless blob that was 100lbs heavier...

I decided to get the Esprit jacket because it had a fitted belt and was nicely tailored so it gave some shape and less bulk. The jackets came in only 3 colours: black, blue, green. I ended up going with the green as black seemed nice but too generic and blue looked like it washed me out.

Stock picture (only black online)

Material is 50% down and 50% feather, so not as high quality as the North Face (100% down), but it is still quite warm.

They also had 40% off the entire store (now 50% for Boxing Week), so I picked up 2 dresses as well which were already discounted so the 40% was additional :)

How did you spend your holidays? If you scored any good shopping deals, do share!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T06:14:00.000-05:00

Festive gold and green look

2011-12-21T17:38:00.001-05:00

Here's a festive look I wore a few days ago, a subtle gold and green look with colored liners. Perfect for a day of Christmas shopping to get you in the mood :)

What I used:

MAC Fluidline in Brassy on upper lashline
Gosh Velvet Touch pencil liner in Green Grass on outer lower lashline
Urban Decay 24/7 pencil liner in Yeyo on inner 1/2 of lower lashline
Blinc Kiss Me mascara on lashes

Korres Mango Lipstick in 14 Pink

MAC MSF in Stereo Rose
MAC Emote to contour
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain
Cle de Peau concealer stick
Eve Pearl Salmon concealer

Holiday gift ideas for 2011

2011-12-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Just a few days left to Christmas! I am almost done with my shopping, just need to get a couple of things tomorrow. However if you happen to be clueless on what to get a female friend/sibling here are some holiday gift ideas / stocking stuffer ideas that may help...

Christmas 2011 Gift Ideas by blu3 on polyvore.com

Hello Kitty Blotting Papers 100 Sheets, $5
Kat Von D Art Of Elysium Palette - Evelyn ($60 Value) Art Of Elysium..., $20
Kat Von D Art Of Elysium Palette - Kimberly ($60 Value) Art Of Elysium..., $20
Blinc Kiss Me Mascara Black, $24
Bliss Two Turtle 'Gloves' Spa-Strength Super-Smoothing Hand Duo ($56..., $35
Fresh Citron de Vigne Set ($44 Value) Citron de Vigne Set, $26
Lemon and Sage Super Size Body Butter 415ml, £28
Tweezerman Candy Cane Christmas Bauble, 173 SEK
Urban Decay The Revolution High-Performance Lash Curler, $20

Groupe Marcelle Spring 2012 Beauty Premiere

2011-12-20T20:58:00.000-05:00

Last month, I was invited to Groupe Marcelle's Beauty Premiere in Toronto, held at the Thompson Hotel. I was so excited leading up to the event especially after reading about the Montreal premiere held a week earlier! So on that day, I headed there after classes with Rasilla.

The event was held at the rooftop bar of the Thompson, which had a gorgeous view of the city.

Unfortunately it was too cold for us to actually go outside on the balcony for long, but I did get a great shot of the city lights.

One of the first things we saw, were servers coming around offering us platters of Annabelle/Marcelle makeup! Not something you see at every cocktail party ;) It was hard to resist...and this lady was pretty much swarmed every time she came around with a fresh tray :D

Eyeshadows, lipsticks, pigments, pencil liners, Annabelle Smudgeliners and Smoothie pencils...a beauty junkie's heaven.

Beauty bloggers Ande and Arianne listening to what the Marcelle team have in store for us for Spring 2012.

One of the new launches will be the BigShow lipglosses:

Xtensions Plus mascara, I received a sample of this and will be reviewing it soon. The lady who introduced this product was wearing it and her lashes looked beautiful!

Reinforcils Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover, which also conditions lashes as well all in one step. Can't wait for this one!

Gene Youth Skincare line

The beauty balm (BB) cream, I tried a sample of this on my hand and it has a nice smooth feel to it. Comes in a light shade and a medium shade, as with all Asian BB creams.

The brilliant ladies of the Marcelle team behind the new innovations :)

I also reconnected with the lovely Isabel, PR & Social Media Director extraordinaire at Groupe Marcelle :)

One of the biggest hits of the evening was the custom gloss bar, where we all got a customized Annabelle BigShow gloss!

We were shown a choice of colours /shimmer-glitter combinations to select from, and were allowed to choose 4-6 different shades to be mixed together with the main lipgloss base.

My first attempt came out as a peachy-pink with some pink shimmer:

Towards the end of the night I decided to go for a second gloss, along with dessert ;) This time I deliberately targeted a brighter pinker shade:

I also took a video of the gloss mixologists in action - enjoy!

Thanks for reading! Once I get more infomation on the new products closer to the launch date I will be sure to share :) Which products interest you the most? I myself am excited for the lash conditioner and the BB cream.

Kiss Me Sunkiller BB Cream

2011-12-20T15:55:00.001-05:00

I first came across this product on WHB's blog, and was intrigued by what it promised. SPF broad spectrum protection, and coverage in one handy product? Time to do some shopping...

I bought this from my usual Asian beauty product source Adambeauty. Packaging wise it is quite simple, very much like Biore sunscreens which have a ball inside to help mix the product when shaken.

Coverage is fairly decent, it is better than a tinted moisturizer, falling just short of a full coverage foundation. To put this into context, it is definitely much better than Laura Mercier or Covergirl tinted moisturizers but sheerer than Lunasol Water Cream foundation.

Here's a before picture:

And the after picture:

As for the wear, because the base feels very much like a water-resistant sunscreen because it stays for a good many hours (except for when I'm at the gym)

It does however have a mattiying effect, which will suit oily skintypes more. Since I have dry to combination skin, it worked for me during the hot summer this year but is becoming a bit too drying on my skin during the fall to winter season. Unless I happened to have exfoliated the day before it tends to highlight dry patches on my skin. If you don't have any issues with dry skin though then this would still work for you in winter.

Overall, the Kiss Me Sunkiller BB is a handy all in one face product that I consider a lifesaver in the mornings when I can't be bothered to apply sunscreen, wait for it to dry and then foundation/base. Definitely a staple in my collection!

Building a work wardrobe: A simple, elegant purse

2011-09-14T15:18:00.002-04:00

One of the things that I've had on my to-buy list for a while was a simple elegant purse for interviews. I don't want something that screams a particular brand name all over it in such situations, but looks classy yet not too distracting from the rest of me.

While in NYC, I came across this Kate Spade bag in Century 21, and fell in love. From afar it seems like just any ordinary plain black leather purse, but I liked the simple design with the black bow in front.

The handles are also just right for carrying on my shoulder or arm, and the size is perfect for putting a portfolio or notepad in. There is also enough space to contain a water bottle, and a spare pair of flats if you have a long commute to the interview location.

I liked that rather than the typical purse where there are only 2-3 pockets on the side, while the rest of the contents of your purse are tossed around in the main cavity, there is an extra zippered pocket in the centre that divides up the main body into two sections. This allows me to store more valuable documents in the zippered areas while leaving the more accessed items in the open parts. And of course, the signature Kate Spade polka dot lining also adds a fun touch.

Here it is packed and I also included a folder for taking notes as well:

If there was anything I didn't like about this bag, its that the handles do not fold down but are fixed and stiff. This makes it harder to store the bag or pack it for a trip.

I also added a keychain - a mini schnauzer charm from Coach to 'guard' my bag :) Reminds me of Snowy from Tintin...was anyone a fan?

Unfortunately I didn't get take any pictures of how the bag looks in proportion to me but will do in a future post...possibly an outfit post.

Building a work wardrobe: Loft & Ann Taylor

2011-09-05T17:11:00.001-04:00

Over the past year, I've been building up the professional side of my wardrobe, as some presentations and events require business formal / business casual clothing. Full time recruitment also starts this month until the end of my program next May, so having outfits on hand is quite important. Usually, for business clothing I hit up Banana Republic when they have their 40% off sales online/in-store. However BR stocks a pretty mediocre selection of summer tops, so what I get from them are mostly the button down shirts and tailored pants.

Due to my petite stature (I'm almost but not quite 5 ft), I've been frequenting petite fashion blogs, and as a lot of them frequently mentioned Ann Taylor and Loft clothing in their posts my interest was piqued. These brands unfortunately do not have stores in Canada, but I visited their stores 2 weeks ago during my trip to NYC. At full price, the clothes are pretty expensive, so its too bad my trip wasn't long enough (or timed adequately) to make use of online coupon codes. However I was able to visit the Niagara Falls outlets in Buffalo when driving back to Toronto, and discovered some great finds at the Loft Factory Store and Ann Taylor Factory Store.

Loft had a wide selection of things that were 25% to 40% off. At this time my selection of professional looking tops consists of mostly boring button down shirts so I wanted to get some nice tanks for a change. I ended up picking up two tanks, both 25% off, with some interesting crease detailing around the neckline.

Grey and red floral tank in their petites sizing.

Purple tank, regular sizing. You can see above that it is slightly wider and about 1-1.5 inches longer than the petite version, but since I plan to tuck these blouses in anyway the longer length is almost a bonus, as it will stay tucked in better. Some XS tops tend to have armholes that are too big but these were still almost like the XSP so no issues there.

At Ann Taylor they had 40% off on many items, which was great since their prices were a bit higher than Loft's. This time I picked a burgundy tank with chiffon flower details, and navy blue butterfly sleeve top. Both are darker colours but they seemed fitting for fall.

As Loft is also made by Ann Taylor, there is minimal differences in sizing. When comparing the same size tanks (regular, not petites) both are almost the same, with maybe <1cm longer length on the Ann Taylor top.

Hopefully Loft and Ann Taylor will eventually make their way to Canada, or at least their factory stores, because I really like the style and quality of these tops!

Shoe shopping: Luxury Rebel gladiator style heels

2011-09-04T17:31:00.005-04:00

I've never been one to always wear heels daily. Other than occasional events such as wedding dinners I'm more of a runners and flip flops girls in a regular basis. However, the past few months I've been wanting to inject more grown up elements into my style, ie swapping hoodies and sneakers for blazers/cardigans instead.

So last month I was wandering the shoe racks at Winners while waiting for a table to free up at Cora's for brunch. The bf picked these out and they looked pretty good when I tried them on, so home they went with me! I've always been wary of shoes that cut off at the ankles as I don't want my already short legs to look shorter but these don't really have that problem.

You might notice I've already added insoles to cushion them. I have pretty lousy feet in that they are wide, and somewhat flat so they hurt in heels after several hours, but these heels have felt comfortable so far. I still wouldn't wear them for more than several hours at a time, and most likely only on weekends when the activities involve less walking.

Also, I found these shoes to be slippery as there was no real traction on the sole, so I added adhesive sole grips (Sole Stopperz) which did the trick.

Before I read about stick-on sole grips I always thought my only option for slippery shoes was to get a resole, but that can add to the cost of the shoe. I still don't understand why shoe designers make shoes without proper treads on the sole though - are they being cheap, or simply sadistic?

summer nails

2011-09-03T01:42:00.000-04:00

I did my nails yesterday and decided to use Zoya Lily, a pale metallic pink I picked up 2 years ago but have not touched since. Since the colour was quite sheer, after 2 coats of Zoya Lily I added 1 coat of Maybelline Colourama, a pink flakie polish suspended in sheer jelly red.

If you look closely you can still see the white tips of my nails. Am deliberating adding some glitter to the tips to disguise 'em.

Also, while digging through my iphone pictures I found one from July of Milani 3D Cyberspace that I had been meaning to post. The perfect blue for cooling down on those hot summer days!

What have you been wearing on your nails lately?

Getting my feet wet again

2011-09-02T14:04:00.006-04:00

Okay...so this post is long overdue. As some blogger friends will remind me, I was supposed to update this blog in June, but summer internships and other family events took over and I never really got around to sitting down and typing out a post. Also my motivation to blog had decreased after school, as I felt really out of touch with the blogging world especially with the latest beauty trends and collections.

However I am back now, and hoping to blog more regularly this time. I am grateful for anyone who still checks up on this blog, and hope to entertain you once again with updates. Thanks for reading! :)

I will now leave you with an uber cute panda chewing on bamboo from my recent trip to Zoo Atlanta, because...well, pandas are cute, and I have a boatload of things to photograph and edit first before being able to write a proper post :P

On the go favourites

2011-02-13T17:06:00.007-05:00

I thought I would write a quick blog entry on my current favourite beauty products to keep handy in my bag everyday.

From left to right:

Bliss High Intensity Hand Cream
Smith's Rosebud Salve
Dior Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm
Cle de Peau concealer stick

1. Bliss High Intensity Hand Cream

This works well as a serious heavy duty cream for my normally dry chapped hands (ask Babybubblz and Rasilla - they can vouch for the sad condition of my hands when unmoisturized, haha). When I do remember to apply this cream though, it sinks in reasonably quickly and does a good job moisturizing. The cream has a very faint lemon scent, which I love, because its not strong or cloying at all unlike some creams from Bath and Body Works or L'occitane.

The tube in the picture is the travel size, which goes for about US$8 or CA$13. Pricey but worth stocking up with a coupon or this year's F&F sale.

2. Smith's Rosebud Salve

I was quite skeptical about this product, especially the salve in a tin format, because very hyped up balms have failed to meet my expectations in the past (like Burts Bees's original balm). However this was on sale at the F&F so I bought a tube to try. Now I love it! Reason being its way more sanitary than the tin format, and I think slightly more spreadable as well, since it is has to be squeezed from a tube. The rose scent is a plus, it smells like concentrated fresh roses rather than the old powder rose smell that Bourjois/Guerlain products have.

3. Dior Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm

This was a generous donation from a friend who found the colour didn't work for her. I love this though! This is one of the balms that go on clear but change colour depending on the person. On me it shows up as a sheer rose pink colour, and looks very natural. Since I'm at school over 12 hours a day, I don't want to get lipstick / gloss stains on my water bottle, so a tinted balm like this works perfectly for me. On someone else the colour might be more subtle, but since my lips are already pigmented, this actually makes my natural lip colour brighter and less dull.

In terms of how it works as a balm, the product moisturizes well, and almost seems to 'iron' out subtle lip lines as well. Even better, it contains SPF 15!

4. Cle de Peau concealer stick

I ordered this online somewhere (I can't remember...) about a year ago so the packaging is the old type, but it has lasted me a while. I use this daily to cover any minor blemishes or redness that remains after foundation, and the coverage is pretty darn amazing. I wouldn't recommend this for undereyes (it could work but may seem heavy) as you really get the best value from using this as the 'rest of the face' concealer.

The shade I'm using is Beige and it seems to match well enough with my current skintone & foundation (I'm about an NC20 at the moment). I carry it around mostly for touch-ups if needed. I like this as an on-the-go concealer because of its texture - it contains kaolin clay so it doesn't get messed up unlike other concealers when reapplied later in the day.

Anyway, I hope you're all doing well, and don't kill yourselves if you're in school like me. Can't wait for March break!

IMATS 2010 - What I got

2010-12-28T17:22:00.002-05:00

Here's what I picked up from IMATS:

Face Atelier foundation in #4, pro size

NYX blending brush
NYX Jumbo Lip Pencil in Soft Fuchsia
NYX Mosaic blush in Pink
NYX blushes in Natural, Taupe

MUFE #92 eyeshadow
MUFE HD blushes in #14 and #6

Crown Brushes

Will be reviewing these once I've tried them out!

IMATS 2010 pictures...at long last!

2010-12-23T23:40:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the extreme delay in posting these...I can only say the last 6 weeks have been killer for me. Think 12 hour days at school, and more over the last 2 weeks to get exams and projects done. I was getting 3-4 hours of sleep, 4 large cups of coffee and even energy drinks during exams and still had difficulty staying awake...lol. At least its over now, but I still feel like there's so much I want to accomplish over this break.

I started playing squash to de-stress from studying and its been quite fun, especially the friends I play with. That and food are probably the two things I currently indulge in...so I haven't been as up to date on the make-up blogging scene as I should be. Hopefully I will be able to still share some pics and reviews of things I've been using lately though, but more on that in future posts.

Here are the IMATS pictures - I was extremely sick during this event so my apologies if I didn't get the chance to say hi to anyone out there...I was mostly hacking my lungs out as Rasilla and Babybubblz will confirm :(

One of the first places I went to was Crown Brush, which was extremely packed! We were wondering if the line was even moving...

Temptu Airbrush makeup:

Stila:

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics:

Make Up For Ever, of course:

Yaby Cosmetics:

Face Atelier:

Eve Pearl:

Graftobian:

Ben Nye:

NYX:

Enkore & Pursebuzz:

The student competition winner - the theme was Alice in Wonderland:

Closeup:

Body art by Royal Brush:

The girl reminds me of a statue for some reason - maybe its her symmetrical features plus the contouring...

Anyway hope you enjoyed that even though it was late. Next I'll be posting my haul from IMATS though it paled compared with last year lol.

Winner announcement

2010-11-21T13:33:00.005-05:00

Sorry it took so long for me to post this but here is the winner of the giveaway:

#8 = Eva

Congrats, and my apologies for not doing this sooner! Please email me with your mailing address at watercoloursky[at]gmail[dot]com.

I did make it to IMATS and have pics to edit for it. I'm sorry if I missed meeting anyone there though, I was sick starting from the previous week, and thought I'd get better by then but I just felt worse on Saturday. I probably overdosed on all kinds of cough drops but nothing really helped. In fact I lost my voice the next week and was a little freaked out that I would be unable to do any of my upcoming presentations for school, but luckily with some rest it started coming back a few days ago.

So thanks for your patience as always, I'll be back with the IMATS updates soon and another giveaway :)

To get things started...

2010-11-03T09:28:00.001-04:00

So this little blog is 3 today! To celebrate, here is giveaway #1...

MAC eyeshadow in Family Silver
Korres Guava lipstick in 13 Natural Pink
Balmshell gloss in Confessions of a Shopaholic
Marcelle Essentials Eye Contour cream

How to enter:

1. Be a follower of this blog or a regular commenter in the past (I do remember!)
2. Leave a comment below telling me what you would like to hear me report on from IMATS (if you don't know what that is...check out my post here and here on it from last year :)
3. One comment per person only

Giveaway ends Friday Nov 5 at midnight Pacific Standard Time, and since the time frame is so short, the odds should be reasonably high. Good luck, and thanks for your support throughout this time!

Halloween nails

2010-10-30T15:29:00.005-04:00

I finished my exams yesterday, so I didn't really get time to put together a costume. Not to mention I didn't feel like spending money so all I really did for Halloween, beauty-wise, was do a smokey eye (no pics sorry...was in a huge hurry yesterday) and paint my nails with:

China Glaze Fortune Teller, and Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure

I'm quite surprised by how wide the brush for Hidden Treasure is. That brush is even wider than OPI's brush, so it made applying the flakies extremely easy and quick.

You've all seen Fortune Teller by itself (from my old post):

Here it is with Hidden Treasure on top:

Hidden Treasure adds a gold-greenish tint to the overall look since the flakies have that iridescent effect.

Anyway thanks for sticking with me and reading this post :) This blog's 3rd anniversary will be coming up Nov 3, so it may be worth your while checking back for a giveaway in the next few days!

What does 'Glam Trick' mean, anyway?

2010-09-27T22:00:00.005-04:00

Stress was hitting me from all aspects today - school, the general public, even Facebook, so here I am trying to escape from that with another long overdue post.

Today we shall look at the Kate Glam Trick Eyes palette in BU-1:

This is something I'd been lemming for a good while (years) before finally buying it last October. (I told you this was long overdue :D)

The colours are silky smooth yet pigmented. Many Japanese palettes fail in terms of pigmentation but these are almost up to par with Western brands.

Here is a look using the colours just in case you are not convinced:

(Liquid liner is Lunasol Geminate blue liner)

Full face look

I haven't used this palette much over the summer, but the smokey blue-grey colours will be perfect for this Fall.

This concludes today's de-stressing session pour moi. Have YOU tried this series of palettes, and if so whaddya think?

MAC Warehouse Sale - Sept 2010

2010-09-23T01:33:00.001-04:00

The Estee Lauder warehouse sale, as most people in Toronto know, is an invite only event held 4 times a year (March, June, Sept, Dec). Thanks to Babybubblz I was able to attend the Sunday sale with her 2 weeks ago - thanks again girl!

I won't go into details unless requested but do visit Babybubblz's post on the event if you want more logistical information.

Here's what I got!

Eyeshadow palettes

Notoriety, Photorealism, Tone Grey (2009)

Christmas palettes: Mystic Cool Eyes (2009), Devoted Poppy (2008)

Eyeshadows

Humid, Bough Grey, Femme-fi, Tissueweight

Cheek products

By Candlelight

Lip products

Cremesheen lipsticks in Crosswires, Lickable, Speak Louder
Intimidate Slimshine
Roman Holiday Dazzleglass
Do It Up Dazzleglass Creme

Miscellaneous

MAC 134 - duo fiber fan brush

Lashes (can't remember the numbers)

Bobbi Brown and Origins Cleansing Oils

Looks like I'm wayyy overstocked with makeup for a good while. Now that I've been to the warehouse sale, I still can't imagine going to these events more than once a year. Its so hard on my wallet! You get a lot of bang for your buck, but it creates a temptation to go crazy and get more because of the deals. It was a great de-stressing retail therapy session though! :D

Back to school!

2010-09-17T16:57:00.010-04:00

I'm so sorry to have not posted for over 2 weeks! My program has been quite hectic since the start of September...I won't bore you with the details, but basically there have been events non stop that we are required to go to, and a massive amount of readings and assignments that started even before the first class. I shouldn't complain though, after all I better be getting my money's worth! :P

I also caught the flu/cold late last week though so it has limited whatever brain matter I have to use for school and little else :P Anyway I'm feeling better today, and its Friday, so I might as well catch up on the things I'd planned to post :)

First - some back to school basics. I planned this post about 2 weeks ago so it may be too late...but if you're looking to make a few new additions to your makeup collection these may be useful.

For a neutral day look:

L'oreal Extension Beauty Tubes
Recommended because this mascara is waterproof and smudgeproof, yet removes easily with water. Word of warning - it does weigh down lashes a bit. However it is still a decent dupe for Blinc with a cheaper price tag.

Maybelline Eye Studio Quad in Sunset Seduction
Great set of neutrals, especially if you just can't let go of summer colours yet :)

L'oreal HIP gel liner in Brown
Brown complements the neutrals, plus emphasizes eyes without the harshness of black. HIP liners are pretty comparable to MAC but more affordable.

Annabelle Zebra bronzer
The most natural bronzer you will find suited for even the palest skin tones. Does not look orange at all, rather it adds the sun-kissed glow you wished you could maintain from summer. Previously reviewed here.

Joe Fresh cream lipstick in Strawberry
Gorgeous colour with excellent pigmentation, and a temptingly low price tag of $6. Previously reviewed here.

Annabelle Volume Lip in Cherryoke
Fragrance-free, nonsticky semi-sheer gloss - perfect for non lipstick wearers. Previously reviewed here.

For a look focusing on the eyes:

Revlon Colorstay Felt Tip Liner
I would normally recommend Japanese pen style liners as they are the best, but for a student on a budget a local drugstore alternative is probably better. This liner stays all day without budging - good for taking a look from day to night.

Annabelle Grafix eyeshadow trio
Just the right colours for the classic smokey eye. You could also change it up by substituting another colour for the silver shade. Previously reviewed here.

Milani blush in Mai Tai
Okay this isn't really available in Canada, but in the US. The colour is just the right shade of rosey pink. Sorry Canadians but Joe Fresh does make pretty good blushes too for just $4 :)

Annabelle Volume Lip in Sweet Tweet
Fragrance-free, nonsticky sheer pale pink gloss. Previously reviewed here.

I also picked up a nude polish for school, since most of my polishes consisted of gaudy glitters and brightly coloured cremes.

I settled for L'oreal Sand Castle since it was the closest to my skin tone that I could find, that still looked opaque. What I really wanted was a mannequin hands look, but this still has a touch of pink in it that doesn't quite fit the bill.

With flash:

Its still a pretty colour nonetheless. I may have found a better colour in Zoya's Gretchen though - to be reviewed in the near future!

Finally, at least for now...I got a haircut. Now I know not everyone was a fan of this so yeah...even the bf's mom said bluntly to me that it was too short. But hair grows out anyway, and I do like how I don't have to bother with detangling hair after a shower or straightening it in the mornings.

For any interested, I went to Maya Salon again in Koreatown, but since my old stylist wasn't there I went with one of his friends, Masumi. I thought she did a great job - she listened to me and gave good feedback whenever I wasn't sure about something.

Anyway, I might colour my hair too once I get bored with it. I still have a box of Kao Prettia hair colour sitting on my dresser that I've been meaning to try since April :D

Elle article on the Chanel 2.55

2010-08-31T22:27:00.009-04:00

Thank you for all the well wishes and encouragement from my last post :) Well things will still be pretty busy but I thought I'd share an article from Elle Canada on the history and manufacturing process of Chanel 2.55, one of my dream bags :D

Each page is enlargeable by clicking on it. Sorry I couldn't get better scans - I actually don't have a scanner, these were taken with my camera.

If you enjoyed that you might also be interested in this article on the making of Mulberry's Alexa bag :)

Summer nail colours

2010-08-29T16:48:00.003-04:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I've been busy with some changes in my life, namely quitting my job so I can do graduate school. I also haven't really felt like buying any makeup lately, just mostly clothing, probably because I feel that my wardrobe is sorely lacking in some aspects for the program I'm in :P

Anyway, before summer is over I thought I'd share swatches of 2 very summer-appropriate nail polishes:

MAC Seasonal Peach

This was 4 freaking coats! I wouldn't recommend this polish at all, the colour is quite sheer and streaky. I'm sure I've seen dupes of this colour from China Glaze or Essie.

American Apparel Butter

2 coats only! Love how pigmented this polish is. I don't think I've seen a similar colour from other brands but this polish priced well enough (US$7.50) you don't really need to find a dupe.

So what have you been wearing on your nails lately?

Cargo Classic Lip Gloss - Dusseldorf

2010-08-24T22:22:00.003-04:00

At the Toronto blogger meetup a few weeks ago, Farah and Cargo Cosmetics kindly organized a little something for each of us. I got the chance to try Cargo's lipgloss in Dusseldorf:

The applicator doesn't pick up very much product, which I find a tad annoying because I have to double dip to get enough gloss out.

Dusseldorf is a sheer berry with micro shimmer.

It is more of a MLBB colour if you have pigmented lips like me. For others it would most likely be a sheer gloss perfect for transitioning from summer to fall.

The texture is lightweight, and not too sticky, just slightly. As with all Cargo glosses it comes with a timestrip indicator to remind you how long your gloss has been opened and when it expires in 3 months.

I haven't yet activated the indicator on mine, partly because I don't use my glosses often enough to have just a 3 months shelf life on it, but I could see it being a useful reminder if you use this gloss daily.

Gold & pink summer

2010-08-21T16:08:00.007-04:00

What I used:

Face
Biore UV milk base
Mix of Guerlain Parure Extreme 02 & Lunasol Water Cream foundation YO-02
Cargo blu-ray concealer 02

Blush
MAC So Ceylon MSF
MAC Emote blush

Lips
MAC Jazzed lipstick

Eyes
UDPP as base
Maybelline Amber Adventure quad
Annabelle Pinked eyeshadow
Kate Super Sharp Liner BK-1
Mary Kay Ultimate mascara

Marcelle Climatik Lip Balm SPF 30

2010-08-19T21:28:00.002-04:00

Climatik is Marcelle's line generally targeted for use during outdoor activities, particularly during the cold winter months. However, the Climatik Lip Balm is one of the products from the line that you may wish to have on hand all year long. It is one of the few drugstore lip balms that contain SPF 30, not to mention UVA and UVB protection.

The packaging is similar to La Roche Posay and Vichy's lip balm sunscreen.

It has a retractable mechanism which allows you to apply the lipbalm with one hand, quite useful for on the go.

The balm is colourless as you can see however I found that depending on how much you apply there might be a slight white cast, due to the sunscreen ingredients.

Ingredients

What I liked

- Higher SPF protection
- Sunscreen ingredients offer both UVA and UVB protection. Most balms just have UVB
- Priced better than other known brands with similar products ($6.95 for 4g tube)
- Protects lips as it claims
- Whitish cast lightens lip colour - I could use this as a base to make lip colours pop more (similar to MAC Lip Erase)

What I didn't like

- it left a slight whitish cast, which is ok if you're using lipstick over it but would look funny on its own
- no tinted shades available. I think that would fix the issue with the white cast.

Overall

Great buy if you are looking for a sunscreen for lips higher than SPF 15. However best used under another lip colour due to the whitish cast of the sunscreen.

message in a bottle

2010-08-16T22:40:00.003-04:00

My favourite summer lipstick of all time would have to be the Lancome Color Fever lipstick in 302 SOS Pink:

The packaging is simple and feminine - metallic with translucent pink sides. The tube has a nice weight to it without feeling cheap.

Swatched:

Colour is a bright pink that is neither cool nor warm so I think it complements most skintones.

The lipstick has a cream finish that is quite pigmented. Texture wise it isn't as creamy as the MAC Cremesheens but the intensity of the colour makes up for that, as Cremesheens do tend to be a bit sheer.

Here's one of my past looks (from this post) with SOS Pink. I usually wear it the same way, paired with simple eye makeup since the pink is quite bright.

So do you have a favourite summer lip colour? Feel free to share! :)

Maybelline Eyestudio - Green with Envy

2010-08-14T22:01:00.002-04:00

Of the 3 quads I've tried, this is my favourite quad from the Eyestudio line so far. The colours are soft and swatch easily.

Simple basic look using Green with Envy:

The colours are pigmented and easily blendable, yet each colour stands out on its own without looking muddy. There is a bit of fallout but not so much that you look like a confetti accident.

This was taken at the end of the day so unfortunately most of my makeup already wore off. For the record I was wearing MAC Refined MSF and Jazzed lipstick as well as the concealer and foundation.

If you're wondering why my lip colour changed in the last picture its because I was trying out MAC Honeymoon lipstick. It doesn't really go with this look though, seems to wash me out. A pink lip colour definitely complements the green tones more.

Icyswirls got me in a recent post with a 'Would you Rather' tag, so here goes :)

1.Would you rather go out with messy hair and nice makeup or nice hair and no makeup?
Messy hair + nice makeup! No great hair day can hide my pores and redness...

2.Would you rather shave your eyebrows or have your eyelashes fall out?
Assuming the eyelashes will grow back again (since shaving brows is temporary) I would go without lashes. Mostly because brows frame my face and my lashes aren't even noticed by anyone unless I curl them. I'd rather just use fake lashes.

3.Would you rather be forced to only shop at MAC or Sephora for the rest of your life?
Sephora! MAC has really tempting LE products sometimes but it gets boring. At least Sephora has variety.

4.Would you rather wear lipgloss/lipliner look or 80's perm?
Lipgloss/lipliner.

5.Would you rather leave the house with an obvious foundation line or overdone blush?
Foundation line...I've probably done it before unintentionally with foundation that oxidized on me

6.Would you rather wear mc hammer pants or biker shorts in public?
Mc hammer pants at least I could claim it was a fashion phase.

7.Would you rather have a bad orangey spray tan or really weird tan lines that cant be covered?
I can't decide! Maybe the tan lines...

8.Would you rather have a bad haircut or bad hair color?
Hair colour

9.Would you rather HAVE YOUTUBE or TWITTER taken away forever?
I use Twitter way more often than YT...but YT has tutorials on anything and everything so probably would give up Twitter.

10.Would you rather give up using makeup brushes or mascara?
Makeup brushes. When I first started using makeup I was too cheap/ignorant to buy brushes so fingers were my tools of choice :D

Toronto Beauty Bloggers meetup

2010-08-12T18:25:00.007-04:00

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of meeting a group of talented beauty bloggers / makeup artists in the Toronto area for brunch, organized by Farah. Here are some 'paparazzi' shots of the others :)

Waitress was taking orders above.

This time I was at the same table with Xinarox, Ande, Marianita, Jenn (So Very Fabulous), Jenn (Spiced Beauty), and Enrica.

What I ordered: Black forest ham, red bell pepper & Brie cheese omelette.

I was also eyeing Xinarox's french toast breakfast with peaches and ice cream...might have to get that the next time!

Group pic:

After lunch we hit up a number of places - the Cargo counter, Sephora, MAC, and Make Up For Ever. Had lots of fun discussing makeup! I was good though and didn't buy anything :D See, we're not all enablers!

Blue Slush

2010-08-09T21:03:00.006-04:00

Did my nails over the weekend using the following 2 colours:

- Del Sol nail polish in Electrick as the base, 2-3 coats
- Claire glitter polish in Glam for the gradient glitter tips

The Del Sol polish is supposed to change colour in the sun to a green shade, but it didn't work for me and I'm not sure why :( I wonder if either the sun was not intense enough this weekend, or the top coat I used (Seche Vite) was intefering with the process.

In any case I haven't been too impressed with the wear on the Del Sol polishes. I noticed that the polish dents and chips easily. The formula on Electrick also shows up streaky easily due to the metallic finish. I found I had to be careful with application to prevent the brush strokes from being too obvious. Still not convinced I'll repurchase these polishes!

Pretty in Pink: Cargo Catalina

2010-08-04T20:43:00.006-04:00

When it comes to blush, one of the first brands that comes to mind for me is Cargo. Unlike Nars with their rubbery black packaging, Cargo blushes are packaged in a unique metal tin embossed with the Cargo name.

The blushes are quite generous in size, containing 9 g of product for US$24. Nars in contrast, contains only 4.54 g @ US$26 and MAC 6 g for US$22. In fact I didn't realise until writing this post that Nars gives you less than half the amount of what Cargo gives (?!)

Anyway, I picked up Catalina sometime last year from Nic's blog sale, and have not regretted it at all. Catalina is a soft matte baby pink, that warms up a bit on my (redness prone) complexion but remains neutral to cool toned on my forearm. Thus even if you have cooler toned skin the pink colour would probably stay quite cool toned as well.

Since it is a matte blush, and the pigmentation is on the lighter side, I find I can get more use out of it either on its own, or under highlighters / bronzers to get a slight flush. Here's a look with me wearing it on its own, with just some Emote to contour.

(Sorry for the tired look. I was...tired :P)

So have you tried Cargo blushes before? What's your current favourite blush?

Tokidoki - the Smashbox edition

2010-08-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

By now I'm sure you've seen and checked out the Tokidoki collection at Sephora. Perhaps even indulged in a few items. But I would urge you to also check out the old Smashbox collection, as there are quite a few quality items that were released still available on some websites.

I indulged in 2 of the Smashbox Tokidoki glosses last year, and haven't regretted it at all. Here they are:

The tubes are oversized, and look about 20% larger than MAC lipglasses. They have different illustrations on each tube. The applicator is a brush, which helps dispense a generous amount at a time.

Swatches:

Top is Drammatica, a bright pink laced with subtle shimmer.
Bottom is Dolcissima, a light peach infused with the same subtle shimmer

The glosses are only slightly sticky (major plus), which allows them to have some staying power, but they are not so sticky that hair gets glued to your lips (unlike MAC). They are also odourless (another major plus).

The colour is slightly sheer, which works well for the Drammatica, the bright pink. However I find the light peach of Dolcissima gets lost on my lips as my natural lip colour just takes over it...

Drammatica, once applied is a wearable pink that brightens up my look.

Dolcissima, applies more like a sheer glaze best for a natural/toned down lip. (Yes that is my natural lip colour...sucks because its so overpowering)

The Smashbox Tokidoki glosses are long gone from stores, but can still be found on eBay and other online discount stores for half of what they used to retail for. I noticed my first tube of Dolcissima had a slight colour change when I received it, but all I did was contact my seller and they sent me a new one without the colour issue. No issues with Drammatica at all, so the formula seems to be better.

What I bought on my trip

2010-08-02T17:06:00.004-04:00

Here's what I picked up on my recent stay in Chicago:

Ulta:
Mario Badescu Drying Cream
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
Sample of Mario Badescu Aloe moisturizer

CVS:
Milani 3D Holographic polishes in Cyberspace, Hi-Tech, and Hi-Res

Sephora:
Kate Somerville sunscreen sample

I also picked up some M&Ms Pretzels which were surprisingly good! They're not yet available in Canada, and now I wish I had gotten more. I like the sweet + salty combination. Although I am slightly disappointed they are pretzel chunks in the chocolates, not actually a whole mini pretzel as the M&M x-ray suggested :P

The Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale was on that weekend, and while I checked it out I wasn't too excited about the offerings as most of the sets were quite expensive. Even though some of them are packaged in large sizes as value sets, since they weren't staples for me it didn't make sense to buy them.

Oh and remember how I did a post on the cosmetics I brought on my trip? It worked out quite well, since I was always too lazy to use eyeshadow and just stuck with blush & lipcolour. The only thing is I got SO BORED with alternating the same 2 colours over and over again! This is why I have such a large stash...I get bored easily :D

For the weekend, I tried the Milani 3D polish in Hi-Tech, which is a really awesome holo green!

It looks like a normal sparkly green in daylight:

But check out the holo effects at certain angles:

The above pictures are with 3 coats. The wear on the polish isn't the greatest unless you use a top coat, as I originally had 2 coats which was sufficient, but it started coming off in some areas so I added 1 more coat for these pictures.

Oh by the way have you ever wondered how holo polishes would look matte? I just tested it, since I'm removing the polish tonight anyway and the matte-ness just kills the holo effect. It turns into a flat mass of green specks. So yeah - there isn't really such a thing as a matte holographic effect since the 3D effect is removed.

The Face Shop Eco- Vert skincare line

2010-08-01T14:52:00.008-04:00

If you remember I went back to Asia for a vacation earlier this year, and brought back 2 skincare products from The Face Shop Eco Vert line to try. The Eco-Vert line is touted as a true natural skincare line jointly developed by AMI, a French manufacturer of eco-friendly natural products, and The Face Shop. All products in the range are free of parabens, artificial fragrance, alcohol, and mineral oil.

Eco-Vert Essential Toner

Dual phase toner.

Eco-Vert Extreme Moisture Serum

Both products are based mainly on bamboo extract instead of water, and are very lightweight without any oily or silicone-y feel. After washing my face, I pat about 2-3 pumps of the toner into my skin, and wait for it to sink in. I follow that up with 2-3 pumps of the moisture serum and rub/pat it gently into skin. In summer months that usually is enough to moisturize my skin, but in drier weather like earlier this spring, I would have to follow it up with a heavier moisturizer.

Ingredients for the toner

Ingredients for the serum

What I like most about both products that they are both silicone free, and contain a large quantity of plant extracts and sodium hyaluronate. They do contain natural fragrance but the scent smells heavenly, a fresh, comforting smell unlike any other skincare I've used. I find they're quite soothing to my skin as well, and don't aggravate any of my redness/sensitive skin issues at all. I did expect the serum to be more moisturizing though, considering it is called the Extreme-Moisture Serum, but it is still on the light side and thus not sufficient for winter. I was thinking of getting the the cream from the Eco-Vert line, but didn't because the cream contains silicones.

Packaging
Both products are packaged in sturdy glass bottles with pump dispensers. The packaging quality is quite elegant and would look really nice on any dresser/counter. The only issue I have with the glass is that travelling with these would be impractical as they are heavier and may also break if dropped.

Price
The products are priced higher than drugstore brands, but slightly below department store brands. The toner was priced around US$15 , while the moisture serum was approximately US$20.

Verdict
Overall, the Eco-Vert toner and serum is worth trying if you have normal to oily skin and are looking for a lightweight product for warmer months. For colder, drier weather, it would be necessary to add on a more moisturizing cream. If there were a Face Shop here I would definitely repurchase!

Marcelle Lux Gloss

2010-07-28T21:20:00.003-04:00

Although named a gloss, the Marcelle Lux Gloss reminds me more of a liquid lipstick a la Chanel Rouge Allure Laque.

The product is dispensed with a doe foot applicator.

Check out below the creamy and pigmented formula!

The colour I received to try was Muse, a metallic (or frosty?) warm rose pink.

This is perfect for my lips as sheer colours don't usually show up well on them, but Lux Gloss definitely did.

The formula is non drying, and performs well for a drugstore liquid lipstick! If there was one thing I hope Marcelle does, is to add more colours to their range as most of the other colours were a bit too 'metallic' in finish for me. A dupe of Chanel Ming would be nice! ;)

Dolce Vita

2010-07-25T21:35:00.001-04:00

Closer look of Nars Dolce Vita:

Dolce Vita appears as a brick red in the pan, slightly scary for someone fair skinned and prone to redness like me. In fact I've had it for a year without actually wearing it because I was afraid it would make me look like I have rosacea. However I'm glad I decided to give it a go, because when applied lightly (just don't pack in on) with a blush brush it gives a healthy glow to my cheeks.

Also, Revlon Peach looks different here compared with my previous post, probably due to the sunny lighting + different camera settings. I think the most accurate representation of the colour is actually in the first full face picture.

Eyeshadow closeup - used all colours from the Lavshuca Eye Select palette in PU-2

Here is the full breakdown of what I used:

Face
Mix of Lunasol Water Cream foundation + Guerlain Parure Extreme
Cargo blu-ray concealer
MAC Emote blush
Nars Dolce Vita blush

Lips
Revlon Colourburst in Peach

Eyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Lavshuca Eye Colour Select in PU-2
Kate Super Sharp Liner BK-1
Mary Kay Ultimate mascara

Skincare Rx Giveaway winner!

2010-07-24T22:39:00.010-04:00

The winner of the $75 gift card from Skincare Rx is moonRabbit!

My randomization process:

All entries randomized and assigned a number:

Drawing the numbers (goes from left to right). There were 119 entries in total, and the first number picked was #40 which is a number assigned to moonRabbit:

Congrats moonRabbit! Please email me as soon as possible with your full name, phone number, and mailing address :)

Peachy

2010-07-23T20:46:00.004-04:00

This was my lipstick haul from a month ago when Rexall Pharmaplus (a Canadian drugstore) held a 50% off event with their lipsticks and glosses.

-Vasanti lipstick in Aruba & tinted lipbalm in Cancun
-Maybelline Superstay Lipcolor (can't remember the shade)
-Revlon Colourburst in Peach & Blush.

Today I'm featuring a closeup look at the Revlon Colorburst in Peach:

Lip swatch:

On me, Peach warms up my natural lipcolour a bit so it comes out as a warmer pink with faint peach tones. However if you have less pigmented lips than I do (probably 70% of you!) it would appear more peach and much less pink.

Compared it with other peach lipsticks in my collection that seemed similar:

L-R: Joe Fresh Coral, MAC Ever Hip, Revlon Colorburst Peach.

In terms of texture, all 3 lipsticks glided on though Revlon and MAC were the smoothest. Pigmentation wise, the Joe Fresh lipstick was the best, while Revlon and MAC were sheerer, requiring a few swipes to get the same pigmentation as the Joe Fresh.

Colour wise, the Revlon Peach was closer to Joe Fresh Coral, slightly pinker but not as pink as MAC Ever Hip. In fact, Revlon Peach could be the child of MAC Ever Hip + Joe Fresh coral :)

Koji Curving Eyelash Curler 38mm

2010-07-22T20:22:00.001-04:00

I'm back from my work trip! Thanks to all those that visited and/or commented even though I haven't had much time to work on the blog recently. I didn't have internet access except for a brief moment in the middle of my trip, so all I did was moderate blog comments.

Anyway, for now here is a review of the Koji 38mm curler I've been meaning to do for a while!

This is the latest curler from Koji I believe. It boasts a 38mm curvature, which is supposedly more suitable for Asian eyes.

It comes with 2 replacement pads as well:

I got this from eBay either at or close to retail, which I think is about US$17? (Let me know if you know anywhere else to get this cheaper). It is definitely on the pricer side, similar to what a Shiseido curler would cost at Sephora.

However, I think its worth the price, especially if your curler either pinches your eyelids or tends to not curl your lashes properly. Here are my lashes curled with the Koji curler - I think its quite good at getting most of my lashes, especially the outermost corner.

The curvature is a little different from other curlers I've tried, so it does take a few tries to get the hang of it. The first few times, it crimped my lashes instead, since I was so used to my ELF curler which is mechanical so there is some resistance when clamped that helps pad my lashes. Most likely I was just pressing too hard.

The Koji curler just works best if clamped gently for just a few seconds, and repeated multiple times through lashes rather than just once.

Just to show you how different this curler is, here's some side by side pictures of it with my other curler, from ELF. In all pictures the Koji curler is on the left and ELF curler on the right.

The curler is definitely more curved, which helps pinch my eyelids less:

It is also flatter, which probably suits Asian eyes more as ours aren't as deep set.

The width is also wider, which is more forgiving on more eyeshapes.

Here is the pic of my lashes curled with Koji again for comparison with ELF:

Lashes curled with the ELF curler:

Granted these are not the same eye but it shows you how the Koji curls even the outermost corner of the lashes properly, unlike the ELF curler. For the record, I've tried the Shiseido curler before and it most definitely pinched my eyelids >.< Thats the reason why I had been sticking with ELF until now, even though it doesn't do the best job. Shu Uemura is another option, but considering it is more expensive and doesn't allow refills, the Koji curler works out to be cheaper in the long run.

Hope this review helps, since the Koji curler isn't widely available to try! I think its worth the price though if you have not been satisfied with most curlers sold in the Western market.

On The Scene

2010-07-17T18:30:00.000-04:00

I did a In the Groove look last weekend, using MAC's On The Scene facechart as inspiration but using Stereo Rose instead of Petticoat MSF.

My take:

Eyes:

Lips with Jazzed lipstick: Note that my natural lip colour does make it look pinker than it is

I used:

Stereo Rose leaves a gorgeous glow, as long as you apply sparingly with a duo fibre brush.

I can see why it may be a bit orange on some but I think it is still wearable if you apply just a touch of it. I just used my MAC 131 flat duo fibre brush to swipe the MSF surface lightly and tapped it on my cheekbones. After that you can blend it out further with a clean brush if you find it too strong for your liking.

My makeup essentials for a business trip

2010-07-17T00:04:00.007-04:00

I'll be away for a few days on a business trip, and thought I could share with you what I'm bringing with me. Its quite basic, since I can't see myself putting on multicoloured eyeshadow...it may scare away non makeup salespeople :D

Face
Biore UV Base SPF 50 PA+++
Smashbox Light Primer - sample size
Cle de Peau concealer
Guerlain Meteorites Mythic travel size
CK Infinity Matte foundation

Cheek
MAC Emote blush
Canmake Cream Cheek blush 07 (LE)
Silk Naturals blush in Sassy

Eyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Cargo blu-ray undereye concealer
Lunasol Geminate liner in brown
Kate Frame Impact liner BK-1
Kate Super Sharp liner BK-1
Mary Kay Ultimate mascara
ELF quad (ELF Pink Ice, MAC Brun, MAC Electra, ELF Dusk)

Lip
Korres Mango Lipstick in 13 Natural Pink
T'estimo lipstick in RS-1
OCC Lip Tar in Pageant

There are some night events to attend, hence the smokey eye shades and strong lip colour options :D

All packed in my Shu Uemura GWP pouch, except the foundation + UV base

These are the brushes I'm bringing:

MAC 187 - for powder
Spa Resource angled face brush - for contouring
MAC 138 - for blush
Sephora crease brush - for blending
Posh blending/crease brush - for the outer corner of eye
ELF eyeshadow brush - general all over the lid application
Annabelle slant brush - great for gel liners. Actually I could take this out, since I decided to bring liquid liners instead of a gel liner.
Crown Brush liner & spoolie brush - for filling in brows
Koji 38mm lash curler

I don't usually pack my brushes in a brush roll when I'm travelling. Instead I have a plastic pencil case box for them - protects them from being bent out of shape.

What do you normally bring on a trip?

Quick Konad tutorial

2010-07-15T22:08:00.001-04:00

This was requested a few weeks ago by a few. I'm no expert yet so this is just a basic, barebones tutorial.

Here's what you will need:

1. Nailpolish remover
2. Suitable polish for stamping*
3. Konad scraper
4. Konad stamper
5. Image plate

Step 1: Use a paper towel (not a tissue or anything that leaves annoying lint behind) to clean the plate, the stamp surface, and the scraper.

Step 2: Apply a thin coat of polish on the top of the desired pattern.

Step 3: Scrape the pattern in 1 motion, thus removing excess polish.

Step 4: Quickly roll over the pattern with your stamper - don't wait too long after scraping!

If you didn't scrape off too much or take too long, the pattern should transfer easily:

Don't worry if the excess polish transfers too. You'll see below that because the stamping surface is concave, it won't get stamped on accidentally.

Step 5: Orient the stamper to whatever position you want the pattern to be. Press down and roll it gently on your nail from one side to the other. The pattern should transfer onto your nail now:

*For best results, you either can use the Konad polish, or any polish with a thicker consistency. Metallic/chrome finishes tend to work best as well. I've tried some thinner polishes that just won't transfer well onto the stamp no matter what.

Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer & Treatment

2010-07-12T22:53:00.001-04:00

I've been testing Eve Pearl's famed Salmon concealer for a bit now. It hasn't quite unseated Cargo blu-ray as my favourite undereye concealer, however I am impressed enough to keep using the product!

It comes in a sleek, compact black case with mirror inside.

Surprisingly it is marketed as a night treatment as well as concealer, though I personally haven't and wouldn't try leaving it on at night since I don't want to risk clogging my pores.

You can see below how well the colour blends in and brighens up the dark areas:

Before

After

Before

After

The colour suits my NC20-25 skintone flawlessly once blended in. The coverage is one of the best I've seen from an undereye concealer. It also helps that it is a cream concealer rather than a liquid one, which tends to be less pigmented.

However, there are some drawbacks of this concealer that prevent it from attaining HG (Holy Grali) status. The concealer, due to its creamy nature tends to settle into undereye lines. Setting it with some powder after seems to help a little, but doesn't completely prevent the creasing. Also you do have to be careful not to apply too much or it will appear cakey, emphasizing any bumps or fine lines in the area.

Overall, I would recommend this concealer if you don't have too many undereye lines but have noticeable dark circles to cover. Just be prepared to set this with powder or it may crease.

By the way, I spotted Makeup by RenRen's post on the upcoming Eve Pearl sale which might be a good deal for anyone looking to try the line! Eve Pearl isn't easily available in Toronto except through IMATS and online...so check it out if you're interested.

P.S. Last couple of days to enter my giveaway for a Skincare Rx $75 gift certificate!

Getting In the Groove...

2010-07-08T22:46:00.007-04:00

It was a long, hot, and busy day at work where nothing seemed to go right...Fortunately, I had MAC's In the Groove collection to look forward to at the end of the day! :D

I picked up the lipstick in Jazzed, and Stereo Rose MSF (Long story, but I was very lucky to get this!)

Closeup of Jazzed lipstick. It reminds me of Shy Girl but more pigmented and slightly more coral. Its not as pink as Ever Hip though.

And Stereo Rose MSF! Unfortunately I was given one without much of the veining pattern, so it looks a tad plain in my opinion. But at least that means less glitter and more colour!

Swatches of the two products: Jazzed lipstick, Stereo Rose MSF, Stereo Rose (blended out a little):

Jazzed basically looks like a lipstick version of Stereo Rose. I've noticed a lot of people asking Temptalia what the hype is about with Stereo Rose. Well for me, it is the fact that it is the only coralish MSF. No other MSF comes close to this coral colour, while MAC has already done to death the bronze and pink shades numerous times. Also, because it was released in 2005, there were very few new Stereo Rose MSFs available, and it looks like this super limited release hasn't changed anything! I do see quite a few auctions popping up on eBay now which makes me a little sad that some beauty junkies are going to be denied it because of sellers making some $$.

I think that the hype spiked even more due to the limited quantities that MAC made of this, compared with the other colours in the collection. If many beauty addicts are complaining about being unable to get their hands on it then interest in the product rises, increasing the demand further...ok now I sound like an economist, sorry! :P

Anyway, I have Petticoat as well already from Sheer Minerals in 2008, so here they are side by side:

Sorry I completely forgot to do swatches of Petticoat, but here is an old one I did, its not that great though :/

Isn't Petticoat so pretty though? I love how the dome is not just pink and berry shimmer, but has a metallic glint in some parts of the pattern. I picked this MSF specifically because of the veining (they are all unique, so I try to ask to choose from a few before purchasing). I couldn't do it with Stereo Rose though, since there were so few! Otherwise I would have picked one with more bronze veining.

So are you planning to get anything from this collection? If so tell me which products!

Refresh your skin with Marcelle

2010-07-07T23:25:00.003-04:00

Trying to find ways to beat the heat this summer? After a long day at work I like to relax with a sheet mask straight from the fridge. However, sometimes you just want something quick, and don't have time to take a shower - maybe right before you hit the gym.

In that case try stashing a pack of cleansing wipes in the fridge - its a quick easy way to remove oil and grime from your face quickly, while cooling down your skin temperature.

This week, I've been making good use of the Marcelle Cleansing Cloths stashed in my fridge:

The wipes come in a blue package with a resealable sticker to ensure the wipes stay moist.

So far, these cloths seem pretty decent. They are sturdy and soft, and refreshing. Each wipe is approximately the size of a tissue, enough to go over your whole face. They are also perfume free, and supposedly hypoallergenic.

I noticed though that the cloth was not as moist as compared with the St Ives wipes. As with most drugstore wipes I found that it won't be enough to remove a full face of foundation, but will remove light tinted moisturizer. Also, I did find the product left my face a bit red after using - most likely due to my sensitive skin.

Ingredients

Price
CA $11.25 for 25 sheets.

Overall
Decent sheets for cleaning your face on the go, perhaps on the plane. Just don't expect heavy duty makeup removal, just tinted moisturizer. Also, these sheets could definitely start out being more moist than they currently are. The good thing is that the seal on the package is quite resealable (unlike some other brands I've used) so it should not lose much moisture. My skin was a little sensitive to them so those with sensitive skin should take note.

Writing up this post made me realise I could go another step and store oil free skincare in the fridge too, such as the Marcelle Essentials Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover:

The remover comes in a standard blue bottle with a screw top cap. The bottle opening is small enough that you won't accidentally pour out too much, but large enough to stick cotton swabs into.

What I like about this product is how refreshing it feels! It feels like water and almost reminds me of the Mandom Express remover. It gets eyeshadow and regular mascara off easily and feels gentle. Since it is oil free, it probably won't work on waterproof mascara (sorry I don't wear waterproof mascara at all to test), but the upside is that it doesn't irritate eyes or contacts at all. Unlike Lancome Bi-Facil...which got into my eye often, blurring my vision until I washed the heck out of my eyeball.

Although I do already use a cleansing oil normally, I find this handy to follow up and ensure the last of my eyeliner is removed. Its also great for fixing makeup mistakes since it doesn't leave any greasy residue. I've botched up a few eyeshadow looks before and just used it to quickly clean off the mess for a clean canvas again.

Ingredients
AQUA/WATER/EAU, DISODIUM LAUROAMPHODIACETATE, SODIUM TRIDECETH SULFATE, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, POLYSORBATE 20, PEG-8, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, DISODIUM EDTA, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN,

Price
CA $11.50 for 4 FL OZ / 120 mL

Overall
It makes a great makeup remover for eyes and lips, and is gentle and oil free. Since its feels and looks almost like water, imagine how awesome it would be straight out of the fridge!

Tightlining with Kanebo Kate Frame Impact Marker

2010-07-06T21:39:00.006-04:00

I first spotted this liner on Lotus Palace, and it caught my attention because I like the effect tightlining gives, but always skip it since I find it time consuming.

The liner has 3 felt tip 'prongs' which makes it easy to wiggle between your lashes to deposit colour. And in case you're worried, the tips are not harsh at all - they are basically similar to the usual felt tip liners you get from Revlon, L'oreal, etc.

The liner makes it easier in my opinion to tightline than a regular liquid or pencil liner. Compared with using a brush and gel liner, they are about the same level of difficulty. However using this liner cuts out the step of having to clean your brush afterwards, meaning its travel friendly as well!

Before

(no mascara, just curled lashes)

After

The Kate liner isn't waterproof, but is sweat and smudgeproof once dry - no raccoon eyes! I find that the effect is subtle, but great for natural, no makeup look. My lashes are also not that thick so it helps give the illusion of thicker lashes even if my mascara isn't cutting it.

Do you tightline at all? What's your preferred method of doing it?

American Apparel nail polish

2010-07-04T19:50:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago (notice how my purchases take so long to be posted? Lol) I had a discount code for American Apparel so....I succumbed to the temptation and picked up a few things :D

Got a 3 pack of bandeaus, a 3 pack of nailpolish, and their long sleeve criss cross dress in navy.

From left to right the polishes are: L'esprit, Malibu Green, and Butter, all from their summer collection.

So far I've tried L'esprit and Butter, which are quite pigmented and have a thick consistency. I only needed 2 thick coats for L'esprit. I used Butter on my toes and it is a little more streaky, so I had to use 3 coats in the end. Still, only two would be needed if you are careful.

I haven't tried Malibu Green yet, but I do wish I could exchange it for another colour, since Temptalia said Malibu Green stains quite a bit even with a base coat.

Here's a look at L'esprit:

I thought it looked a bit boring so I had a misguided idea to use a holo polish on top - but it turned out rather lame and maybe a bit childish looking:

This definitely does not do either polish justice - I hope to redeem that in a week or two when my nails have recovered. They seem to be rather dry at the moment...a combination of frequent polish removal and dishwashing sans gloves.

What were your first makeup items?

2010-07-03T15:58:00.003-04:00

I started late with wearing makeup. My parents never allowed me to buy or use makeup, with the exception of a lipstick for a piano recital when I was around 8 or 9. Even during university, I felt quite lost anywhere near a makeup counter or Sephora. In fact I hated the strong perfume smell whenever I passed by Sephora, and was quite unimpressed with the confusing array of products available.

However when I started job hunting I realised I would soon have to start learning how to wear makeup. Back then, there weren't any beauty blogs around, but there was Makeupalley, so it was from those reviews, and magazines that I ended up starting with these products:

100 yen store eyelash curler
I had to buy this secretly because my mom would have asked me what it was, and then why I was wasting my money on unnecessary stuff (She only wore blush and lipstick her entire life, and only to work). I still have it but never really use it since I preferred my ELF curlers. I got this when I was visiting my parents in Japan, and I do remember secretly trying a gloss and eyeshadow from the 100 yen store as well. Too bad I threw them out long ago...so no pictures.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer
Discontinued now. I read probably a million reviews on concealer before settling on this one. It was fine in terms of consistency (not much caking) but did not fully cover my dark circles. I've since found that most drugstore concealers just cannot do as good of a job as the high end brands. This went bad a couple of years ago so I got rid of it.

Rimmel Exaggerate liner in a forest green colour
I picked this up because many articles I read said green would make brown eyes pop :) It was really nice soft pencil liner, but to my dismay migrated to my lower lashline immediately. Not impressed. I've tossed this since.

Rimmel Kajal liner in a brown colour
Basic liner. Also smudged easily but a little less noticeable than the Exaggerate liner. I think this has also been discontinued. Have tossed this since as well.

Maybelline Expertwear Quad in Seashore Frosts
This quad is still sold in stores, but in a reformulated version. Mine was the old version with poorer colour payoff. Back then I had no idea how to wear all 4 colours at once, so I would only wear 2 at a time. But I figured at least I was getting my money's worth by having 4 colours in one. I don't use it anymore but still keep it in my stash for old time's sake :P

Maybelline Dream Mousse Bronzer in Sun Glow
I don't think I read reviews on this one. I just bought it because the idea of mousse sounded cool, and at the time bronzer was just gaining popularity. This actually contains more shimmer than colour, which makes it more of a summer highlighting product. I still use this once in a while - have scraped off the top layer a few times to ensure it is still sanitary. By the way, if you're wondering why this is the 3rd Maybelline product here, its because I had a bit of a soft spot for Maybelline as they were one of the few brands my mom ever used.

The Body Shop Cranberry Lip Balm
Although this was a lip balm, it contained a moderate amount of shimmer, which gave a moisturized, 'my lips but better' look. I loved the smell too. Must repurchase this winter - I think its only sold during the Christmas season.

So tell me, what were your first makeup products? Do you repurchased them still?

Current skincare routine

2010-07-01T22:22:00.001-04:00

Morning

Wash face with Dove Sensitive Skin cleanser
Moisten cotton ball with Clarins Toning Lotion with Chamomile and swipe over face
Treat t-zone with Green Beaver Blemish Foam
Pat on Sana Konuka Moist Toner
Protect undereye area with Clarins Sun Eye Contour Care SPF30
Protect face with Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF50 PA+++
Moisturize/cover with Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF20

On weekends (basically whenever I'm NOT using tinted moisturizer), instead of the Sana Konuka toner, I moisturize with The Face Shop Eco Vert Toner and Moisture Serum and leave it at that. If I'm going out though I will apply sunscreen, and then foundation afterwards.

I know it probably looks odd that I'm using two toners, but they serve different functions. The Clarins toner is a wipe off toner I use to refresh my skin after washing, and to make sure there is no remaining sebum/dirt/ickiness left on my face.

The Sana toner is a Japanese type lotion, which is basically a very moisturizing 'toner' that you pat into your skin gently, rather than wiping off with a cotton ball.

The Clarins wipe off toner is definitely optional - if your cleanser is thorough, which it should be, you probably don't need one. I just want to finish up this bottle since its been around a while.

Night

Remove makeup with MAC Cleanse Off Oil Tranquil before showering
Wash face with Green Beaver Grapefruit Facial Cleanser in shower
Moisten cotton pad with Clarins Toning Lotion with Chamomile and swipe over face
Apply pore treatment of the week*
Apply Comfort Zone Skin Resonance Couperose treatment (to treat redness on cheeks)
Pat on Sana Konuka Moist Toner
Protect undereye area (currently testing sample of Ole Hendriksen eye cream, not pictured)
Moisturize with Diorsnow serum

*Pore treatment: Every other week I try to alternate between Murad T-zone Refining Gel (not pictured) and Green Beaver Blemish foam on the t-zone and chin, to minimize breakouts. Reason being that the Murad product contains glycolic acid, which is recommended by many sources to be used on alternating weeks rather than constantly for best results.

Special treatments

Exfoliation:
Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Refiner 1x a week around t-zone & chin
Amore Pacific Treatment Enzyme Peel 1x a week around t-zone & chin

Masks:
Assorted sheet masks 1-2x per week, usually after exfoliation
Clarins Pure & Radiant clay mask 1x per week, usually after exfoliation

Misc treatments:
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion (for major, stubborn pimples on chin)
L'oreal Lash Boost Serum
Phyto Phytocyane treatment (trying to improve hair growth on head :P)

It probably looks like I'm using a huge number of different products, but some of them are to really just to use things up. The Dove facial wash is definitely one of them - I bought a couple on clearance, but now I much prefer the Green Beaver face wash. Still, I don't like to waste so decided to use Dove in the AM.

I also do prefer to use lighter and more liquidy products to moisturize, rather than a thick emollient cream. My theory is that thicker creams have a greater potential to clog than several light layers of moisturizing fluids. Not to mention the more fluid products seem to contain more hydrating ingredients like sodium hyaluronate / hyaluronic acid...

Skincare Rx Giveaway!

2010-06-30T22:11:00.006-04:00

Since summer officially started a few days ago, being sun smart seems to be more important than ever. Skincare Rx, who specializes in various skincare products including the renowned sunscreen line La Roche Posay Anthelios, is generously sponsoring a $75 gift certificate giveaway for you readers!

This gift certificate will be valid at SkinCareRx.com, Apothica.com, and SkinBotanica.com.

How to enter:

1. One entry for becoming a fan of SkinCareRx on Facebook
2. One entry for following SkinCareRx on Twitter.
3. Two entries to tweet about this giveaway as follows: "Visit @watercoloursky's blog at www.watercoloursky.blogspot.com to win a $75 gift certificate sponsored by @Skincarerx1 "
4. Three entries to signup for the newsletter at Skincare Rx
5. Ten entries for a blog post about this giveaway--*Must have a minimum of 100 words, include a link to this giveaway, and a link to "La Roche-Posay Anthelios" in your post. "La Roche-Posay Anthelios" must be linked to http://skincarerx.com/la-roche-posay-anthelios.html.

What happens after:

Giveaway ends in 2 weeks, Wednesday July 14, 2010, and is open internationally. Winner will be picked randomly. I will NOT be emailing the winner as they should be a regular reader of my blog. Instead I will announce the winner within 1 week, after which the winner gets 1 more week to email me with their details or another winner will be chosen.

Where do I start?

For me to count your entries, simply fill in the Google Doc form below. No need to leave comments this time so all info is private :) Good luck!

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MAC Cleanse Off Oil / Tranquil

2010-06-29T20:58:00.000-04:00

This is an Asia exclusive product. It was available in the US last fall through the MAC Upstarts collection as a sample, but I don't see it on the MAC site so it probably isn't there anymore.

As you can see, the Cleanse Off Oil / Tranquil is packaged in a clear green bottle, different from the normal Cleanse Off Oil which comes in a clear bottle.

How to use

If you already know how to use cleansing oils these are no different. Basically, the cleansing oil is meant to be massaged onto your face dry, to dissolve your makeup. After that you should dampen your hands with water and massage your face again - the water and oil will emulsify and turn cloudy, while removing makeup at the same time. Finally rinse off with lukewarm water.

Thoughts on the performance

I can't seem to find the Tranquil oil on the MAC website, even the Asian sites, so I am not 100% sure if it is targeted at different skintypes than the regular oil.

In terms of makeup removal, the Tranquil is similar to the regular oil in that it removes most face makeup easily and quickly. It gets a bit hard to remove eyeliner that is closer to the lashline, since I don't like getting oil in my eyes but that is the same as all cleansing oils I've used.

After cleansing, both feel quite clean without any annoying residue on the face. However, I feel that the Tranquil version may be slightly gentler on my skin. I love both versions, but find the Tranquil feels like it leaves a bit more moisture in my skin compared with the regular oil.

They are both fairly odorless, but the Tranquil version has a slightly different smell - it seems to have a more bitter citrus smell than the regular oil. This is probably due to the slightly different essential oils in each product.

Tranquil Oil info & ingredients

The main oil components of the Tranquil oil appears to be sunflower and olive oil, while the regular oil is mainly olive and jojoba oil.

The regular Cleanse Off Oil ingredients list

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Germ Oil, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Water / Aqua / Eau, Rosa Canina (Rose) Fruit Oil, Limonene.

Price

Both the regular Cleanse Off oil and Tranquil retail for approximately CA $30 per 150 mL, taking into account currency conversions.

Overall

Both oils are quite effective at makeup removal, and are priced in line with, or slightly cheaper than other popular cleansing oils such as DHC and Fancl. The Tranquil version is slightly harder to get, but may be worth a try if you find the regular Cleanse Off Oil to be a little drying.

Marcelle Hydra C Cleanser + Moisturizer

2010-06-28T22:28:00.003-04:00

I received the Marcelle Hydra C cleanser and lotion a while back to test. The Hydra C line, according to Marcelle, is "enriched with a unique vitamin C & E complex that revitalizes the skin, bringing back its radiance and vitality."

The products are also notably hypoallergenic and perfume free, which I like!

Hydra C Gentle Self Foaming Cleanser

Packaging
The cleanser comes with a self foaming pump, and is packaged in a sturdy eye catching orange bottle. However the packaging may have been changed lately as the product on the website has a lighter colour.

Performance
I always use a cleansing oil before face wash, so I couldn't review the makeup removing properties. As a face wash though the foam cleanses well. It is supposed to suit all skintypes, but I felt that it was a little drying if used twice daily. I switched to using it once a day, in warmer weather and it was ok then.

Ingredients

Price
CA $13.50 for 5.5 FL OZ / 165 mL

Overall
Convenient everyday face wash, but best suited for oily skintypes.

Hydra C Complex Hydrating Fluid 24 Hr with Vitamins C & E

Packaging
Comes in a hygenic pump bottle, which is clear so you can easily track the usage.

Performance
The lotion dispenses as a lightweight pale orange lotion.

I found the lotion to be hydrating and light at the same time. However, what I didn't like was that it left my skin feeling a bit oily and looking shiny. Also this lotion does contain some silicones, which some people might choose to avoid.

Ingredients

Price
CA $22.95 for 1.6 FL OZ / 50 mL

Overall
It has a great lightweight texture, but unlike the cleanser, this lotion seems best suited for dry to normal skintypes.

Fruit Frappes from Upper Canada

2010-06-26T23:59:00.001-04:00

The new Fruit Frappe line from Upper Canada was introduced in April, featuring various bodycare products formulated with antioxidant ingredients:

Foaming Shower Gel
Luminescent Hand & Body Cream
Dry Oil Body Spray
Exfoliating Shower Gel
Body Gel Spritz
Bath Fizzies
Lip Gloss

All of these products come in 5 fragrances:
Passionfruit with Noni
Grapefruit with Gooseberry
Apricot with Kiwi
Pear with Mangosteen
Watermelon with Acai Berry

I got the chance to try their Dry Oil Body Spray, and the Body Gel Spritz.

The Dry Oil Body Spray I received is the Pear with Mangosteen version, which smells heavenly! The product is a dual phase oil that has to be shaken up to emulsify, before spraying on your skin to moisturize.

I found the spray to be a little too concentrated in one spot. As a result I found I had to use more to cover more areas. It smells exactly like what I expected, fruity but not too sweet.

The oil seems to work best on damp skin. With dry skin I had to use more sprays, and it still had some trouble moisturizing my skin sufficiently. Definitely a light moisturization product for summer, rather than winter.

Overall, I don't think the dry oil concept really worked for me, but I really enjoyed the scent and would have loved it in another product, such as a fragrance spray.

The Body Gel Spritz I received was the Grapefruit with Gooseberry version. This is a body spray in gel form, supposed to freshen up both body and hair.

The smell is on the fruity but sweet side. The spray bottle has a lock to prevent any accidental spraying, so it would be great for stashing in your gym bag or purse whenever you need to freshen up.

The only downside I found was that the scent didn't last long. I would spray what I deemed a normal amount for a fragrance, and the smell faded within an hour or two. Perhaps I should be using more, but I wouldn't want to smell too strong initially, especially with a sweet scent like this. Taking this into consideration, a less sweet scent would be best suited for this product - perhaps one of the other variations like Pear and Mangosteen.

Overall I think the product concept and design is good, except that the staying power of the product needs to be worked on.

Guerlain Parure Extreme & Dior 649 Ready to Glow

2010-06-24T22:28:00.002-04:00

About 2-3 weeks ago, the local drugstore chain here, Shoppers Drug Mart had another of their bonus redemption weekends. I took the opportunity to redeem my store points since the bonus was an extra $50 in addition to the $150 worth of points I had.

In fact, this weekend is another bonus redemption weekend - perhaps the last chance to redeem points before changes to the point values take place in July.

Anyway since I don't really need more colour makeup, I did some research, and decided to focus on foundations since I don't have a good summer foundation. I settled on the Guerlain Parure Extreme, and Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Powder foundation. I also decided to try a Dior quint for the first time. (The rest of the redemption was made up of just non-makeup items.)

Guerlain Parure Extreme in 02 Beige Clair. This is the lightest shade available here(I think they might have a lighter one in Asia), but I find it a shade too dark for me right now :(

Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder Makeup SPF 10. I haven't opened this because I am still trying to decide if it is worthwhile keeping...should I? I have 1 more week to exchange it...any opinions on this foundation?

Dior palette in 649 Ready to Glow, Summer 2010 collection. My first Dior quint! I've used Dior Detective Chic palettes before, but their texture is quite different from their iridescent quints.

The colours are very glowy, and quite suitable for daytime wear at the office. I like that there is a cool grey shade and a warmer brown shade that allows you to darken the colour for a more intense look, just in case you are going somewhere right after work.

Here you can see the Guerlain Beige Clair shade is a tad darker than my neck :S I tried dusting some Guerlain Mythic meteorites on top but it doesn't help to lighten the look very much.

I do like the finish of the Parure Extreme though, it controls oil nicely, and seemed to last longer than other foundations. Not to mention the scent is light and pleasant, quite different from the sweet rose scent Guerlain uses in their powder products.

The colours in the Dior 649 quint are quite iridescent all right, you can see how glowy my eyelids are! The only drawback to the light colours is that the pigmentation isn't intense, so they look similar from far.

Funnily enough, despite the mismatched foundation colour I received some compliments on my skin the day I used it, but perhaps it was because I was indoors where the difference between my face and neck wasn't quite as apparent. I think I may still keep the Parure Extreme because of its wear and finish, but find ways to match up my neck skintone instead...

What I used

Guerlain Parure Extreme Foundation 02 Beige Clair
Guerlain Meteorites Mythic
Cargo Blu-ray concealer 01

Etude House Cheek Stamp Blush in Happy Peach
Marcelle Lux Gloss in Muse

Urban Decay Primer Potion
Dior 5 Color Iridescent Quint in 649 Ready to Glow
ELF Pink Ice to highlight under brow
Mary Kay Ultimate mascara in Black

You Give Me Fever

2010-06-23T23:10:00.001-04:00

...is the name of this pink hued gloss I received from Balmshell to try :)

Balmshell glosses, have a unique packaging style - the gloss on one end and a cute floating art keychain on the other side, that can be removed to be attached as a keychain. (Full details in my previous review of Darling You Look Fabulous.)

When swatched, the colour is a sheer medium pink. It runs neither cool nor warm so it would suit both cool and warm complexions.

Lip swatch. Note my lips are on the pigmented side so it would show up lighter on someone with lighter lip pigmentation.

The gloss is similar to the other Balmshell glosses I've reviewed previously. They all have a vanilla flavour, and a slightly sticky feel but not to the extent of MAC lipglasses.

And of course you need to check out the key chain portion of the gloss. This one has a pink slider that makes it look like the girl is getting the hots for the cute guy and starts blushing...

Anyway, if you haven't already you should check out Sephora's sale on the Balmshell glosses! 50% off, need I say more?

Johnson & Johnson's Face Powder SPF15

2010-06-22T21:30:00.003-04:00

This face powder was probably one of the most requested items from my vacation haul for a review:

It comes in 3 versions: Translucent, Beige, and Pink. I picked Beige because from swatching at the store on my arm the translucent seemed to have a white cast. Pink was definitely out since my neck skintone is super yellow.

The compact is typical of most pressed powders, a slim plastic case with a mirror, and sponge (appears to be latex type material).

The colour Beige was perhaps just a touch darker than my NC20 skintone but as a finishing powder it worked fine. Probably not if it was a foundation. This shade would still work for someone up to NC30 at least.

Ingredients list

First, since this is a drugstore powder it does contain talc, as most cheaper powders do (for example Maybelline). I do like that it uses a physical sunscreen, zinc oxide, as the sunscreen ingredient for UVA and UVB protection, since zinc oxide is supposed to be more stable than some other chemical sunscreens. I wouldn't be depending on this for full protection, since it would be impossible to apply enough product to get the full SPF 15 protection. However, it is a nice way to touch up any foundation or tinted moisturizer that may have worn off, while adding some SPF as well.

The powder itself is ok. It isn't the most finely milled, but the texture is good enough to do what its supposed to - mattify and touch up skin. I have found it a bit cakey sometimes, especially in drier weather. However, on hotter days it seems to set my foundation just right, so I think this is best suited for oiler skins in temperate climates, or just more humid climates overall.

I found the included sponge to be quite bad. The sponge itself picks up too much product, and will definitely give a cakey look regardless of skin type. The sponge also picked up foundation OFF my skin, which defeated the purpose of touching up. Only when I changed the sponge out for a cotton puff did the powder work much better for me. If you do get this product, just toss that included sponge right out and get your own. It should fit most similar sized puffs that are sold at drugstores.

The powder has a fresh scent which is faint and not at all off putting for me. However if you are sensitive to scents you might want to be careful with testing this out first.

Pros
- mattifies well
- slim and portable
- contains some UVA/UVB protection
- inexpensive (approx US$4 converted)
- expendable; not something you'd cry over dropping it

Cons
- cakey for drier skins
- included sponge sucks unless you get your own
- hard to come by unless you are in Asia
- limited colour range

Overall
For the price, this compact performs well as a touch up powder, and is priced right for something you would have knocking around at the bottom of your bag. Unlike say a Guerlain compact, which I would shed tears over if there was a scratch...lol

Annabelle Glitterama Liquid Eyeliner

2010-06-21T22:32:00.003-04:00

Thanks for all the lovely comments on the turquoise nails :) Should I do a tutorial? There are many tutorials out there already though...hmm

Anyway, I've been toying around with the Annabelle Glitterama Liner in Blue Comet lately:

The applicator is a fine tipped brush, easy to control.

Blue Comet consists of mostly blue sparkles with some multicoloured bits in a clear base.

It adds a really nice zing to finish off subtle looks or night looks. I do find the glitter a bit sparse compared with the Too Faced glitter liner:

However, it just means a bit more patience and a few more layers of this product to get the same intensity.

For this look, I used Vincent Longo eye souffle in Babelon as a base for the outer 1/2, before using the colours in the Lavshuca Eye Select Quad BU-1. Lined the lashline with a black pencil liner, before going over it with a coat of Annabelle Blue Comet glitter liner.

What's your take on glitter liners? Love, hate, or indifference? Personally I think they're an easy way to play up ordinary black liner, or to add sparkle to an otherwise boring look.

P.S. Maybe I should've done a Lights-inspired look. Blue Comet really reminds me of her music video for Saviour:

Added June 22:
See glitter is glamourous...listen to him @3:45 :D

(If you watched the whole vid, do you agree with him not smiling as a guide to applying blush? I personally don't do it...smiling doesn't help one bit, just confuses things for me)

Delicate turquoise

2010-06-20T23:03:00.000-04:00

I did my nails last weekend. with the intention of making use of my Konad set.

First, used 2-3 coats of China Glaze For Audrey, followed by Seche Vite topcoat.

Then used OPI Golden Rules! with Konad m73 plate.

Not sure why, but the colour combined with the pattern reminded me of antique china...anyone else getting that vibe? Or does it remind you of something else?

What I used:

China Glaze For Audrey
OPI Golden Rules!
Konad m73 plate
Seche Vite top coat

Bonus: Topped with China Glaze Matte Magic topcoat!

So do you prefer the look shiny or matte? I really liked shiny at first, but after putting on Matte Magic and comparing the two pictures I think matte wins out slightly for me :)

We have a winner, again

2010-06-20T13:23:00.006-04:00

Sorry it took me a while to go through the names for the 3rd giveaway in this series. I went through the usual steps of randomizing the names & assigning them numbers, then generating a random sequence to pick the winner:

(The list goes on up to #66 for 66 eligible entries but I could only screen capture part of it)

The winner is Rena - congrats! Please contact me within 1 week to claim your prize.

Thank you to all who entered :)

Bourjois So Delicate Lip Cream

2010-06-18T22:23:00.000-04:00

Late last year I indulged in a 'little' Asos.com fix with some Bourjois products. Picked up their Lip Creams in two shades: Rose Veloute, and Rose Poudre, as well as the LE blush from their Asos exclusive collection.

I found the lip creams to be rather unique, so I thought these should be reviewed in more depth here:

Swatches on skin

Left to right: Rose Veloute, Rose Poudre

These lip creams go on creamy but dry to a matte, opaque finish. They have the faint rose smell typically found in most Bourjois products, which you either love or hate :)

53 Rose Veloute

Neutral brown. Very similar to Korres Guava Lipstick in 34 Nude, and MAC's Mattene lipstick in Flattering (LE from 2007)

51 Rose Poudre

Medium rosey pink. Looks like a matte version of Chanel Rouge Allure Laque #76 Ming

What I love about these:
- Good pigmentation and coverage.
- Excellent range of colours (check them out here)

What I don't like so much:
- Will emphasize dryness so it is best used on exfoliated or moisturized lips.
- Doe's foot applicator - not as sanitary as a lipstick, but then most liquid lipsticks come in this format, including Chanel.

Overall:

I would recommend these if you are looking for matte, highly pigmented lip colours :)

The Body Shop Love fragrance

2010-06-17T21:28:00.004-04:00

From The Body Shop website:

Fragrance personality: A sensuous blend of Egyptian jasmine with warm, radiant notes of vanilla and sandalwood.

Family: floriental

Notes:

* Top notes: pear, neroli, bergamot
* Middle notes: jasmine, heliotrope, lily of the valley
* Base notes: vanilla, sandalwood, musk cream

My impression:

- warm floral notes at first
- sweet vanilla endnote
- not overly strong
- great day to night fragrance
- affordable ($24 for 30 mL, $29.50 for 50mL)

Overall, I thought this was a really wearable fragrance. Its not too strong, so you can still wear it to the office, but it is also complex and feminine enough that you could spray on a little extra after work for a night out.

Have you sampled this fragrance yet? What did you think?

Quick spotlight on Burts Bees & Upper Canada Soap Co.

2010-06-16T23:35:00.000-04:00

Burt's Bees Exfoliating Radiance Wash

Description from website:

"This creamy body wash infuses Royal Jelly, one of nature's most nutritious substances, with jojoba beads and a fruit acid complex to gently exfoliate, smooth and help even skin tone. Safflower seed olesomes intensely moisturise and condition, leaving skin with a naturally healthy, radiant glow."

Retails for $9.99

Ingredients:

What I noticed:

- Smells heavenly! its hard to describe but the scent is a mix of honey and floral notes.
- Non-drying, doesn't sting sensitive skin at all
- Jojoba beads are too few to be effective at exfoliating properly
- Does not foam up much so you tend to use more of it than you would with a foaming body wash.

Overall:

Recommended if you have dry / sensitive skin, and don't mind not having a foaming body wash.

***

Upper Canada Naturally Body Butter in Warm Honey Nectar

Description from website:

"Butter up your skin with our Body Butter - an intensive blend of shea and cocoa butters works hard to soften the driest skin, while our Vita Body Spray is a quick and easy way to refresh skin -- enriched with Vitamins A, C and E for on-the-spot nourishment and skin-soothing properties."

What I noticed:

- Top layer is a bit harder, but has a wonderful souffle texture underneath
- Sweet, floral honey scent
- Slightly inconvenient tub format
- Rich (since it is a body butter), would be good for dry skin or even normal skin during winter.

Overall:

Recommended if you have extremely dry skin all year, or just want an extra moisturization boost.

Annabelle Zebra Bronzer - Haute Gold

2010-06-15T19:02:00.001-04:00

My latest Annabelle love...is the Zebra Bronzer in Haute Gold

At first glance, the colours seemed a bit too brown and dark to suit my skintone.

Fortunately, I was quite mistaken! Check out these swatches on my NC20-ish skintone:

These are each individual strips swatched with my fingers. Left to right corresponds with each stripe from bottom to top in the product.

Once swirled, the colour turns into a subtle, golden glow. There are no coarse glitters whatever or even distinct shimmers, just a beautiful pearly sheen.

As you can see in the same look I posted yesterday, the colour is extremely subtle but enough to warm up my skin slightly, as well as giving a healthy glow.

I love that this colour suits fair skintones so well without looking too obvious and fake! Even on darker skintones it would be a great highlighter for a glowy summer look.

Here's a rundown of the pros and cons:

The good
- no orange tones!
- suits even fair skintones
- adds healthy, natural looking glow
- no distinct shimmers or glitters
- affordable price since it is a drugstore product

The bad
- None!

Overall: If you don't have any bronzer in your life...you're missing out without this! Hurry and get to a drugstore, stat! :)

Almost natural...but better

2010-06-13T17:35:00.001-04:00

Thanks to a tweet from Fei, I found out about a technique that Queenie (Beauty QQ) was using to apply falsies - underneath her natural lashes instead of over:

Youtube video of her explaining it in Cantonese
Youtube video tutorial applying the lashes - skip to 3:40

These are the fake lashes I used - Andrea #53's. I used a pair that I had already worn a few times, so they look a bit scraggly and more natural rather than being completely uniform.

I followed Beauty QQ's instructions and cut them into 4 pieces. Applied them with tweezers, very carefully underneath my natural lashes. Trust me, this is not a time for your annoying sibling/significant other to goof around and run into your elbow...

Don't these look pretty natural? Even from the side view you can't see any tell tale misalignment of the fake lash with natural lash, or heavy eyeliner to cover fake lash spine.

I love how you can barely see the spine of the lashes, even from underneath. As Fei said they look almost like lash extensions.

Anyway, here is the rest of the look!

What I used:

Face
Lunasol Water Cream Foundation
Eve Pearl Salmon undereye concealer treatment
Maybelline Dream Matte powder

Cheek & Lip
Annabelle Zebra Bronzer in Haute Gold
MAC Emote blush
MAC Brave New Bronze Lipstick
Balmshell's Weekend in the Hamptons gloss

Eyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Lavshuca Eye Color Select PK-1
Marcelle Minerals eyeshadow in Playa
Kate Frame Impact eyeliner
Andrea Modlash #53s

I still can't get over how natural the fake lashes look compared with applying them on top...will have to do this more often! I think this technique works best with natural hair lashes though, since the spines are thinner and lashes more flexible than plastic Asian lashes, and thus more comfortable.

Have you tried this technique before? What do you think?

My favourite things from May

2010-06-12T18:35:00.001-04:00

1. My Beauty Diary mask in Japanese Cherry Blossom

I first got to try this variety thanks to Yasumi, and loved the smell, so I had to pick up a box on my vacation. It has a lovely cherry blossom smell - not too overpowering, and more pleasant than the Bath and Body Works version. The mask itself is quite hydrating and soothing as well. For some reason this version isn't sold in the Asian supermarkets here.

2. Mary Kay Ultimate mascara

Already reviewed here, but to sum up I find the mascara adds just the right amount of volume and length. It doesn't clump at all, and doesn't smudge easily either. Perfect if you want a natural but better look.

3. Marcelle Minerals eyeshadow in Playa

I didn't think much of this eyeshadow at first, because it creased easily as an all-over lid wash. However as a brow highlighter it performs superbly. The colour is a beiged champange with some shimmers, just right to highlight under the brow, and because it is a loose shadow it blends easily with whatever colour you use in the crease to soften any harsh edges.

4. Etude House Peach Cheek Blusher in 05 Happy Peach

Great blush for spring - it adds a hint of peach colour to your cheeks. Best suited for lighter skintones.

5. Canmake cream blush in 07 Coral Orange (LE)

This product has to be one of my favourite blushes ever! The consistency is perfect - easy to blend, not too greasy, and doesn't break me out. The colour does not have any shimmer nor is it fully matte, but it has a glow of its own.

6. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Pageant

I'm loving bright pinks for the warmer weather, and this is a gorgeous, pigmented fuchsia pink. Definitely a must if you are considering trying out the Lip Tars. Be warned though, it can stain your fingers if you don't wash it off promptly.

Red Lips with Face Atelier & Revolution Organics

2010-06-11T17:30:00.000-04:00

Today I'll be showing you two red lip products that I've recently had the time to test out:

1. Face Atelier lipstick

The colour I received to try was Revenge, a dark burgundy red. It would be a perfect shade for the fall.

I found the lipstick to be highly pigmented, though it has a slight tendency to emphasize dryness and gather in lip lines. Don't get me wrong though, it is still comfortable to wear. I would consider the texture to be somewhere between MAC's satin and lustre lipsticks.

The colour is more on the dramatic side, so I would probably pair this with a simple winged eyeliner look.

2. Revolution Organics Lip Gloss

The colour I tested was called Freedom, a sheer, strawberry red gloss.

Ingredients

Organic Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer** (natural shine enhancer), Organic Beeswax*, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides (sunflower oil derived)**, Silica***, Flavor**, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil**, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate (licorice root derived)**, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oil**, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Tocopherol (vitamin E)**, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil**, Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract*. MAY CONTAIN: Mica***, Titanium Dioxide***, Carmine**, Iron Oxides*** (mineral color)

* certified organic ** naturally-derived *** mineral

As you can see, the ingredients list sounds pretty good. It has no added fragrance, which is good for sensitive skin, though I found the smell of the gloss a bit strange (probably not used to the natural smell of the ingredients).

The gloss is not drying at all, probably due to the oils and shea butter in the formulation. The colour is slightly sheer, but because this is a more intense colour the red still shows up well on my pigmented lips.

I would consider this a great starter red for anyone looking to try a red lip look. Its also an easy way to add a pop of colour this summer without worrying about creasing eye makeup!

Clarins Extra Comfort Toning Lotion

2010-06-10T15:15:00.000-04:00

I bought this toner a while back, loved it, but then forgot all about it as new skincare products were purchased. Rediscovered it again a month ago and finally got around to finishing it recently!

I first got hooked on this toner when I went for a facial at the Clarins Skin Spa. One of the main things I was attracted to was the scent. It has a relaxing scent that smells heavenly.

The toner is alcohol free, and contains aloe to soothe sensitive skin like mine. I have it decanted into a spray bottle, so the way I use it is to spray it on after washing my face, and wipe it off with a cotton pad. It is quite hydrating, so it also doubles up as a finishing spray to make powder foundation dewy.

Ingredients

Water, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Dipropylene glycol, PEG-8, Propylene glycol, Linum usitatissimum (linseed) extract, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, PEG-32, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, Sodium citrate, Triethanolamine, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Methylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, Fragrance, Glycerin, Potassium sorbate, Polyacrylic acid, Butylene glycol, Tocopheryl acetate, Althaea officinalis root extract, Prunus amygoalus dulcis (sweet almond) fruit extract, Retinyl palminate, Arachis hypogaea (peanut) oil, Hydrolyzed linseed extract, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Xanthan gum, Chlorphenesin, BHT, Alpha-isomethyl ionone, Benzyl alcohol, Amyl cinnamal, Anise alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Eugenol, Yellow 6 (CI 15985)

Here's a rundown of the pros and cons:

Pros
- alcohol free
- soothing scent
- hydrating and calming for sensitive skin

Cons
- does contain some fragrance, some may still be sensitive to this
- pricey, around US$20 for 200mL.

Overall, definitely recommended if you like traditional apply and wipe off toners that are alcohol free without being irritating.

Biore UV Perfect Face Milk

2010-06-09T17:58:00.003-04:00

Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SPF 50 PA+++

It comes in a simple white plastic bottle - similar to most UV face sunscreens out there.

Ingredients

Things of note

- SPF50 PA+++
- Doubles up as a foundation primer
- Appears to be a physical sunscreen from the ingredients list (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide)
- light milky lotion
- slightly mattifying effect

The UV milk is a light lotion that applies easily on my skin, without any greasy feel. I've tried several face sunscreens before, and have never liked any as much as this one. Firstly it dries down to a slightly matte finish, which beats Clarins (felt too greasy), but it isn't so mattifying that it dries out my face (unlike Shiseido's sunscreen lotion).

It definitely helps make my tinted moisturizer last longer in the current weather here (moderate humidity, 20-25 degrees C during the day). However I could see it being a bit drying in the dead of winter.

Also, the face milk does leaves a very slight whitish cast, but only if you look closely, so no biggie unless you are going to be taking pictures. Don't skimp out on the application to save though, because to get the full benefit of the advertised SPF you need to apply approximately 1 tablespoon of product. And while we're on the subject of sunscreen, check out this informative article from Style on a String.

Where to buy and how much

Purchased when I was in Asia for approximately US$7.50, but you can also get it from Adam Beauty for US$10.50.

500 followers giveaway #3

2010-06-07T20:08:00.000-04:00

Last one til the next big occasion...

Prizes:

Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals All Over Face Colour in True
Face Atelier pigment sample in SOV
Annabelle Studio pigment in Karma
Dior High Shine mini lipstick in Catwalk Mauve
Vasanti Tinted Lipbalm in Columbia

How to enter

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me what is your idea of the perfect day*.

2. For extra entries, you may:
i. Post about this giveaway on your blog if you have one.
ii. Tweet about this giveaway in the following manner: "A Watercolour Sky @watercoloursky is giving away more makeup goodies! Enter at http://watercoloursky.blogspot.com"

If you do either #2 or #3, please drop a comment on this post again (leave 2 comments if you do both) so I can easily count your extra entries.

Anyone can enter BUT you must, must, must click on the "follow" button on the left menu on the sidebar, and select 'follow publicly'. Your profile must NOT be privatized in order for me to check that you are following. Otherwise I will not count your entry in the final tally.

(Exception: Wordpress bloggers that I regularly correspond with (you know who you are :D) are welcome to enter - sorry if I forget to mention that at times, guys)

Again, this is open internationally. Closes a week from today Monday June 14th, Eastern Standard Time. Good luck! :)

*I, personally live for weekends, so my ideal day would be sleeping in to rain on a Saturday morning, and get up when the sun comes out. An awesome breakfast brunch at Chez Cora, followed by biking, and an afternoon picnic at Toronto Island. Dinner would be at my favourite Korean restaurant for bulgogi ssam to finish the day :D

Disco nails + bright lips

2010-06-06T23:05:00.006-04:00

I feel bad for not having posted all weekend, so here's a quick nail swatch of OPI Mad as a Hatter - at least it coincides with the DVD/Blu-ray release right? :)

It is basically a clear base with suspended multicoloured glitters, most of which are predominantly purple. I used 3 coats for these pictures.

As with most glitters I've tried, the polish dries super quick so I don't have to wait long before I can apply the next coat. Wear is normal for a glitter, it lasts fairly well as long as I'm not doing any heavy duty work. Removal is normal for a glitter - meaning its a total pain :P

Also a quick summer look featuring bright lips:

I used:

Lunasol Water Cream foundation
Canmake cream cheek blush 07 Coral Orange
OCC Lip Tar in Pageant (love!)
Annabelle Volumelip gloss in Sweet Tweet

the Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara

2010-06-03T21:28:00.003-04:00

The applicator is a traditional brush style:

I do like the formula, it has the perfect consistency. Some mascaras that are too wet like L'oreal Voluminous are messy to apply for me. Drier formulas like Too Faced Lash Injection are so dry they barely coat my lashes properly. However, the Mary Kay formula is just right, coating my lashes easily without any clumps. The brush is also quite good at separating my lashes, creating a natural but better look.

Here are some pictures to show you what I mean:

Before - curled, bare lashes

After - with 1.5 coats of mascara. It looks natural, but slightly longer and more defined.

I used it by itself without any lash primer underneath, and it kept my curl properly without making lashes droop at all.

Pros
- clump free
- traditional brush wand is gentle on eyes unlike some others with plastic bristles
- does not smudge on me even without a waterproof claim
- holds my curl, doesn't weigh lashes down at all

Cons
- not for you if you want dramatic, fake lashes type of look
- does not claim to be waterproof

Two things I love

2010-06-02T23:05:00.010-04:00

First, the Green Beaver Winter Lip Balm:

I know, its not winter anymore, but lets face it, sometimes your lips get dry even in summer, especially if you spend most of your time in air-conditioned buildings.

I love lipbalms in this squeeze tube format because not only are they more sanitary than pot balms, they are also more emollient and moisturizing than stickbalms. This lipbalm has surpassed my previous favourite, Nivea Q10 Lip Care. The GB Winter Lip Balm shares all the pros I loved about the Nivea product AND is made of natural ingredients such as beeswax, sunflower oil, and various plant extracts.

If there was something to improve on this product, it would be the lack of SPF. The only balms I've seen with SPF are either in pots (eg MAC TLCs), or stick form (Blistex, Banana Boat, etc.). I want one in a squeeze tube format!

Pros
- sanitary squeeze tube instead of a pot
- tube format allows for a more emollient formula
- scent-free
- natural ingredients, no petrolatum

Cons
- needs an SPF version for daytime

Next, the Green Beaver Grapefruit Gel Facial Cleanser:

It comes in a sturdy cardboard box made from recycled packaging:

Inside is an easy squeeze tube of the best smelling facial wash ever:

The product is a clear, slightly orange gel that smells of grapefruit. It is a foaming wash, but does not strip my face of moisture. Instead it cleanses just the right amount, and leaves my skin feeling refreshed.

What I liked most about the Green Beaver products was this fact from their site:

"Our facial products contain an air-dried 200X aloe concentrate. Air-drying does not denature the skin soothing ingredients found in the aloe. Each 120 ml product contains the equivalent of 1.0 Litre aloe gel actives! Ideal for sensitive or troubled skin."

Sounds pretty good for me since I've had sensitive, reactive skin for a while now. I've been using this face wash at night since the beginning of April, and my skin is quite happy, so it looks like this is a keeper!

The only minor thing I could complain about is the tube opening. It is a little wide, so a bit of it does leak out of the opening into the cap area if stored upright on the cap side. It doesn't actually leak out of the cap area but is still a bit more wasteful than necessary.

Ingredient list

Aqua, Coco Glucoside, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Xantham Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Camellia Senensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
* CERTIFIED ORGANIC OR ECOLOGICALLY WILD CRAFTED

On the box itself it even says that it does not contain harsh detergents or sodium lauryl sulfate which is pretty awesome. I've always had difficulty finding a foaming face wash without harsh detergents or SLS, so this is pretty awesome for me :D

Pros
- gel based (feels more refreshing than cream/milk cleansers)
- free from SLS or harsh detergents that strip moisture
- smells awesome
- contains many soothing ingredients for sensitive skin

Cons
- tube opening is a little wide, leading to slight wastage

[Edited 6/7/10]
Where to buy

- Whole Foods in Yorkville, Toronto sells Green Beaver products. The facial wash is $12.99.
- Well.ca sells Green Beaver products. The facial wash is $13.99 but they offer free shipping to anywhere in Canada, with any purchase.
- Also call your local natural health store to check availability.

I hope this helps!

Winner for the 500 followers giveaway #2

2010-06-01T20:18:00.004-04:00

I used the same drawing process as the Misikko giveaway - I think its more random that way.

1. First, I entered the names in order of entry to randomize entries in the List Randomizer:

2. Then used Sequence Generator to pick the numbers randomly:

So the winner is #15 which is Bec :)

Congratulations! Please email me with your shipping address within a week and I will have the prize sent as soon as possible.

Thanks for all the entries, I am thinking of doing one more...keep a look out :)

Not so Taupe Temptress

2010-05-31T20:08:00.003-04:00

Here's another look I did with a Maybelline Eye Studio quad - Taupe Temptress:

The colours in this quad are more shimmery than Sapphire Siren.

The usual - middle two shades over the mobile lid, dark shade in outer corner, and lightest shade to highlight inner corner of eyes. Also highlighted under the brow with Marcelle Minerals eyeshadow in Playa.

(not sure what was up with my lashes - I must've not curled them yet in this pic)

Although the colours looked slightly berry-ish to me in the palette, they come off on my skin as being more brownish taupe. I think this would suit warmer, more tan skintones better. Also, the grey-green contacts didn't help - green contacts would've made the colour pop more.

Full face - paired with Canmake Cream Cheek blush in 07 Coral Peach, and OCC Lip Tar in Grandma (yes I finally used it!)

(I'm not too keen on this look really, so did not plan to put up any more pics)

I'm not sure if this colour really went with the quad...but anyways at least you get to see the Lip Tar in action. The colour was very pigmented and intense. I needed less than a drop for this amount of coverage. It wasn't as drying as I expected, but it does go best with moisturized, non-flakey lips.

Definitely not a colour my grandma would wear! Lol :D

Cosmetics giveaway alerts!

2010-05-30T22:00:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't heard, one of my favourite bloggers Nic Nic is opening her own store selling Japanese cosmetics at www.apopofkawaii.com!

To celebrate, she is holding a giveaway with numerous japanese products to be won! If you love Japanese beauty products head on over here!

Also, Tine of Beautyholics Anonymous is celebrating her 3rd blogoversary as well as her upcoming birthday with a massive giveaway! Do check it out here :)

Finally, Suzie has a Pinky Pink giveaway to both clear out her stash and celebrate her blogoversary! Send her an email to enter :)

She also has a blogsale going on, among the items are the much coveted, sold out MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator and Mask! Check it out here.

Balmshell glosses

2010-05-30T01:14:00.011-04:00

In a recent package from Balmshell I received 2 mini samples of their glosses:

Weekend in the Hamptons - sheer beige pearl

Yummy Mommy - brown-toned berry

Swatches

Here's a lip swatch of Yummy Mommy:

Weekend in the Hamptons doesn't show up too well on my pigmented lips but it is gorgeous over a nude lipstick such as MAC's Brave New Bronze:

These glosses are also paraben free, and contain the following ingredients:

Jojoba oil - brings moisture to the lips.
Lanolin oil - locks in moisture.
Perfume-free, flavoured with a hint of natural fruity vanilla.

If you haven't read my review of the full-sized gloss in Darling You Look Fabulous, here it is :)

I also got to try one of their Smear Campaign lip & cheek stains in Scandalous Scarlet:

Doe's foot applicator

Sponge tip on the other side to help blend the stain out instead of using your finger (hence the 'don't get caught red-handed' tagline!)

Deep red colour with slight burgundy tones, when blended out the colour is quite sheer

The product is quite wearable and fool-proof. Even though it looks quite dark in the packaging, the colour is sheer enough that when dabbed on my lips it barely shows a hint of colour. It would work better as a stain on someone with lighter lips than me.

As a cheek stain, it shows up fine on my NC20-25 skin but any darker and you would have to do multiple layers for the colour to show up.

According to the Balmshell website, the stains are also paraben free, and contain the following ingredients:

White tea extract - contains powerful anti-oxidants that protects the skin
Chamomile extract - an anti-allergenic that soothes skin
Rose water - balances the skin's natural pH level

Also in case you didn't know, Sephora.com has the Balmshell glosses on sale for $11, but the only thing is the discount seems to apply to US only not Canada.

Vacation purchases, Part 4

2010-05-29T17:08:00.001-04:00

MAC Cleanse Off Oil - Tranquil

I first spotted this at the Vancouver duty free counter and was wondering what the difference was compared with the regular clear bottle. I didn't get it then because of the liquids restriction on planes but picked it up later from a regular MAC store. Apparently this variation is only sold in Asia so I had to try it!

Missha lashes

Daiso - various fake lashes

Biore UV base:

Johnson & Johnson compact powder with UVA/UVB protectors:

Lucido-L styling pots:

Drugstore odds and ends from Watsons:

I like black Biore strips. They are so much more satisfying to look at post-strip, since the nose clogs are way more visible :D

Random eye tape & q-tips:

Hada Labo Whitening range - lotion & serum

I actually wanted to try their famous Super Hyaluronic lotion (I think thats what its called...) but since I need something to treat old scars I decided to go with this instead. Besides the moisturizing one is probably more easily available online than the whitening range.

Purse/clutch from Topshop:

I really like the distressed pattern, and of course the florals for spring.

Handy little purse hook from Muji

Thats most of what I got really that I can remember :D Anyway if you do want a review on something specific feel free to let me know.

We have a winner!

2010-05-27T22:07:00.005-04:00

There were a ton of entries for the Misikko giveaway, so I didn't want to just go by the time the comments were entered but really randomize them.

So, I typed up all the times in Excel first in the order that the person commented, then put the list into the List Randomizer to sort them randomly. Basically it was my equivalent of writing names on paper, putting them into a container and shaking it.

(I had to crop the rest since there were 75 entries which extended beyond my screen)

Then I went to the Sequence generator and asked it to generate a sequence of numbers between 1-75 (the number of entries received). Here are the results!

So the winner was #25 as assigned by the List Randomizer - which is Izumi!

Congrats to her, and thank you to all for entering :) Also thanks for your patience in waiting for the results...I was super busy this week and dreading the thought of typing up every name...but I finally did it!

Quick reviews of Mary Kay skincare

2010-05-25T20:18:00.000-04:00

I received a travel sized set from Mary Kay some time ago, which came in handy during my recent trip to Asia.

The set contained an eye soothing gel, eye makeup remover, moisturizing cream, and hydrating gel moisturizer.

Since I had finished my eye cream at the time, the first thing I tried is the Indulge Eye Soothing Gel:

I found the gel to be cooling and quite refreshing. It was actually perfect for the warmer weather where I was, as it soothed my eye area without feeling heavy at all. It also absorbed quickly without stinging my eyes at all. I've tried another eye gel before from St Ives, and that one stung like crazy if it got into my eye. The MK Indulge gel was perfect!

The next thing I tried was the Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover:

The makeup remover is dual phase, so before using it should be shaken to mix the layers.

Once shaken the makeup remover turns a bit cloudy as the layers are mixed.

I used it during my vacation to remove eyeshadow and mascara, and it does a good job of taking them off without leaving much oily residue. Most dual phase removers, such as the Lancome Bi-Facil, leave an annoying greasy feeling on my lids and sometimes get into my eyes / on my contacts as well. However this remover did not leave that nasty oily feel, it simply removed what it was supposed without any residue.

I did not try the moisturizing cream, since it was quite emollient and seemed to be better suited for dry skin (I have combination skin) but I tested the Oil-free Hydrating Gel on my trip as well. It is a translucent gel that hydrates the skin similar to NARS Aqua Hydrator.

The texture is slightly thicker than the NARS product. It has a nice cooling feel when applied, which I really like. Since I only tried a sample size, I don't have the ingredients list but according to the website, it contains Vitamin E and green tea extract and marine extract to soothe the skin. I used it on the plane too and I think it did a good job to protect my skin against dry cabin air.

Since I only tried sample sizes of the gels, I can't attest to their long term effects but as basic moisturizers they did the job well and kept my skin happy!

Canmake Cream Cheek Blusher

2010-05-24T22:08:00.000-04:00

On my vacation I picked up the cream blush in a limited edition colour, 07 Coral Peach.

I chose it mainly because it was one of the few in the range that did not contain shimmer.

The colour has a medium to sheer pigmentation. I prefer that with cream blushes, since it gives you room for error just in case you are accidentally heavy handed with blush once day.

The blush is quite small, slightly larger than a MAC eyeshadow. However considering the tiny amount needed to get a natural flush of colour, I can see this lasting several months even with regular use. It may finish up faster though if you have a darker complexion and need to pack on more for the colour to show up.

Here it is compared with MAC's Joie de Vivre cremeblend blush from January of this year. I thought they looked quite similar but there are slight differences once compared side-by-side.

As you can see the MAC blush is slightly redder in tone, while Canmake is a bit pinker. Both are shimmer free blushes, but MAC dries down to a matte finish, while Canmake still has a glow to it. The Canmake blush also spreads and blends a little easier than the MAC blush.

Given a choice, I would definitely spring at the chance to buy more of the Canmake blushes over the MAC ones. The colours are beautiful, and the packaging and size of the product is cute and handy. The only problem is Canmake's limited availability in this part of the world. If you are not in Asia your best bet is to purchase online but do compare prices before you shop!

Makeup stash sale update!

2010-05-24T15:52:00.006-04:00

My stash sale has been updated with new items! Click here to check it out :)

Many items are unused, still with boxes, or only tested a few times. I've also reduced prices on the older iteams.

Please email questions or orders rather than commenting on the posts since it is easier to keep track of who picked what first. Thanks! :)

500 followers giveaway #2: Marcelle goodies!

2010-05-24T08:08:00.005-04:00

Prizes:

Marcelle Minerals Bronzer in Brazil
Marcelle Eyeshadow Duo in Bamboo
Marcelle Concealer Palette in Universal Beige (read The Muse's review here)

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me what is/are your favourite summer memories. (If you live in the tropics then any nostalgic memory since you get summer all year :P)

2. For extra entries, you may:
i. Post about this giveaway on your blog if you have one.
ii. Tweet about this giveaway in the following manner: "A Watercolour Sky @watercoloursky is giving away Marcelle makeup goodies! Enter at http://watercoloursky.blogspot.com"

If you do either #2 or #3, please drop a comment on this post again (2 comments if you do both) so I know to count your extra entries.

Anyone can enter BUT you must, must, must click on the "follow" button on the left menu on the sidebar, and select 'follow publicly'. Your profile must NOT be privatized in order for me to check that you are following. Otherwise I will not count your entry.

Open internationally. Contest closes a week from today Monday May 31st, Eastern Standard Time. Good luck!

Sapphire eyes

2010-05-23T18:06:00.005-04:00

A while back, I received the Maybelline Eyestudio range to review. They have a bunch of quads in the lineup, and one of the first I tried was the Sapphire Siren quad.

The colours are quite pigmented, and pearlized with shimmers.

The white and black shade have tiny glitter in them but it does not create any messy fallout, much to my surprise. The green and blue colours have a frost finish and blend well.

Here is my look using the quad!

(These pics are before my haircut by the way hence the longer hair)

Although the colours are pigmented, I found that they kind of blend too well into each other and just look like a turquoise blue on my skin. Next time I'll try using a pale base underneath to see if the colour comes out more.

Also used in the look was the Etude House Happy Peach stamp blush. Surprisingly, when I applied the colour with a brush (as opposed to finger swatching) the colour shows up well. In real life it shows up as a natural peachy-pink flush. Don't ask me why the colour looks a bit reddish here...Can't remember what lip gloss I used. Possibly Annabelle's Cherryoke gloss :)

Anyway, so have any of you tried the Eye Studio quads? Opinions?

Got my hair cut!

2010-05-20T23:08:00.003-04:00

Yes again :)

I can't stand long hair for the time being, and I had been talking about going shorter for what, the past 2 years, so it was about time. Even this isn't that short now that I look at it again. Perhaps one day I will have the courage to get a pixie? That has been my dream hair since 1995 :D

It is basically a bob that gets shorter at the back, with bangs. It may look the same length as before from the front, but the back is definitely shorter!

The shape is better seen from the side.

Hair photo credits to Rasilla :D

Here's me with my talented stylist, Toshi! He's the one I've been mentioning in my last few 'new hair!' posts.

No, I don't usually take pictures with people that cut my hair :D However I just found out that day that he is leaving Canada in a few weeks to move back to Japan...so sad! I hope the other stylists at the same place will be as good.

Purple x MAC

2010-05-19T22:50:00.005-04:00

Here's one of the few looks I wore last month on vacation using MAC's Parfait Amour.

[No these are not very smiley pics but then they are a month or so old...promise more attempts at smiley pics in future looks :)]

Face
Lunasol Water Cream Foundation YO-02
Cle de Peau concealer stick
Cargo blu-ray concealer for undereyes

Cheek & Lip
MAC Emote to contour
Silk Naturals blush in Sassy
Coffret d'Or Combient Rouge in 06 Peach Blossom

Eyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Brun to fill brows
ELF Pink Ice under browbone
MAC Beautiful Iris on inner corner
MAC Parfait Amour on centre of lid
MAC Fertile on outer corner & blended out
Kate Super Sharp liner in BK-1
Kate Frame Impact liner to tightline
Shiseido mascara base
Marcelle Volume Precision mascara

I had been neglecting my MAC shadows for a while until I did this look, which reminded me of how wonderfully the shadows blend together. Almost every MAC shadow I own (not including premade palettes) is either a Veluxe Pearl or Frost, my two favourite finishes. The lone exception is Brun, which I use to fill brows.

Which are your favourite MAC finishes? Specific colours?

Winner announcement

2010-05-18T23:12:00.009-04:00

The random draw winner was #10, kawaiikao!

Surprise gift winner is Cinnabunnie for great detailed suggestions :)

Please email me within 7 days (by Mon 24th) with your shipping addresses! And if you did not win please don't worry, do check back again as I will be doing a Giveaway #2 soon.

To all those who entered, thank you for your time in answering my questions! I read every comment I received though and took note of your suggestions :) Once I have some time I will be looking into doing videos, outfit pics, and more!

Super-natural with Annabelle

2010-05-17T23:56:00.000-04:00

At first glance, you might think this to be a regular squeeze tube gloss.

However, it actually comes with a doe's foot applicator! A combination you don't see every day.

The colour I tested was Supernatural, a gorgeous caramel toned gloss with a scattering of silver shimmer.

Keep in mind the product will look different on differing lip colours. My lips are naturally pigmented so the colour just slightly softens their colour while adding gloss and subtle shimmer:

Unlike MAC glosses which are a fright to deal with in windy weather, the Star Gloss formula is only very slightly sticky. It doesn't quite have as much of a plumping effect as the Volume Lip glosses, but the shine on these is so flattering you might not need the plumping effect anyway. The only beef I have with the product is the doe's foot applicator (I do prefer squeeze tubes).

Overall, I find these would be best suited as a gloss for work, since the colour is quite natural yet flattering. What do you think?

Vacation purchases, Part 3

2010-05-13T20:10:00.003-04:00

See Part 1 and Part 2 here. I also went to Etude House, and Fancl!

From Etude House:

Cute patterns on the bottle

I thought it was cool how the bottle has a flat back so it can line up flush against the wall:

I had to buy the Etude House Peach Pact, which I had been lemming since it was first released in 2008 because it was 50% off!

It is a baked compact finishing powder.

Also got the Peach Stamp blush in Happy Peach!

The payoff is quite sheer though, so I wouldn't recommend it for anyone above NC25. On my arm the colour is hard to capture with my camera, haven't tried it on my face yet.

These products from the Peach lineup have a lovely peach scent too :)

I also got the duo fibre brush, which Jojoba recommended. So far I like it! The size is about the same as a 188, perhaps very slightly bigger. However the Etude brush is firmer and more densely packed than the 188 which I find rather floppy.

From Fancl, I got the Snow White LE cleansing oil, which you may have already seen on other blogs:

Obviously, I was suckered by the packaging! And it doesn't hurt that it includes a bonus travel size too, both for the same price as the regular cleansing oil.

I think I'm quite well stocked on cleansing oils now...I actually got a total of 3 cleansing oils on this trip, the 3rd which will be in my last haul post :)