THE RETURN OF THE WINGED EYELINER AND RED LIPS

I found some new goodies recently and thanks to them I've been enjoying wearing winged eyeliner and red lips over the past few days.  

Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush is the ultimate winged eyeliner tool for me. It creates the most accurate and the finest line. It's so easy to work with that it makes the forever long work now finished within minutes. Be sure to use a fairly fresh and creamy gel eyeliner and you'll be amazed. Voluminous lashes are a must when pairing with the winged eyeliner. Maybelline Volume Express the Falsies Waterproof Mascara is my current favourite mascara for my upper lashes. It really curls my lashes from corner to corner and gives me the most satisfying full lashes I've ever wanted. However, I do find the brush is a bit too big for my lower lashes. It seems in the UK the new Falsies mascara has two ends, one with the normal brush, the other with a smaller brush for the lower lashes. Unfortunately I cannot get hold of it in Australia yet but it's definitely on my wishlist. 

I've never purchased any Face Of Australia products before the Face Of Australia Lasting Looks Lip Creme in the colour For Red-er. But OH MY, I honestly think it's the best lipstick I've picked from the drugstore. It has a vanilla scent but not an overwhelming one that makes you sick. It's so creamy and it goes on so smoothly and comfortably that it feels more like a lip butter . The consistency is incredible and it's very forgiving for any imperfections on my lips. The colour is quite buildable and can go from a light orangy red if I just dab the colour using my fingertip to a red-er colour if I directly apply the lipstick on my lips. I am pretty rubbish at describing colours but this colour can definitely suit all skin tones beautifully. It gives you that vibrant yet classy look effortlessly. The only complaint if I have to say any is its lasting power. I do not find it long lasting on my lips especially when I eat. But at AU$10.95 I do not mind touching up a bit more. 

Have you tried any of these products? Do you want to try any?

FACE OF THE DAY

On my face

Vapour Stratus Soft Focus Skin Perfector has been in my makeup routine since I got it. It gives a natural satin finish and leaves a smooth base for makeup. I then reached for IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream, which is a new discovery of mine. I like the fact that it has a high SPF, which is much needed in Australia summer. It has a creamy texture but is light weight at the same time. I would not say it's a full coverage foundation as I still had to use Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer for my undereye dark circle as well as any other imperfections on my face. However, it's not a favourite concealer of mine and I am still looking for one. Today was my first time using IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness and it did a great job to cover any redness on my face without making it look cakey or drying my skin. I also found it effective to camouflage red blemishes. I then swept a fluffy brush in Clinique Blended Face Powder to set my concealer and my T-zone. Body Shop Bronze Bronzing Powder is still my favourite contouring powder. After contour I used MAC Powder Blush in Pinch O' Peach for a pop of colour on the cheeks and MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle for the natural golden glow. 

On my eyes

IT Cosmetics Brow Power is my current go-to brow pencil. I always reached for Becca Lost Weekend Palette when I wanted a neutral look on my eyes. It's a perfect palette for everyday use with two matte and one shimmer eyeshadows. I used Moleskin (the light matte brown) on my eyelids and Chino (the dark matte brown) on my crease. To add more depth, I used Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze on the outer corner of my eye and blended it well with the rest of eye makeup. I chose Revlon Colourstay Eyeliner in Brown for a softer look and Maybelline Falsies Waterproof Mascara to further open my eye. 

On my lips

Usually I prefer lipstick to lipgloss. However, I felt like having a bit of shine on my lips today and opted for Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Berry Allure. I love how non-sticky and hydrating it's on my lips. It gives a sheer finish, which is perfect for day time. 

What are you wearing today? What are your go-to products? 

CHINESE NEW YEAR EVE

I chose to wear my red top from Topshop today. I spent 10 minutes longer than usual to do my makeup (if you can tell the difference☺and if you are wondering why one side of my face is a bit puffy, that's because my gum is badly swollen thanks to my wisdom tooth). For it's Chinese New Year Eve and it's the first time I won't celebrate and welcome the coming of the new year with my family. There's no sight of my mum running around the house getting everything ready and dad busy with cooking in the kitchen for the big feast. Nothing is quite like home is it? Luckily I've got some photos taken before and they add a lot of warmth to my little heart. 

I'll make dumplings later and eat them with the hubby at midnight as what we do back home - something I just do not want to miss even if I am in Australia and thousands of miles away from home. 

Thank you for stopping by my blog :) Happy Chinese New Year and all the very best in 2014! 

THE MINIMAL MAKEUP LOOK

Have you ever had days when you wake up and find your skin unhappy? It's not blemish, dry patches or any real skin problems. It's the disappearance of the glow,  the dullness or even the depression (if that makes sense). Yesterday I had one of those days so I decided to give my facial skin a break from the usual makeup chemical dose.

BAREMINERALS Matte SPF15 Foundation: The powder of this foundation is very fine and creamy, which makes it easy to blend into the skin. I absolutely love the matte finish as it saves me from applying setting powder and my face does not look cakey at all. The coverage is flawless yet it feels very light on the skin. It does not dry out my skin or accentuate any dry patches, which is a big plus when using powder foundation. I also like the packaging - it has a twist cap to control how much powder comes out or stop any powder from coming out. I find it extremely helpful to save me from the powder mess situation. The only negative thing I can think of this product is it does not last long especially in the summer time when my T-zone tends to be oily. I'll need touch-up after 3 or 4 hours of applying the foundation. Regardless it's a great mineral power foundation and is what I always reach for when I want to have a light and fresh face day.

EVERYDAY MINERALS Flat Top Brush: I've been using this brush for years and cannot fault it. It's super gentle and soft on the face and catches just enough product for a flawless look.

TARTE smolderEyes Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eyeliner: I use the shade GUNMETAL. With the creamy formula, this fat eye pencil glides on the eye easily. I use it either as an eyeliner or smudge it for a smokey look.

COVERGIRL Lipperfection Jumbo Gloss Balm: I prefer to have a pop of colour on my lips when I do minimal makeup look. I won't say this Covergirl one is my favourite and I am still looking for one but I do like it because it's moisturizing and does not accentuate the dry patches on my lips. It's a big deal for me as I hardly have any flake free lip days. Although it does not stay on the lips all day, it does stay on my lips for a good 3-4 hours. It's not really a gloss balm as the name suggests if you compare it with the Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayons. However, I do like the finish as it's between matte and super shine glossy look.

I cannot walk out of the house without fixing my eye brows. But the product is what I bought quite a while ago and it's from Japan so I cannot really figure out which brand it is:). It's not a great great product but it does the job and the colour matches my natural brow colour nearly perfect.

So here is the finish look. What are the products you use for your minimal makeup days?