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?

FROM BB TO CC

We'd probably all agree that we are over the BB and CC cream fuss. However, we cannot deny we are glad these all-in-one creams are in our drawers now to save us some time to get ready. 

Korean BB cream was a big hit in China when I lived there. I wasn't really interested until I saw my girlfriend's flawless skin one day and asked her what she used. When I heard those two magic words again "BB Cream", I could not resist but had to try it myself. Heynature Moist Tightening BB Cream was my first BB cream and unfortunately I did not grow fond of it. It's a one colour for all BB cream and I found the colour like a white mask on my skin tone. Although later the BB cream did seem to turn a bit darker, it looked rather dirty on my skin. I used it twice and it was forgotten for good in my drawer. 

It took me forever to have the urge to buy a different BB cream. I was at HK airport duty free, where I buy all the things I do not need, and I saw this Bobbie Brown BB Cream SPF35. Reading through the product description and trying the product on my hand, I believed this could be the one for me. It's not a love at first use product for me but I did fall in love with it in the end after several uses. It's perfect when I have dry skin days or when I live in the cold weather. It's light weight, easy to blend on the skin and provides good moisture. Although by no means it can replace a high coverage foundation, it does offer decent coverage for my skin condition and I am happy to wear it on its own. I use it not so often in the summer as its lasting power is not ideal under the heat and when my T-zone tends to be oily.

CC cream did not seem to get as much attention as the BB cream and I only got my hands on them not long ago. IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream was my first CC cream attempt. I was not disappointed but not amazed either. The product itself is quite nice to use but it certainly does not live up to what's been advertised. It offers light to medium coverage, similar to the Bobbie Brown BB Cream if not less. I still can see my pores and have to use concealer to cover up other imperfections on my skin. It gives a dewy finish on the skin and it's not long lasting as I start to see the shine on my T-zone after 3 or 4 hours. On the other hand, this CC cream is light weight and very moisturising on the skin although the texture appears to be more creamy than the Bourjois' one. It does not feel like foundation at all and I do notice my skin feels hydrated through out the day. The high SPF (50) is definitely a big plus for summer use and the pump design is the most convenient compared to others.

At half of the IT Cosmetics CC Cream's cost, Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream is a very smart buy. It's probably my most favourite Bourjois product ever and I simply adore it. The texture is more liquidy yet it sets on the skin in a powdery form. It's easy to blend and it provides, in my humble opinion, a better coverage than the IT Cosmetic CC Cream. It's more of a satin matte finish, which I prefer, and it lasts a good 4 to 5 hours in the summer. It's the perfect CC cream for the hot weather, although I may turn my love to the IT Cosmetics one in a colder weather for its more hydrating effect. If you have very dry skin and experience quite some dry patches on your face, you might not like this one as much as I do as it does seem to let the dryness on the skin appear.

Have you tried any BB or CC cream yet? Which one is your favourite?

IT COSMETICS BROW POWER - THE UNIVERSAL BROW PENCIL

I always thought buying a brow pencil is more or less like buying a foundation. Colour matching is the most tricky part. So when I saw IT Cosmetics Brow Power only got one colour option and was labelled as the universal brow pencil for all brow colours, I thought I had to test it. 

What does IT Cosmetics say about the product: 

"The oval shaped tip creates the most natural looking, well-groomed brow and is perfect for both thin and thick brows. The long-wearing formula is waterproof and smudge-resistant. Brow Power is also paraben-free, non-comedogenic and hypo-allergenic. Our universal, transforming shade adjusts to your brow colour. Apply lighter, softer strokes to match lighter colour hair including blonde and silver. Press harder for darker hair including medium brown to black"

My experience with the product: 

I like the oval shaped tip as I find it easy to work with. Testing the pencil on my hand, it does generate a quite wide colour range, from very light brown when applying gently to dark brown when pressing hard. However, I did not get a black colour from testing the product on my hand regardless how hard I pressed the pencil. The pencil feels soft and buttery when I apply it on my brows and together with the spooley brush it's easy to create a natural look. My natural brow colour is close to black and although the brow pencil colour payoff is more like dark brown on my brows, I am happy with the way it looks (shown in below picture) as my natural hair colour is dark brown. However, if you have very black hair, I think this brow pencil may not be dark enough for you. 

One thing I was also looking forward to testing out is the staying power of this brow pencil. Unfortunately I do not find it to be very long lasting on my brows. After four hours out in the city for a few things, I found the pigment on the outer edges of my brows faded, which was quite disappointing. Although it's summer in Australia, I stayed in the shopping mall most of the time and therefore did not sweat much. Testing on my hand, it's definitely not smudge resistant either. 

Overall I like how the Brow Power works on my brows and the natural look it easily creates. However, I am not impressed by its staying power. For AU$36, I would not say it's a brilliant product and think it's somewhat overpriced. It'll have to be a very impulsive purchase if there's next time. 

Have you tried the Brow Power? Do you like it?

VAPOUR SOFT FOCUS AND ILIA LIPSTICK REVIEW

I've changed my skincare and makeup products quite a bit since late last year and by now the majority of the products I use are natural and organic products. By no means I intend to never use any beauty products with chemicals in it but it's nice to know what I put on my face are less harmful and safer especially that I have comparatively sensitive skin. 

Compared to organic skincare, organic makeup sounds rather doubtful to me. Will organic makeup actually do the job? Despite of all the question marks I have in my mind, I decided to give it a go and purchased three products to try. Here are the reviews after I've been using them for almost a month. 

VAPOUR ORGANIC BEAUTY Stratus Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector

Possibly the longest product name in my collection. There are two shades: s902 is a silver shade which perfects fair to medium skin with neutral or pink undertones and balances redness on the face; s903 is a golden shade which perfects medium tan skin with yellow/olive undertones and dark skin. As you can see from the above picture, I got the golden shade. 

What does VAPOUR ORGANIC BEAUTY say about the product:

"Stratus Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector makes an immediate improvement in skin's appearance. It's a 3-in-1 moisturizer, primer & no colour foundation. Its light reflective technology gives instant anti-aging effect. It immediately brightens complexion & even skin tone and decreases the look of uneven pigmentation, scarring & pock marks. It has a soft satin finish and balances all skin types including sensitive &/or oily skin" 

Overall it sounds like a perfect no makeup makeup base to me. However, when I first saw the product on my hand, I was sceptical. It is more shimmery than I thought and I could already picture my face shine like a diamond. So how did it turn out in the end? I'll let the pictures speak and show you the before and after looks. 

Before: face after moisturizer (I use Philosophy Hope In A Jar for dry skin)

After: face with Vapour Stratus Soft Focus Skin Perfector using only half pump

All I can say is I am thrilled by the result. For me it blurs all the imperfections on my skin. I do not want to use the word "hide" as the product is so light and it does not feel like covering things up at all. It looks like I am born with beautiful skin and I do find the skin looks instantly younger and brighter. One more thing to mention is I feel it has a soothing effect on my skin and it feels more like a facial treatment than makeup. 

VAPOUR ORGANIC BEAUTY Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation

There are in total 11 shades to choose from fairest skin that always burns in the sun to dark skin with cool blue black undertone. I find the shade chart is very helpful for me to decide the shade and I got #125 for medium skin with yellow/olive undertone. Same as the skin perfector, when I saw the product on my hand the first time I did not think it would work for me. It's way darker than I thought it would be. However, when I blended the product to my skin using fingertips, it felt like the foundation adapting to my skin tone and it became a perfect match in the end. It's a very natural satin finish and I do not have to wait for the foundation to set. It does not oxidize throughout the day and I do not need touch-up if I just spend the day in the office. However, my T-zone does get oily if I am out in the sun and sweat. Regardless this foundation has a good staying power on my skin (I do wear it with the skin perfector) and I wear it about 10 hours every day. 

After: face with Vapour Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation with one pump

I love how natural it shows on the skin but adds the desirable warmth and glow. 

What does VAPOUR ORGANIC BEAUTY say about the product: 

"Atmosphere Soft Focus instantly smooths the skin's texture. The light reflective technology gives instant ant-aging effect that brightens, evens skin tone & enhances the skin's natural glow. Fine lines, wrinkles & pores are hidden. It contains super anti-oxidants and offers buildable medium to full coverage. It has a soft satin finish and balances all skin types, including sensitive &/or oily skin." 

One last thing to add to these two Vapour Organic Beauty products is they both give incredible velvety touch to the skin. They are more like super skin booster than makeup.  

ILIA Lipstick In My Room

I've been keen to try ILIA lipsticks. First of all, I love the packaging. It's simple yet sophisticated. The shade In My Room is a nude pink and a lovely everyday colour for every skin tone. The product has a creamy texture and offers good coverage on the lip. It's very comfortable to wear, does not dry my lips or sink to any dry patches . The scent reminds me of a candy I had when I was a kid, a combination of milk and peanut. It's not a long lasting lipstick, which does not bother me at all. I can see this lipstick becoming my top one choice for any business occasions. 

After: Lips wearing ILIA In My Room

It's a very long post, I know. But I really enjoyed writing this one and I hope you also enjoy reading it and find it helpful. I've seen better skin condition since I used these organic makeup products. It might be also because of my current organic skincare stash but let's save that for another day. 

Have you tried any organic makeup yet? What are your favourites and do you want to try anything in this post? 

JANUARY HIT AND MISS BEAUTY PRODUCTS

I've done quite some damages to my credit card this month and all my online shopping activities have been beauty related. The products in this post are not everything I've tried but products that I've formed an opinion. 

The Hit Products

ANTIPODES Apostle Skin-Brightening & Tone-Correcting Serum

I have my first impression of this product here. It has been my everyday serum this summer when I want something light weight and oil free. It sinks to the skin and leaves the skin feel fresh, which is a big plus as I find some serums, although are also oil free, can have a sticky texture and feeling on the skin. It provides adequate moisture to the skin in the summer heat and also has a soothing effect when applying thanks to its scent.  In the past a few weeks it has helped brighten my skin tone and calm down the redness on my cheeks. 

PAI Rosehip RioRegenerate Oil

I always reach for this product when I find my skin feeling a bit dehydrated and lacking the desirable glow. It's more nourishing than the ANTIPODES serum but it does not feel oily either on the skin despite of being an "oil" product. It's absorbed by the skin quickly and it gives an immediate healthy glow to my skin once applied. I always find my skin feel more elastic the next morning whenever I use this oil the night before. 

MONU Cleansing Balm

I've been raving about this product. Full review is here. 

MAYBELLINE Colour Tattoo in 55 Inked in Pink and 25 Bad to the Bronze

It's a hit product among bloggers and Youtubers. I do not seem to remember seeing any negative reviews yet about MAYBELLINE Colour Tattoo and there are reasons for that. It's so easy to use, very blendable using just fingertips and has a decent staying power on my eyes. Oh and it's so affordable that I picked up two shades without blinking an eye. Bad to Bronze is my go-to colour and Inked in Pink has a purplish pink tone, which I absolutely adore. I also like to wear the two colours together: Inked in Pink on my eyelid while Bad to the Bronze on the crease and the outer corner of my eye. It takes literally five minutes but it looks like I blend my eyeshadows like a pro. 

BODYSHOP Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in shade 03

It has a matte yet creamy texture. It's a buidable product so you do not have to worry about having a harsh line even if you are heavy handed. I use it as contour and love how subtle it's on the skin. 

The Miss Products

THEBLAM Carrot Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

On David Jones website, it describes this product as: 

"theBalm's oil-free Carrot Eye Makeup Remover gently washes away all types of makeup, without leaving unwanted residue.

- Infused with carrot extract
- Gently cleans and moisturises
- Free from parabens, synthetic dye and phthalate
- Not tested on animals
- Suitable for all skin types"

Sounds lovely right? I also think if a brand makes good eye makeup products it shall also know how to remove them gently and effectively. But it turns out this eye makeup remover struggles to remove waterproof mascara, which is disappointing but does not necessarily stop me from using it. What makes me have to give up using this product is it's not gentle at all for my eyelids and it irritates my skin to the point that it's simply too painful to use it. 

NEUTROGENA Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Cleanser Mask

I've only used this product twice since I got it. I thought I could use it in the morning shower whenever I woke up feeling a bit oily. I expected it to help better remove the excess oil on my face compared to a very gentle non-foaming cleanser (I have not found MONU Cleansing Balm back then) so that I could feel more refreshed. Although after using this product my skin does feel free of oil, the smooth feel on my skin seems to be fake as if it's not being deeply cleansed but covered with chemicals. The second time I used it my cheeks went quite red, which made me more concerned of the ingredients in the product. I do not think I'll try to use this cleanser again and I might either pass it to my husband or use it as a body mask where I have less sensitive skin. 

What are your favourite products of the month? Have you had any disappointing experience with a product? 

2014 BEAUTY HAUL #3 AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I've made quite a few online orders recently and truly believe shopping is the best mood booster (until I  receive my credit card bill for this month). Here are my first impressions of what I got from feelunique: 

MONU Cleansing Balm

I tried it last night and this morning. I love it so much that I have to dedicate a blog post just for this cleansing balm. Stay tuned. 

Elemis Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash

I like the scent of this product, peachy fruity but not overly sweet. It's a gel like texture with beads in it for exfoliation. I find the texture a bit too running for me but not a major problem. What makes this product a worrying one for me are the beads. They are not rounded and have irregular edges on them which scratch the skin. As a matter of fact, the beads are the roughest ones I've ever used in any exfoliation product so I am a bit scared of using it daily. If you have sensitive skin like me, I do not think it'll be a part of your daily skin care routine. 

Korres Lip Butter in Wild Rose

BEST lip butter I've ever come across and no, I am not exaggerating.  It's nourishing yet light on the lips. It provides just the perfect amount of colour, which naturally blends with your natural lip tone. The colour does come off a bit when you drink but it does not leave a dramatic kiss on your mug or wine glass and so it's more office or business dinner appropriate if you work in a corporate environment. I also find this product in the end leaving a nice natural rosy tint on your lips, which seems to last forever. I ordered two more shades today so you know I am in love. 

Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in 16

It's a coral colour on my lips and a satin matte finish. It's long lasting and I noticed it does not transfer much to my tea mug. It's not super drying however it does sink into the dry patches on my lips but a bit of lip balm underneath may solve the problem just fine.

Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquer in 401 Aurora

Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquer was in so many Youtubers' favourite videos and it's probably a bit of a shock that I only just got my hands on it. How can a lip product neither a lipstick nor a lip gloss be more gorgeous than both? Well Rimmel did it. I love how non-sticky and non-greasy it's on the lips while maintaining great pigmentation. I am happy with the colour I got but I definitely will need to stock up on more colours. It's not very long lasting on my lips, far less long lasting than Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick. But I love it equally if not more for it's hiding of the imperfections on my lips.

Have you tried any of the above products? Which one do you want to try the most?

2014 BEAUTY HAUL #2 BODY SHOP

I went to Body Shop today for its Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder and predictably I did not walk out of the shop with just that.

Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder (AU$28.95/11g): I am currently using MAC Bronzing Powder in the shade Refined Golden as my daily contour powder. I have no problem with that one but it does have some fine shimmer in it so I always want to get a matte finish bronzing powder. I've had my eye on the Body Shop Honey Bronzer for quite a while since I heard good reviews from +essiebutton 's youtube. Compared to the Mac Bronzing Powder, which I paid AU$39 for 10g, this Body Shop's one is truly a bargain and I cannot wait to see if I'll fall in love with it.

Olive Body Butter (AU$27.95/200ml): I do not own many Body Shop body butter myself mainly because I find many of the products' scents, although lovely, can be quite overwhelming for me. I enjoy light scent for body cream and this Olive Body Butter seems to tick that box for me.

Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray (AU$14.95/100ml): This was for the hubby. As he always feels hot (even in winter in Australia), summer is not his favourite season to have a good sleep. Hopefully this spray will keep his feet cool throughout the night so that he will not keep waking up from the heat.

Cranberry Joy Heart Soap (was AU$9.95 now AU$4.95/100g): It looks adorable. It smells incredible. It's love.

Body Shop is doing clearance on some of their Christmas stocks and the discount is up to 50% off http://www.thebodyshop.com.au/Category.aspx?Id=oc. I did not know this before I went to the store today and the store I was at did not have all the clearance products they have on the website. Otherwise I would definitely grab the cranberry shower gel to try.

What's your most recommended product in Body Shop?

MAYBELLINE 'VOLUM EXPRESS' THE MEGA PLUSH

It is a big thing for me to put a mascara as a "Yay" product. Blessed with thin and straight lashes, I usually only have a "nah" feeling towards most mascaras I tried. Why? Although many of them can add the length and the volume, I find few of them can hold the curl. Normally in an hour or so my lashes stubbornly go back to straight and now that's a big problem because without the curl no one can tell the difference.

By now you probably figure out why this is a new favourite of mine. It feels like a big "push" for my lashes and the curl lasts all day long (we are talking about 10+ hours here). It does not smudge or make my lashes clumpy while it does all the job to volumise and lengthen the lashes.

My lashes with only one coat of the mascara

Have you tried this new mascara? Do you like it?