Oui Beauty

LUNASOL Nail Finish

2010-06-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hello again! I just wanted to share some more of my mini-LUNASOL collection. I'm not very keen on buying expensive nail polish but I used to have a thing for Shiseido's pN line. I have a lot of the colours from that line and I do secretly wish they would have that again so I could keep my collection going. Well, a few months back... I was online browsing other beauty blogs and saw some nail finish swatches. I believe it's Yuki's Lazy Channel blog. I remember saving the picture of her swatches too! These swatches were amazing! It made me have to have these nail finishes from LUNASOL. They were pricey but I decided to dish out and try to create the same looks. In the end, I ended up getting:

35 Shining Sheer Rose
36 Shining Deep Black
37 Shining Milky Clear
As you can tell.. these are all very glittery and beautiful. Today I'm only going to show you 2 of them though because I have yet to work the black one. It's hard to paint dark nails! I can never get them to appear "smooth". I did a gradient look with the 37 as a base and layered 35 twice on top.

LUNASOL Sheer Contrast Eyes 01 Coral Coral

2010-06-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

On my last trip back to Toronto, I had a mission to reorganize the makeup I had at home and bring some of the ones that I love back with me. These included my 2 LUNASOL palettes that I had barely touched. It's summer so I thought I would do a look with my LUNASOL Sheer Contrast Eyes 01 Coral Coral. I did this look last summer but I felt it was really orange. I have a problem like that with "warmer" toned eyeshadows. I'm always in the look for the perfect cool tone browns! With that being said, this palette is indeed really warm with the beachy warm sandy colours. I did not do any swatches so hopefully the quad picture will be good for now. I have to say I really like the creamy textures of these shadows. They blend real nice and the shimmer is pretty decent for hot summer nights. I haven't tried this but I bet that I could totally use these shadows and create a look with just my fingers!

Here I am wearing the entire palette. I am very weary of the reddish pink in the palette so I only use it to smudge in the middle of the entire lid. I know my photo has horrible lighting and the quality is not really great but yeaaaah... it's summer, baby!

LUNASOL 10th Anniversary Palette

2010-06-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hey again! So this is quite an old product that I recently(ok, a couple of months ago) purchased. I've always had my eye on the LUNASOL 10th Anniversary Palette but never got around to getting it only because the colours didn't exactly appeal to me at the time and also because it was a bit pricey. I only finally got it when I went on a trip with a friend and was amazed about how "cool" it was to have a makeup palette. I know.. I'm a bit weird like that. There are a lot of makeup palettes out there from both Western and Asian brands but I figured I would give a the LUNASOL one a try. It's not only their bestselling products combined in one but it's also great for everyday looks. And to come to think, the price isn't too bad either!
This isn't exactly a review as I don't have swatches but I just wanted to talk about the palette. Old news is always good news! I bought this a few months ago and I've only been reaching for this item apart from my face stuff in my makeup drawer. I'm going to just break it down...

Eyeshadow(Skin Modeling Eyes 01 Beige Beige)
This is by far the most neutral combo you can have in your stash! At first when I saw swatches on other beauty blogs, I thought "Wow.. that's just never going to show up on my lids!" But I was really wrong! It's very subtle but the shimmer in the base beige colour makes it pop out a bit. I think the 2 skin-tone colours make no difference but tone down the shimmer of the beige so I use either/or when I apply. The chocolate colour is really nice though. These shadows are definitely on the warm side but have a slight cool in them. You can totally keep it simple or play them up for night.

Blush(Coloring Cheeks in 01 Reddish Beige)
As a blush lover, I can't really say I am loving this one at all. The quality and pigmentation is awesome but I'm not really fond of the colour. It's just really orange-y red for me. I prefer dirty pinks and this one is just too much. I also have some redness in my face so it doesn't look that great. It only just enhances my flaws. I don't really use the blush much but if I am lazy or if I forget my travel blush(Clinique's Quick Blush in Minute Mocha), I only use a very light hand.
Nobel Shade Liner in EX01 Deep Brown
I had real high doubts about this only because the normal price for these liners is pretty pricey so I never tried it or researched on it. I was a bit worried that it would smudge a lot and create a super-panda eye effect on me. But you know what? It reminds me of that old eyeliner I got from T'estimo! The colour is a very nice rich dark chocolate brown with some shimmer and a hint of metallic. I really like this one! I do! As for staying power, I have noticed a bit of smudge so I don't really use it often either..

High Stylized Mascara EL in 01 Black
Yeah. No. I don't like this one at all. It did nothing for my lashes. No length or volume. It clumps. Just a big fat mess. It also smudged and leaked. Ugh. No!
Full Glamour Gloss N in EX08 Beige CoralDespite the 2 let-downs with the blush and mascara, the lipgloss is definitely something to check-out/invest in. Maybe not this colour specifically even though it pretty much is the BOMB on my lips but because of this one, it makes me want to take a look at the other glosses. It's super light-weight and it's not the slight bit sticky at all! Love love love!!

So with that short review.. I do have FOTDs. The lighting is horrible but hopefully you can see what you can do with this palette. I am using everything that can be used in this palette even those 2 non-existent shadows, the blush and horrible mascara.You can see the eyeshadow better in this picture.

And this is how pretty the lipgloss looks!

Hey Guys!

2010-06-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a really long time since I last wrote here! I wish I could review more but work's been so hectic for me. I've been moving around and I think I've finally settled into a place for long-term. Can't say I have much to review lately but there are some products that I'm loving. Perhaps I'll talk about those! =)

Anyways, thought I'd just update with my first FOTD. Yay!

And here's what I used:

Concealer: MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer NW20
Foundation: Revlon PhotoReady in 005 Natural Beige
Powder: Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder
Eyebrow: Anna Sui Eye Brow Powder in 02
Eyeshadow: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Majolook in BR762
Eyeliner: stila smudge pots in Brown
Mascara: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Expander Frame Plus
Blush: Clinique Quick Blush in 03 Minute Mocha
Lipstick: Maybelline(Japan) Volumy Shine in 022

Surprise!

2009-11-15T06:47:00.000-08:00

Long time no see.. beauty peeps! I haven't died yet! Life's been pretty busy so I haven't had much time to actually sit down to try/review any products. I moved away from my hometown to work so I don't have much makeup/skincare products with me anymore. I have been keeping up to date with reading other beauty blogger's reviews and I have seen a few things that have caught my eye. But mail totally sucks at my new place so I don't know.. =(

Although this is not a review post, I'd like to show you 2 Lunasol palettes I recently purchased. I have 4 in total now but the other 2 are at home. Those 2 are Coral Coral and Black Tea.

The ones I got recently are more of neutral ones because I don't see myself using crazy colours around work. Got one from the most recent and one from an older collection.

05 Close of Night

I wasn't going to get this one originally but I decided to have at least a warm tone neutral pallete wouldn't be too bad. For some reason, I feel warmer tones make me really orange/rusty looking.

These shadows are incredibly shimmery but sophisticated shimmery. I love using the white(3rd) all over with the cafe-latte-brown(2nd) for the crease. Then use the peach-copper-ish(1st) to dab right in the middle of the lid. AND I LOVE LOVE the dark brown! It's great for smudging, smokey looks and lining! I'm so lazy that I just use it for liner sometimes. Awesome palette to have! =)

04 Neutral

This was the palette I wanted real bad. I "researched" a lot on this one because I was really looking for a cool toned one. I finally got it and then realized that INTEGRATE has a palette with the exact same colours. =(

My swatch doesn't exactly show the "coolness" of the palette but it's there. I don't quite like this one as much as I had before. Just the fact that it doesn't really show up on my lids that much.

Overall, I really like 05 Close of Night because the colours just go on really nice. I have looked at a couple of more Lunasol palettes that I would like to try. They are 01 Start of Night(recent collection) and 05 Chocolate Cosmos(Scent Form Collection).

Until next time!
Stay beautiful!

Welcome to Oui Beauty!

2009-06-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome!

This blog is all about reviews about makeup and beauty products from Japan. There will be some rare occasions that some of stuff will be from Korea or Taiwan. I've open this blog up for my deep interest and enjoyment of reading reviews on makeup.

This blog is pretty easy to use as I will tag every entry by brand and type of product. If you would like to use any of the content please credit!

I am by no means an expert with makeup but I love it a lot so I do own quite a bit. I'm just another girl out there exploring and experimenting.

This blog is no longer being cross-posted.

I am also pleased to present you:

Thanks and Enjoy!

Etude House Moistfull 3-in-1 Moisture Plus Mask

2009-06-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

Here is part 2 of the Etude House Moistfull set. This is going to be a brief review. I purchased this set that had the Gel Cream in it and the Etude House Moistfull 3-in-1 Mask. I don't know how to read Korean so I had to research heavily(but not far) to find out what this mask was and why it was 3-in-1. It's basically a mask, a massaging mask or an overnight mask. After my nightmare with overnight masks, I did opt to try that option. In my honest opinon, this mask can really be skipped. It has the same moisturizing properties and smells the same as the entire Moistfull line but it's not really that great. I find if I use the cream daily, the mask is really unnessecary. It is, however, a great massaging mask thing. The consistency works real well with the massaging. Sadly I have no use for that as I prefer "massaging" gels with scrubbing beads and I overall like sheet masks better. Easy on and easy off. I would say try this if you truely enjoy the line so much and really want to try the mask out as well.

Pros: 3-in-1 usage, good consistancy for massaging, moisturizing
Cons: Average product

*Will review 3-in-1 mask later!

VOV Showcase Lip Gloss Set

2009-06-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

So I had to admit, my Gmarket order was pretty big and I did get a lot. Since it's coming from overseas, I decided to find all the things I really wanted, combine and have it all arrive at the same time. I was searching for the VOV Castledew stuff but instead the VOV Showcase line stood out with it's cuteness that I had to have something! The lipgloss set was the one that really caught my eye. Such cute colours and such cute packaging! Holy Cow! Look at the colours! Do they not look so pretty lying there?!

Well. Guess what? This product ain't that great as I thought it would be. It's rather a very big disappointment! I didn't take any lip-smacking photos this time and stuck with only swatches, only because they just do not work with my lips at all. My lips are quite "dark" so they don't show up at all on my lips! How can a shimmery pink, a nude pink and a vibrant orange all look the same on my lips?! Even the shimmer doesn't even make a difference. I'm very heavily disappointed in VOV. They show up on my hand but really, what's the use of that? Now I'm suspecting I got something from the kiddy line but is there such thing? I wish I could read Korean and find out. Also there is something really wrong with the amount that comes out of the actual tube. There is hardly any that comes out which makes me think that it's very dry. It's not. But wait- there are some good points to this lipgloss set! Besides the cute packaging, the consistancy of the lip gloss is really great! It's glossy but not too heavy. The shine is nice for any every day thing and my gosh, the scent is SO NICE! Others may argue that it smells like medicine but I love the Cherry popsicle scent it has! So is it a total let down? It's pretty 50/50. It's probably a very cute gift for someone though. =)

Pros: Cute packaging, SMELLS GREAT, Good formula(not too heavy)
Cons: NO PIGMENT AT ALL FOR DARK LIPS!

*Even though it didn't work for me, check out this blog to see how it worked on fair skin tones and the other products from this collection!

Shisedo TISS 2 Way Off Oil Cleanser

2009-06-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

The Shiseido TISS 2 Way Off Oil Cleanser has been one of those oil cleansers that had to grow onto me for me to want to use it a lot. It is a duo cleanser that can be used daily and for makeup removing. It removes all types of makeup including waterproof eye makeup. There is another version in a yellow bottle that is for Deep Cleansing. It had a pretty cheap price so I decided to try this one. I swatched all the products that I am currently using.

The bottle comes in a pump dispenser(love this style!) and only 1-2 squirts of it is enough for the entire face. I used two pumps on my hand here to demonstrate how it looks so the amount on my hand is way more than enough. It is oil so it does run around so it's recommended to work fast! Just a little circular massaging movements around the face and you start to feel the makeup dissolving and makeup debris building up. It rinses well with no oily finish and it leaves my skin extremely soft. I find it quite nice to have a duo cleanser that actually does what it says. I also love the scent of the cleanser! It's a very refreshing grapefruit scent! This cleanser is definitely one to try if you find other cleansers are either too oily or too drying. I have combination skin and it works wonders!

Pros: Fair priced, removes makeup easily, grapefruit scented, duo cleanser, soft finish
Cons: Where to buy? Online only.

Etude House Moistful Cream

2009-05-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

In my first order with Gmarket, I had ordered quite a few things that I actually have been wanting to try like the Etude House Moistfull line. After reading such good reviews on the entire line, I was very interested that I had to try something out! The product that stuck out of the line was the actual Moistfull Gel Cream which almost looked like it could be comparable to my HG(Dare I say? YES!) Aqaumoist. Gel forms seem to really work real well on my combination skin especially the moisturizing ones. I am probably the perfect combination because my face is really a 50/50 thing. It's oily on my t-zone and dry on the cheeks. So I bought this cream to try. Honestly, didn't really do much research on buying stuff on Gmarket and mine came in this set with some kind of 3-in-1 mask pack(from the same line) that I would probably never have purchased. I can't even read the Korean on the package! But it came so, it was another thing to try! Even though I didn't want the mask, the price of the set was still fairly decent.

At first glance the packaging is quite appealing with it's cute pink peach colour and it's simplicity but when I got it, I quickly felt the bulkiness of the glass jar. The Aquamoist ones are glass but not as heavy, I really suspect the floral swirl lid is part to blame. The scent of the cream is really subtle that it gives you a very clean and refreshed feeling. The texture is about the same as the Aquamoist Gel formulas but slightly more gel than liquid. Like the Aquamoist, a little goes a very long way and it keeps the skin very moisturized through out a very long time period. I honestly like this cream since works real well but I do not know how great it would be for the fall/winter as it's spring/summer now. Would I purchase it again? Yes, if I ever had anything to buy off Gmarket again. I'm so in a recession-makeup-detox-diet right now.

Pros: Gel formula(combo skin-great!), smells great, moisturizing
Cons: Bulky jar, no SPF

*Will review 3-in-1 mask later!

Canmake Bronzer

2009-05-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

After trying out the other Canmake Glamourize Bronzer I decided to try out the original Canmake Bronzer. Now I'm not into tanning and all that stuff but I find that bronzer helps me have a healthy glow(a change from blush) just for any day with or without makeup on. I also find that the bronze/goldish tint has a good effect in the redness on my face. It doesn't cover it up but it helps it camoflage it a bit. With that said, the bronzers that I love to use have been dirty cheek shades from MAC or their MSFs(Mineralize Skin Finishes). As my previous bronzer review, I did say I haven't seen much bronzers available in the Asian cosmetics market as everyone wants milky white skin. This one seems quite nice with a cute bronze packaging and mirror inside. The bronzer has a nice weave pattern on it which is so neat to look at!

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I chose 02 Copper Bronze fearing that the 01 would be too light as my skin is not as milky fair as those girls in Japan. The pictures do not show the full colour of the actual bronzer. It looks tanned in the picture but when you look at it in person, it is of a real copper bronze that is chrome-ish. It has a nice sheen of shimmer on top of it but to my disappointment, it`s only the first layer. The first layer is nice shimmery orange and once the shimmer layer is all gone, it is a very violently dark orange copper. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT HERE! It`s SO orange! I also hate that they have people apply this horrible colour with a sponge(included), I used my contour brush with it but even so it`s still very horrible looking. The texture is almost matte. As much as I hate the colour, I think I could use it as a contouring thing during the summer. All I have to say is that this product needs to be applyed with a very light hand or it will make you look like you have dirt on your face. As for which bronzer is better between the 2 from Canmake, I would have to say the Glamourize one is much better. Hands down better.

Pros: Nice design, mirror, good for orange malibu barbie girls, Major pigmentation
Cons: Orange, 1 layer of shimmer

KANEBO FRESHEL Moisturizing Cream

2009-05-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

I am and still a very loyal user to AQUAMOIST/JUJU face creams but I have recently picked up a jar of Kanebo's FRESHEL Moisturizer Cream out of curiosity. I never really pay attention to these kinds of skincare brands but I thought it wouldn't hurt to try one. The name FRESHEL doesn't seem to sound too bad. The cream is supposed to be very moisturizing and for ladies that have a lot to do every day but have very little time to take care of their skin. It's not a gel base but it has the ingredients of someone who drinks a lot of water. That sounded pretty good to me since I'm working a lot therefore a purchase was made! The cream comes in a somewhat bulky glass jar that's not too heavy(if you aren't bringing it out). It's not as heavy as others I have tried. The cream is scentless(does have this weird plastic-ish scent to me) and colourless. It seems thick but it's moderately thick that has a bit of a greasy feeling but it does quickly sink into the skin leaving a smooth surface. This cream has no whitening or SPF properties to it so it's a perfect moisturizer before makeup or just before bed. I personally don't think it's a bad purchase but it's not a great one. As much as it keeps my skin moisturized and smooth, I much rather go back to my AQUAMOIST/JUJU ones. As for availability, I don't seem to see it online(I bought mine locally) except for JPmon.

Pros: Smooth skin, moisturizing
Cons: Plastic scented, discontinued?, no SPF

Shiseido Maquillage Color on Climax

2009-05-15T01:37:00.000-07:00

Apart from Dior and MAC, I love all lipstick made by Japanese High-end brands! Here I am buying yet another one but this time, it is discounted! I am a fan of T'estimo(and now COFFRET D'OR) lipsticks and hardly own any from Shiseido's Maquillage. The only one I have is this very pigmented almost matte like pinkish one from an older line pN. I've been wanting to try the new ones ever since but it's very confusing with all the names and whatnot for each line of lipsticks. I finally decided to try one from the Color on Climax range.

Since it was a sale item, there were only 2 colours to choose from and I chose the red one over the beige. The colour I chose was RD796 which looks like a muted autumn red. It's actually close but more of a muddy red brown colour. I never get these kinds of colours as they look so mature so now I have one! Bare lips as usual!

The colour is honestly not bad and as mature as I thought it would be. It's actually pretty flattering to my skintone. It's a tad bit darker than my natural lip and it has a subtle shine to it. Instead of the muddy red, I see a goldish red lipstick instead. The texture of the lipstick is creamy and it feels moisturizing which is always a plus. I do not know when this line of lipsticks was made but I have a feeling it was for autumn/winter collection. Overall, a very wearable shade for natural looks.

Pros: On sale! Creamy lipstick, slight shine, flattering colours
Cons: None.

My Diary of Beauty(我的美麗日記) Black Pearl Mask(黑珍珠面膜)

2009-05-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

I went to the mall earlier this week to buy some snacks but ended up buying beauty products instead. I ended up purchasing one of the limited edition My Beauty Diary mask like the My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask. This is limited edition so it's not sold around a lot. It's somewhat a multi-purpose pick me up mask for special occasions. To me it sounds like a mask only used the night before of a very important day like a date or party. This mask has whitening and skin cell repairing properties. It also improves the blood movement and elasticity of the skin. It apparently also has some fruity essences to it too. When I tried this mask it had a little bit of a tingly feeling. Didn't feel so good at first but then it slowly was ok again. The mask has a slight floral scent to it and it is as usual, packed with liquid. I didn`t particularly like this mask because it didn`t do much and the tingly feeling it gave me wasn`t so great. Limited edition or not, I think this one can be skipped. I have also seen a strawberry yogurt one too which I really really want to try!

Pros: Smooth skin
Cons: Tingly reaction, not too much different from the normal masks.

KOKURYUDO 黑龍堂 World Esthetic Mask - Hawaii

2009-05-06T23:43:00.000-07:00

Here is another mask from my little "collection" aka KOKURYUDO World Esthetic Hawaii Caring Gel. I don't own many skincare items with the AHA ingredients however, I like the fruity masks.This mask in particular has fruit acids to soften and smooth skin by removing the dead skin cells off. I was hoping that it was actually a summer kind of thing that can control my oily skin but dead skin cells off is good too!

The mask has a very interesting texture to it. It feels like gooey almost old jelly that just crumbles as you put it on your face. But as you rub the crumbly gel on, it does dissolve and turn into this light vaseline texture. The texture actually provides a nice way to massage and rub your face in mini circular movements. It's like skin-aerobics! In my 2nd picture, I have left some of the particals(not rubbed in) just to show it comes out of the package before rubbing. The scent is slightly cheap smelling like the cheesy "tropical" car air freshener. As for the mask itself, it is very moisturizing! It is a slight hassle to wash the gel off because it's a bit thick(just like vaseline) that it almost reminds me of when I wash my face using a cream cleanser. My skin feels nice and plump after this. The only thing I don't like about this one is that it's texture is so weird.

Pros: Moisturizing and smooth skin, good gel for massaging face
Cons: Texture, hassle to wash off, fake tropical scent

This is the rest of the masks in this World Esthetic collection. Have you missed Bali? Or Italy? Check Bali out here! And don't forget Italy!

SKINFOOD Rose Check Chock Blush

2009-04-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Here we go with another blush! As much as I want to try SKINFOOD masks, I always seem to try their other stuff first like their hand cream and now blush. This is their very mispelled blush called the Rose Check Chock blush. It seems to me like their either trying to spell it correctly(having such a hard time) or it's a sound of some sort. Maybe of what roses make when we're not looking. It is a very cute cream blush that comes in a very small container that can almost be mistakened as you're contact lenses case. It comes with a mini poof sponge applicator for some cute application. I don't like to use cream/liquid stuff on my cheeks but it is definitely an interesting way to control the circular puff movements to bring out the colour.

This is 02 which is described as a Peach Orange. The colour in the pot looks orange/peachish but it's more of light orange with some kind of chrome like shimmer to it. It gives a nice healthy glow to my skin if put on correctly. This one is not as pigmented as the other one I got but it does have the shimmer. Very appropriate for summer time tanning. There is a faint rose scent to the blush as it has rosehip seed oil. It doesn't seem bother me too much.

The other one I got was 03 which is a Rose Orange. I only got this colour because the orange looked real nice in the pictures. It seemed pretty vibrant and somehow I thought this blush would be sheer but it's not. A little goes a very long way. It's lasting ability is alright. I think as long as you don't touch your face or sweat too much, it'll be alright. This particular colour is one of those ones that are too orangey for my skintone. It's just not flattering. It makes me feel like those 80s makeup, like back in the day when blush was just as bold as eyeshadow. Totally not me at all. Overall, I'm pretty so-so on these blushes. Don't think I would recommend to anyone at all.

Pros: Rosehip seed oil, cream blush, puff applicator, cute and convenient size, pigmented, shimmer
Cons: Limited colour options(only 3), alright price for size

SKIN79 Gold Label Super BB Cream (Edit)

2009-04-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

My previous review on SKIN79 Gold Label Super BB Cream had pictures too dark so I decided to take new pictures. I think the only reason is because my laptop's screen setting is super bright so I thought it was alright. Hopefully these ones are better!

I took a Before and After picture of an old burn scar I have on my arm. As you can see the coverage is not perfect but pretty good. Does anyone have the Hot Pink one? How is that like? I feel like trying that one out too!

Canmake Glamourize Bronzer

2009-04-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

I know it's a bit early for this but I just bought a new bronzer! I've always loved blush but my facination for bronzer is even bigger. I don't own quite a lot but the ones I own are ones that I've actually tried on my skin just to make sure it's not of an orange tint. I prefer golden brown colours with a bit of shimmer. I believe if used lightly, it can act as a highlighter that will bring out a luminous skintone. It really reminds me of the Mineralize stuff from MAC. I was browsing Ichibankao the other day and found that Canmake made bronzers and I just had to try it so I did and I got the Canmake Glamourize Bronzer. I don't think I've seen any reviews on this one yet so hope this one will benefit those who wanted to try this product!

I got 02 Gold Bronze which is the darker shade of the two so I could get more pigment. The bronzer comes with a bronzing colour and a highlighter side. The bronze in 02 is dark almost woody tint with shimmer while the highlighter is a light gold shimmer. You use both shades to create a nice bronzed glowy look. The sponge applicator that comes with it is duo sided with a sponge type and a fluffy type side. The sponge side is to be used with the bronze on your cheeks while the fluffy side of the applicator is used for the highlighter on the t-zones/c-zone areas of the face. I honestly, don`t like the applicators and much prefer brushes as I find the sponge packs on too much bronze on the face. The entire bronzer itself is quite sheer so it wasn`t as great as I thought it would be. I`m looking to try the other bronzer palette in the brand.

Pros: Decent price, duo bronzer set, shimmery, duo applicator
Cons: Very sheer

My Makeup Bag - Spring 2009

2009-04-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here's an update on my current makeup routine! I am still using the COACH one from January but it's more for things like bandages, mirror and lipgloss stuff for the big bag. I got a cute Roxy Train Case on sale at the local bargain shop for $20. It's like the average kid's lunch bag size that can fit a lot of stuff in it. Not that I use a lot of stuff on my face but it's perfect for stuffing brushes(I'm so bad with them), cotton pads, makeup remover and sponges in it. I wish they had the blue one though because I like that colour combo better. Oh well. There isn't much stuff different from my previous makeup bag posts because I repurchased things that I actually am quite ok with since there hasn't been much that has been quite outstanding to actually interest me in using a lot.

1) My beloved Raycious Crystal Skin Base! I still enjoy using this a lot! I like the texture of it so much that I really want to buy more back ups! Kind of expensive though because they are only available at certain online stores now that have extreme prices =(

2) SKIN79 Super BB Gold Label is the best!

3) Back to MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer. I learnt a very simple technique the other day that has a very good/natural look. To blend my concealer and BB cream together to make it the concealer not look too obvious on my face. Probably everyone has known and done that already so I guess I'm just slow. I'm a NW25 for MAC concealer.

4) The weather is getting warmer so I have chosen to get a Mineralize Powder from MAC as well to set/reduce shine on my face. I got Medium which is a complete match to my skintone. Light hand on T-zone is key because it seems to much to be put all over the face.

5) MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BLUSH FROM MAC!!!! This is MAC Blush in Prism(Matte). It was my very first colour and it is the best! It's a dirty peach that flatters as blush and contouring powder. If I could I would restock a lot of this.

6) Out with the horrible Revlon eyebrow stuff! I have changed to MAC. I got the MAC Eyebrow Crayon in Spiked. It's alright. I ought to really go back to powder. I also use BonneBell EyeStyle Clear Mascara to set it.

7) I have also gone back to my KATE gel eyeliners. I am currently using the beautiful PU-2 which is a deep plum purple. Looks great with browns/brown eyes! I also use this VOV Shining Auto Pencil(FREE FROM GMARKET!) to line the bottom/waterline to make the eyes POPPING!

8) So here are the items I have in my makeup bag right now!
Banila Co. Gossip Girl Palette. I gave into these palette things after seeing many pictures of them! I just had to have them too! So I got this one which is very familiar to another palette I have seen/and own(MAC?). I don't use the blush at all as it's too light but I love the middle brown colour. Very very nice.

9) NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha. I finally got to try one of these and wow! These are amazing smooth stuff! The colours are a bit extreme for me but this one is by far the most workable one. I like to use this sometimes as a base and apply the brown from Gossip Girl on top.

10) VOV All Night Mascara. I have yet to review this one(Where did Mascara Mondays go?!). All I can say is that this one is pretty good in waterproof and smudgeproof.

The tools used: Makeup sponge(need to be replaced), SANA eyelash curler, MAC 134, MAC 169 and MAC 214*.

As you can see, I'm really working on the neutrals for spring. I haven't been using a select major lip product because it's been a mix of lipsticks. Aren't neutrals great? What are you rocking this Spring?

*It's kind of bad but MAC 214 is an eye shadow brush but I use it to apply my KATE eyeliner. It's the nice short and stiff for the perfect line! Also great for smudging liner! I'm so bad!

PDC Naturina Toner (Oily)

2009-04-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

During my last trip to the beauty import store, the PDC Naturina Toner had caught my eye and I had thoughts of trying it out. The packaging isn't attractive at all but the aloe vera extract seemed like a good choice. It was also made for oily skin which would help with my recent breakouts. There's nothing really about this toner that makes it stand out from other drugstore toners as it does pretty much the same. It moisturizes and makes your skin texture better. To be honest, it was quite a bad purchase that I do regret buying. It has this horrible alcohol scent to it and the bottle itself is this bulky glass type. It does, however, have a refreshing feel to it upon skin contact. As I said, I do regret trying this one out based on a simple ingredient but the good news is that it was very cheap.

Pros: Cheap, aloe vera extract
Cons: Alcohol scent, bulky glass, not much result

Mandom Corp Green Tea Face Wash

2009-04-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

As my previous cleanser was coming to an end, I had begun searching for a new cleanser. My face has gotten extremely oily these days and I have some sudden break outs too. I decided to browse some of the local beauty import stores that bring in the Japanese drugstore skincare. I usually like to order online but I only needed a face wash so it wasn't neccesary to go online just to buy the one thing. The beauty import stores sometimes raise their prices so much that I feel it's really not worth it. Luckily, I found the Mandom Corp Green Tea Facial Wash which was an alright price(slightly more expensive than the average American brand) at the store. This facial wash is targeted for oily/acne skin type. It has tiny scrubbing beads to remove dirt and oil from the face. It also has green tea extract in it too. I've used it for a week already and I'm really enjoying the wash as it has the gentle beads to get the oil off. The beads do quickly turn into suds as you rub your face and then your face gets this very refreshing chilly feeling. The wash also smells slightly floral. My skin always feels real clean and it hasn't caused me to break out ever since. I would definitely recommend this!

Pros: Green Tea extract, for oily/acne skin, scrubbing beads, fairly cheap
Cons: Nothing at all.

Kanebo COFFRET D'OR Shine Drape Rouge... Cont'd

2009-04-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my last review on COFFRET D'OR Shine Drape Rouge? Well, I loved the lipstick so much that I decided to purchase 2 more colours from the Glow collection. The two colors I got were PK-237 and OR-101.

This is PK-237 which looks like a hot pink but is a very sweet sheer pearl berry pink. I really like the result of the colour on my lips that I have replaced the RD-175 I bought previously with this one for an every day look. It's a nice universal colour for a nice spring day. I think if I were to recommend a colour from this collection, it would be this one as it's such a simple pink with a bit of shimmer.

I also got the OR-101 for the orange colour. It's a pearl orange but has more reddish tones to it. I thought it would be a nice change up to my pinks and reds. It also seemed like a fun but not over the top colour to have. I can see myself wearing it quite often since it looks real natural and it's just the right amount of "pop of colour" for a fun day in the sun.

Laneige Moisturizing Cleansing Balm

2009-03-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, my mom has urged me to try Laneige Moisturizing Cleansing Balm to remove my makeup. I finally gave in and decided to try it once after a long day out with moderately heavy makeup on. Although the title does not suggest it's for removing makeup, it's caption on the container says it's a professional makeup remover for very dry to dry skin. It is not like most makeup removers I've ever used. It's a butter oil type! The butter balm comes in a tub that has english instructions on the bottom for everyone to read. The instructions are quite simple! Take a generous amount and massage around the face for a minute and then rinse off with warm water. The massaging action actually melts the "butter" balm in the skin which slowly removes(melts) the makeup away. There is borage oil and vitamin E in it to prevent irritation and extra moisture. The texture was quite nice but it felt slightly icky because of the butter-turned-into-oil on the face. The product doesn't actually recommend the actual amount needed to be used but I have to say a little does go a very long way! After having massaged my face for a minute, the makeup has clearly disappeared and what is left is to wash the balm off. As you rinse the balm off, it kind of suds up a little leaving some white film on your face. That is probably something about it being a heavy balm, that you actually have to rinse real well for a clean face. But the hassle is no problem because my skin is left feeling very smooth and plump with moisture. I have to say this balm is pretty worth trying out because it can remove all makeup(mascara and all) without drying the face out. I'm glad I got to try this one thanks to mom!

Pros: Super moisturizing, removes all makeup(waterproof included), little goes long way
Cons: Oily feeling when massaging, must rinse real well

SKIN79 Gold Label Super BB Cream

2009-03-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to review SKIN79 Gold Label Super BB Cream for the longest time but I decided to try it out longer as it's a face product that does need to be slowly tested and invested in. BB creams have been and still are quite a craze out there in Asia. The sole purpose for the BB cream is to minimize the skin products on your face to be used as a moisturizer, primer, concealer and foundation. With those functions there are also whitening, wrinkle improvement and UV protecting ingredients added into it too. I finally decided to join the craze and try one out for myself!

There are so many BB creams out there but I decided on this one solely for the push-pump dispenser and the shade that it came in, didn't look too white. The cream is a very basic nude shade that is slightly thick. It's thick but not too heavy. The cream also has a slight floral scent that is quite clean. So far so good.

To show how the BB cream works, here is a before and after picture with and without the BB cream. These pictures are of my hand and they are darker than my actual skintone. However, my hand has a reddish "finish" to it just like my skin so that is pretty much what I like to try to hide(other than my dark circles) when looking for a good foundation. As you can see, the BB cream really covers up the redness on my hand but I can say that this BB cream is not full proof coverage. It's a bit on the sheer side but it's very natural and does not give the caked up look. The feel of the foundation seems heavy because of the thickness of the cream but it makes my skin feel very soft afterwards. It doesn't have the rough feel or greasy feeling that other foundations have. And the best part? My skin doesn't react! As for moisturizing, I would not recommend using this alone because it is a bit drying(my skin) and it doesn't really apply very smoothly without primer. It is also not a great concealer because it's so sheer. Overall, it's a really good cream to improve the look of your skintone in a natural way. I guess it would be super for those girls who have little to none skin problems. With that said, this one is still a keeper for me and I will repurchase because it's been perfect for a couple of months already!

Pros: Super Cheap(check ebay), sheer coverage, reduces redness, natural looking, SPF!
Cons: Not good for moisturizing, 1 tone, too sheer for concealing circles and major problems.

My Diary of Beauty(我的美麗日記) Sake Yeast Mask(清酒酒粕面膜)

2009-03-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

It's been another busy week at work so it was time for another mask. I decided to try My Beauty Diary Sake Yeast Mask which is supposed to improve elasticity, moisturize and do a bit whitening. It also rebuilds skin cells! Perfect! My face these days feels really tired and heavy so this nice mask sounds pretty good. I put the mask on after my shower and layed in bed just to relax. It felt so refreshing that I actually almost fell asleep! As for the mask, it smells like alcohol. Not the cosmetic rubbing alcohol but the actual sake alcohol. Very sweet ripe alcohol smell which is tolerable. The results are also as always great! My skin felt extremely smooth and it had this dewy look/feel to it. I don't think I could ever turn down anything from My Beauty Diary!

Pros: Moisturizing, refreshing, dewy smooth skin
Cons: Possible sake alcohol scent can put people off.

Mentholatum Lip Ice

2009-03-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Mentholatum Lip Ice is so old school. It was my ultimate favorite lip balm when I was in highschool! I would always carry one around in my bag or pocket because it was the ultimate moisturizing cure for any season. The lip balm I have right now pictured is the newer packaging but there really is no difference between the old and new. There are a variety of flavors from apple to black current. The best thing about this lip balm is that it's light weight and it also gives this chilly minty feel to the lips. It's really refreshing! Also all the flavors are extremely well done and is true the scent. I would highly recommend this lip balm to anyone for it's price(super cheap!), scent/flavor and SPF15!

Pros: Super moisturizing, chill feeling, lots of scents/flavors, SPF15, cheap!
Cons: None!

Etoile Tsubaki Oil Hand Cream

2009-03-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

My hands are so dry! What's going on? It's all this drying weather and constant hand washing at work! So I decided to invest in another hand cream but this time with extra moisturizing oils to it. This is the Etoile Tsubaki Oil Hand Cream. It's not a famous brand or anything but I wanted to get something with the tsubaki/camellia oils in it. Camellia(tsubaki) is a very mosturizing oil that is used for hair in Japan traditionally but it is now used in skin care products. It is for extremely dry skin and can be used for massage oil to stretch mark healing.

The hand cream comes out in a thick paste-ish cream that smells of camellia/tsubaki which almost smells real nice like herbal flowers. It's not too overpowering but not too subtle. The cream is definitely on the thick side and absorbs fairly well. The moisture level is high intensity to me! I feel this almost heavy somewhat oily texture on my hands afterwards but after it sets in, my skin is SO SO VERY smoooth! Hopefully this one will last longer than my SKINFOOD one!

Pros: Traditional tsubaki oils, very moisturizing, smells great
Cons: Somewhat thick and greasy

My Beauty Diary(我的美麗日記) Cooling Mask(冰沁活氧面膜)

2009-03-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ahh! How wonderful it is to have a day off! I finally have gotten a day off from my bakery job! It's almost one day in a 6 day stretch which is pretty much no break. But the money's coming in so I can't really complain about it. Anyways, it was such a relaxing day that I thought it was time to try another mask from my "collection". Today I tried the My Beauty Diary Cooling Mask(冰沁活氧面膜). My skin has been very dry and exhausted from working so hard. I hardly even had time to take care of my face with scrubs so I thought this mask would work real well in this case. This mask is not only moisturizing, but it also has a cooling effect that can wake up your senses with the peppermint while the rosemary oil will relax(and moisturize) your skin as well. It's really great for tired skin it says on the packaging. Perfect! It was just what I needed! For an added bonus effect, I placed the mask in the fridge for about 10 minutes so it would extremely chilly. It's not written in the instructions and they don't tell you to that but I just thought it would be nice. Wow! It was real chilly alright! It felt so good! I can't even say how nice my skin felt during and after the process! I almost didn't want to take it off! My skin felt extremely smooth, a bit firm and really comfy after removing the mask. I would definitely want to repurchase this one again! I will definitely recommend this to all of you out there too!

Pros: Feels like peppermint chill heaven, smells like peppermint, moisturizing, smooth, firm, really relaxing
Cons: NONE. AT. ALL!!!

VOV All Night Eyeliner

2009-03-09T03:18:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner! Yes! It's time to bring out the major sweat and waterproof eyeliners! This is VOV All Night Twinkling Eyeliner and my very first purchase from Gmarket*. I don't really enjoy using liquid eyeliner because it just always reminds me of those girls back in highschool with the extreme black lined panda eyes. It's like to them, the more black around the eyes, the better. So I've pretty much stayed away from the liquid ones just to opt for a more natural look. However, recently I found that I just wanted to try it for dramatic but downplayed look. That probably doesn't make sense but yeah, I just had to buy some eyeliner! The one I bought was T3 which is jet black with glitter. It's probably the best for every day since the others are gold or silver. I would probably not go for these colours but the eyeliner is specifically for clubbing/partying so I figured it would just be super waterproof.

Now my eyelining is not great but I have to say I really like the effect of the eyeliner on the lids. The glitter is there but it's not too obvious. It really reminds me of the KATE eyeliner with the glitter black version. As for sweat and waterproof, it's not really. The eyeliner sort of starts to fade if you splash some water on it. It washes easily off with some soapy water but it's incredibly smudge proof! You could rub your eyes real bad and it will not budge one bit. I guess there is no eyeliner that is actually sweat or waterproof. This one is working for me(for now) because it was fairly cheap and quite pretty.

Pros: Super smudge proof! Subtle glitter, fairly cheap, easy off.
Cons: Not sweat or water proof.

*Aside from this review, I have conclusion that Gmarket is really great! Shipping costs isn't great but all online shops are the pretty much the same. I like that Gmarket has so many pictures on the items listed so you know what you're really dealing with and everything is fairly priced. The site is also very straight-forward too! I will definitely order from Gmarket again!

Kanebo COFFRET D'OR Shine Drape Rouge

2009-03-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

I have always been a fan of Kanebo's T'ESTIMO and was quite sad when I read it was going to be discontinued. Since then Kanebo came out with another sub-brand to take it's place called COFFRET D'OR. I haven't bought anything from this actual new brand even with all it's collections released. The reason was the products didn't look quite appealing to me. However, I finally decided to try one of their new lipsticks known as COFFRET D'OR Shine Drape Rouge. It's not exactly new but it has new colours for Spring 2009!

The lipsticks are actually divided into two different "finishes" by Glow and Color. I only got one(Glow) because I felt it would be nice and sheer. Which is pretty much the difference of the two finishes. One is more sheer while the other one is more pigmented. I suppose there is still the shine on the more pigmented one too. The actual colour I got was RD-175 which seems on the site swatch as a almost blue-toned pink but in real life it looks like a cute light cherry red with some shimmer. And as always, my bare lips to show the lipstick's power!

In all honesty, I love the colour to this lipstick! It's not really over the top and the shine is really nice. Not creamy shine but sheer lipgloss-but-lighter-than-gloss look. It is incredibly light weight and it goes on like butter on your own french toast lips. It's not pigmented like lipstick but it reminds me of a conditioning lip tint with a lip balm base. I like that the colour is suitable for almost anyone and the finish is real nice. It makes my lips all juicy looking. It's probably something I really should invest in. I'm really considering buying the other two colours in the Glow selection too! But the price tag is a bit of a drawback. Guess I'll be waiting for it to go on sale!

Pros: Nice colours, beautiful packaging, sheer and shimmery, light weight
Cons: Tad bit $$

Love Clover Pop Chu Gloss

2009-02-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Love Clover Pop Chu Gloss has been out and around for quite awhile now and I was very interested in trying it out. However, I read some reviews about it and it didn't sound so great. In the end, I gave in and decided to try it out despite what others have said. It was just too cute to resist! The Pop Chu Gloss is a lipgloss that is shaped as a lollipop which comes in three different flavors/colours. There is Strawberry Pink, Vanilla Beige and Champagne Clear. I only got one of them(Strawberry Pink) even though they all seem so delicious! The design of the gloss itself is a plastic spatula with a round sphere bottom which is quite similar to a nail polish bottle. Very cute indeed!

The bare lips!

First of all, I really love the design of the actual lip gloss! It's just so cute! However, I really don't like spatula sticks because I prefer the traditional sponge/brush for precise application. The colour for the Strawberry Pink is pretty non-existent and I can probably only assume for the other two. The scent is kind of a gross but bearable. It smells of this real fake strawberry scent which you would only find in hair styling products. To be honest, for the price of this Pop Chu I rather I get the MAJOLICA MAJORCA Honey Glosses for the cute tubes and more colour variety because they are equally the same in gloss thickness and shine so why not pay a little less for one with more variety? I think that this can be safely skipped unless you must try it.

Pros: Cute lollipop design, cute colour, cheap
Cons: Limited colour choice, smells funky, spatula design

JUJU TOSEKKI Cream

2009-02-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

Having just finished my last Aquamoist cream, I was on the look for a new face cream. Luckly, the JUJU brand is on the right track and have been releasing some new variations of the famous moistful creams that I love so much! I decided to try their latest in the whitening collection known as JUJU TOSEKKI. This one is different from the whitening one because this one actually uses all natural Chinese oriental herb extracts for both moisture and whitening properties. Now, I don't really need the whitening abilities but I just like to try everything from the brand because it has never failed!

Now this is slightly different from the past JUJU creams that I have used because the entire consistancy and look for the cream is incredibly different! The cream comes in slightly smaller container than the usual. The cream has a weird pearl glossy colour tint to it which made me think of some kind of glitter cream but fear not! It isn't. It's supposed to make the skin more elastic (apparently) according to the site. The pearl finish does quickly go away as you smooth the cream onto the face. The finish when the cream is completely "dissolved" is a nice shiny smooth look. It actually looks pretty nice! It gives your skin a satiny finish to it. The cream is also the thickest of all the creams they have as it's really for the winter time (the plastic box has snowflakes all over it). Another bonus feature of the cream is that it has the UV control which will prevent wrinkles, sun spots and freckles. This cream does not have SPF though! It just bounces everything off with the pearlness! I definetely like the look that the cream gives me and the UV control thing sounds nice. The thickeness is alright for me and it's not too oily either. The only problem I really have this cream is the horrible plastic-like smell. There is no scent to it so the oriental herb extracts make it smell like plastic. I suppose I have to get used to it. All JUJU products does not have any scents or colour added to it.

Pros: Very moisturizing, nice pearl finish, award winning formula, chinese oriental extracts!
Cons: Horrible natural scent!

Mascara Monday: Fairy Drops Mascara

2009-02-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

Fairy Drops Mascara has always caught my attenton with it's unique designed brush. The brush comes in a weird stacked "bubble" shape which reminds me of an ant's body. It comes in a very nice pinkish tube with some cute deco around it. The mascara promises rich volume, extra curl and no clumping. The way the mascara actually works is that the "bubbles" actually catch your lashes and curl them around the shape of the ball. It does seem pretty gimmicky doesn't it?

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eyelash.

The mascara isn't that bad actually! I honestly thought it would suck and that my money went down the drain but I was wrong. I really like the effect that the mascara gave me. It is definetely a weird brush but the concept of the lashes forming around the "bubble" is pretty great. My lashes even look like the description picture included. My lashes have the natural curl and lots of length plus it doesn't really have any clumping problem. The only real problems I have with this mascara is that it smudged around the outer corner of my eye and it is a bit hard to maneuver with the "bubble" brush in the little nooks of the eye and around the lower lash. In conclusion, this mascara is a win-lose one for me. I like the result and concept but the brush design somewhat doesn't work with it's different sizes here and there. Now there is a newer edition called "Fairy Drops Platinum" which promises more length and more volume. I think I'll be skipping that one though.

Pros: Cute tube packaging, interesting "bubble" brush, great curl and length, hardly any clumping
Cons: 1 colour, smudges, hard to reach the inner areas and do precise application.

Please come back for more:

KISS Dual Chocolat Eyes

2009-02-14T17:48:00.000-08:00

This is the follow up of the Spring 2009 KISS collection and my Valentine's Day special! This is the KISS Dual Chocolat Eyes palettes. The brand only came out with two of them and they are pretty basic colours known as Bitter Chocolat and Strawberry. One side is a cream shadow and the other is a powder shadow. The application is pretty basic too so it is very easy to use! Nice, simple and nothing too complicatied for this special day!

I purchased both palettes as the colours are incredibly nice together. They are both very similar, just that the Bitter Chocolat has the warm gold pearl cream shadow while the Strawberry one has a pearl pink one. The accompanying powder shadow is the same warm chocolate brown. The shadows come in a cute case with a chocolate bar looking cover. It sort of reminds me of the Bihada Ichizoku blushes I have, in terms of size. The colours are really pretty and they look great together however the only things I have about these shadows are that there is no brush to apply the look of the model's on your own eyes. Luckly I have an old stiff brow brush for the shadow lining. Another thing is that the smudging is good but the shadows are incredibly easy to rub off! There is a bit of shimmer in the cream shadows and it just rubs off easily and same goes for the powder shadow. I'm so sad about this! Such a nice colour palette but such horrible quality! I guess the idea was worth while but not the actual collection. Hopefully your Valentine's Day will be much sweeter than these! Have a great one!

Pros: Nice colours and packaging.
Cons: Horrible staying power, no brush included.

KISS Lip Chocolat Treatment

2009-02-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Today there will be a double review special on the latest from KISS. This is from their Spring 2009 release which is all about strawberries and chocolates, just like Valentine's Day! So sweet and so yummy! It's just beautiful! In this release there are two eye palettes and one lip treatment. I didn't exactly jump to get these releases but as I started seeing them on other bloggers sites and online shops, they started to grow heavily on me so I decided to purchase them. I got both palettes and lip treatment. This one is specifically the KISS Lip Chocolat Treatment with a strawberry chocolat flavor to it. To yummy to pass up!

The KISS Lip Chocolat Treatment is pretty much a glossy lip balm with shine that smells and "tastes" like strawberry chocolate. It comes with this incredibly small "needle" tube applicator which is totally easy to squeeze out and apply directly to the lip. The colour that comes out is a light clearish baby pink that gives a pretty nice shine to the lips. It smells like milk chocolate with some hints of the strawberry. The scent is great! As for taste(even though I don't like licking it) is sweet like sugar. Overall, it is a product that can be skipped but purchased if you like strawberry chocolate things.

Pros: Strawberry Chocolate scent! Glossy finish.
Cons: Just any other lip balm.

Hello Kitty for Mac Haul!

2009-02-13T14:00:00.001-08:00

Apart from the Japanese makeup brands, I really love the MAC brand. I just love their collaborations with different people and icons! I recently did a mini-me-haul from the latest MAC collaboration with Hello Kitty. I only got a few items that I would actually use so my haul isn't really interesting. I haven't seen many people buy these items so here's a look at it all.

My love for blush will never end! I decided to purchase both blushes from the collection. The colours are quite simple yet nice. I also love the packaging! The blushes are in this shiny black casing with some sparkles on it. I honestly don't like the finish of it because it makes me think they just covered the case with nail polish but nevertheless, Hello Kitty is cute on the top! The two blushes are Tippy and Fun & Games. They are both divided from the Wild and Mild side of the Hello Kitty looks. Tippy is the blush on the left and it's a real cute somewhat vibrant pink while Fun & Games is a light warmish peach. Both are totally wearable for every day use.

Another thing I got was the tinted lip conditioner Popster which is a nice semi-vibrant lip tint. The colour is very natural on me. As for packaging, it`s just like the normal TLC but with a shiny lid with Hello Kitty on it.

Now I had to just get something from the accessories part! Nothing that I really wanted but the Hello Kitty Purse Mirror. I also wanted the brush collection with the cute holder and extra brushes but it wasn`t needed. I find the purse mirror was quite a flashback to my childhood when Hello Kitty was like an ultimate collector thing. Very old school.

So that`s it for my haul!

Mascara Monday: SANA Powerstyle Super Waterproof Long & Volume Mascara

2009-02-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

Have you been looking for the perfect waterproof mascara with the power of big long lashes? Well, that's what SANA Powerstyle Long & Volume Mascara promises! The mascara is super waterproof that has a special formula formulated to withstand the curl, length and volume even if you were to swim, splash in water or cry. Sounds very promising?

My bare uncurled lashes. Short and sparse.

I'm very confused by this mascara. I'm still trying to figure if this mascara is a fiber one or not because I did see some fibers but maybe it was just teasing me. The mascara did build up and lengthen my lashes but it is borderline unnatural. It has that hard gritty black look so I'm not quite a fan. As for long-lasting, I took a shower to test out the mascara and also went to run some errands after, and you know what? Not a smudge! No black at the outer corner of my eye(like most mascaras do to me)! It's actually a pretty good product so I would highly recommend this if you are at wits end with finding a waterproof smudge-proof mascara! There is also "curl and seperate" version as well.

Pros: Very waterproof, smudge-proof, lengthens, has volume
Cons: 1 colour(black), slightly unnatural look, smells awful

SKINFOOD Vita Juice Hand Essence

2009-02-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

I've always had a facination in the products that come from Korea's SKINFOOD brand. Their masks seem very tempting to try out but I have held back because of the high prices I've seen online. I'm still scouting out to find cheaper prices that I can actually accept for a brand I've never tried. So in the end, I decided to give in a try one of their hand creams which is called the SKINFOOD Vita Juice Hand Essence. It seems like quite a normal product to try and I happened to be looking for some hand cream for my dry winter worn-out hands. It was an average price so it didn't seem like it mattered.

The hand cream is vitamin E based but I find it very similar to another hand cream I've tried. It is very similar to the Say Yes to Carrots lined cream(organic brand). The cream also smells like an orange creamsicle. As for moisturizing, it comes out in a nice semi thick lotion that once smoothed out, it will quickly sink into the skin while leaving a smooth finish. It is not sticky nor greasy either. In conclusion, I think if you're looking for a hand cream and/or you love SKINFOOD then it is worth a try!

Pros: Fairly cheap, nice scent, moisturizing
Cons: ugly packaging?

Mascara Monday: Fiberwig Mascara

2009-02-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

Fiberwig Mascara is the mother of all fiber mascaras out there! I've personally have seen it around many times but never got to try the original. I have the newer edition that promises a bigger and better boost in length. It pretty much works the same as the MJ one that I have reviewed recently. It attaches fibers to your bare lashes and slowly builds a bridge to create a fuller and lengthier crown of lashes. The best part is that fiber mascaras are so easy to remove too! You don't even need the oil eye remover!

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eyelash.

The results really speak for themselves! I really like the effect it had on my lashes but the only thing is the actual "sheen"/texture of the mascara on my lashes. I find it having this real black gritty and hard look which isn't quite natural and the black is extreme that it looks obvious that I put something on. In comparison, I would much rather prefer the MJ one over the Fiberwig. I do, however, want to try the brown one they have. I suspect that one will be very natural looking! Must look for it! Another thing about this mascara is that removing it is a breeze! All it takes is some warm water and some gentle strokes of a puff. I also realize that rubbing your eyes can remove it all because I did it once by mistake! I forgot I had the mascara on! So thumbs up on easy removal!

Pros: Lengthy and voluminous, easy to remove
Cons: hard/gritty dark black, too easy to remove!

Please come back for more:

KOSE Clear Plus Moisture Cleansing Liquid

2009-01-30T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have had this KOSE Clear Plus Moisture Cleansing Liquid sitting around in my bathroom drawer for quite a while. I have used Japanese drugstore branded skincare lines before but went to highend then back to local drugstore brands like Clean & Clear. I just recently finished my supply of Clean & Clear products so I decided to open up my cupboard and finish the things I had gotten the past year. I got this item as a new product at Sasa at a very cheap price so it was gone pretty quickly. It probably on surfaced on the site for about 2 weeks or so. I haven't seen any other online retailers selling this product either. The KOSE Clear Plus Moisture Cleansing Liquid comes in 2 different types, a much lighter version and the version I will be reviewing today which is a heavier one. Both cleansers are oil based and have properties to clean the face with or without makeup.

The KOSE Clear Plus Moisture Cleansing Liquid(heavier one) comes in a milky white liquid that does not sud up(oil base). It glides on your hand as you pump it out of the bottle. It honestly reminds me of a brand that I'm very familiar with: Cetaphil! It almost is comparable to it! It is very gentle, unscented and it also removes most of my makeup. It removes pretty much everything except for eyemakeup which I would highly recommend using another product for that area. I like this face wash but I don't like it because it doesn't have the usual sudsing action so it is pretty weird if you haven't used these types of cleansers before. As for moisturizing, it's alright. I haven't seen much of a difference in my skin to say it's doing a fab job at keeping my face moisturized. I would only recommend this one if you're looking for something along the lines of Cetaphil-style cleansers.
Pros: Smells good, great concept, soft skin in the morning, fairly cheap
Cons: Sticky, mess on pillows/covers, not much of difference

Mascara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Gorgeous Wing BR777

2009-01-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest from MJ! MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Gorgeous Wing BR777 is the most recent edition of the Lash Gorgeous Wing. They have just released another mascara but until that one, this one is the newest one. This time MJ decided to release a golden brown just for Christmas 2008. I really enjoyed the original Lash Gorgeous Wing so I automatically knew I had to try the golden brown one!

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eyelash. And my cool new SANA curler! Loving it!

I had originally thought the brown would be more of a light brow brown but it actually is really goldish. It almost reminds me of light cardboard colour. It really wasn`t what I was looking for. Normally, I would find brown to be more of a natural colour on lashes but it just looks quite alien-ish on mine. The results of the mascara are pretty much the same as the other Lash Gorgeous Wing with the little lengthening fibers. It`s just only the colour that really puts me off. It`s just not natural for me!

Pros: Super smudgeproof, water-proof, fibres, lengthening, natural looking
Cons: Odd golden brown colour

Please come back for more:

Shiseido Hello Kitty Hadasui Skin Water

2009-01-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

Hadasui Skin Water is a mineral beauty water that is sprayed on the face, body or hair to rehydrate. The one I have is a collaboration with Hello Kitty with the original Shiseido FT Hadasui Water. This Hadasui water uses water from the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan with some added herb essences. It is 100% all natural so it's almost like pure water but just with added nutrients. It's almost comparable to the Evian water sprays that can be found in some stores during the summer. I did actually buy this one for the Hello Kitty-ness and for work. Working with ovens every single day makes my skin so dry so I like having this around to spray my face. It's a hydrating water spray that is very light-weight and easy to use. The product description also says it has a grapefruit scent but I find it very alcohol scented even though there is no alcohol content whatsoever.

Pros: Moisturizing, light-weight, easy to use, refreshing, all natural
Cons: horrible alcohol scent

O'slee Clear Spa Sleeping Mask

2009-01-21T17:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not really familiar with the brand O'slee but it has come out with quite a number of good sleeping masks. I've never used a sleeping mask before but I found the price wasn't so bad to try this so I did. This one is specifically called the Clear Spa Sleeping Mask. It has four important components to the mask which are purifying, hydrating, relaxing and more anti-oxidants. It purifies to make the skin more absorbent to nutrients and moisture. It also has a rose scent to it so that when you apply it at night, you can relax with the calming scent while drifting off to sleep. The way a sleeping mask works is very simple: wash face, apply a small quarter size on the face(a thin layer) and sleep! Rinse in the morning and then you're ready to go! That sounded real cool but in reality, it's kind of icky. The gel does take quite a while to sink into the skin which makes me confined to sleeping on my back(I'm a side sleeper) and I found it extremely sticky even after in the morning so it is very appropriate to wash the face. The results aren't good nor bad. I skin does feel very soft and the I did get very good sleep too from the rose scent but the confined sleeping position really bothered me.

Pros: Smells good, great concept, soft skin in the morning, fairly cheap
Cons: Sticky, mess on pillows/covers, not much of difference

Belated Christmas Haul!

2009-01-18T02:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas is long over but I'm still in the midst of enjoying my new goodies! To be honest, I don't really celebrate Christmas anymore and I don't even race to the Boxing Day sales either. This year's presents were real great and most of them are very useful so I decided to make a special goodies/haul post! I only got a couple of beauty related things and the rest were more to do with my occupation. Mind you, most of these things I got after Christmas. Might be a boring post! Ha!

First off! Beauty-related items! I didn't get much from online shops because I didn't want to wait forever for things to come and there just wasn't much that I really wanted. Instead I decided to hit up a long time favorite shop of mine: MAC!

I decided to pick up the two Highlight Powders from the new Dame Edna collection. I don't really like Dame Edna but I have a thing for these powders/blushes/bronzers/highlighters. The packaging is as great as the Heatherette one so I just had to have them! I couldn't decide which colour as they are both sheer-ish so I got them both.

This one is What a Dame! and it is a pearlish gold kind of highlighter. Since it's pretty sheer and has a gold kind of finish, it is perferct for making a glowy face. Very nice! The only real thing I have with these highlighters is that the sparkly finish that you see in the pictures are totally gone within the first swipe. I wish it was throughout.

The other one is called Spetacle! which is quite almost like a coral orange with slight tint of red. I don't like using the velvet applicator but a brush so it's somewhat perfect for a light tinted blush. Blends pretty well with the ones I have. Something to put under my MSFs from MAC as well. Same issue with the shimmer layer on the top as the other highlighter.

Now I couldn't get everything from MAC as I have decided that I really only like their lipsticks, lipglosses and blushes. So I decided to turn to another brand I really like which is Bobbi Brown. I don't really own much from BB but I do like flipping through her books and looking at her looks. I find them really natural and very relatable for everyday occasions. So when her Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual came out, I had to get it! It's not that I couldn't just read this stuff online but it's more of a nice reference book to have. She teaches real well in her books and it never falls short on Asians which is awesome!

I took some pictures of the manual so you can see how nice it is!

She goes through everything from skincare to makeup to looks to becoming a makeup artist. I find her real thorough with every single aspect for correcting skin problems especially when it comes to undereye. Here's a picture of the blush page that really catches my eye every single time. I really like the colour she chose for that girl on the left! And the coolest thing is that she even did bronzer on a light skinned Asian lady. It's done tastefully that it isn't too bronze or too orange either.

There is also a specific page for lining the single lids. I don't have a single lid but this page just shows the diversity in this manual and that she really has everyone in mind. Sadly I find that dramatic eyeliner look very ugly looking. It looks more like drooping eye to me.

And finally! This is the back page of the book and it's so nice. A whole two pages of lots and lots of blush. Maybe that's her favorite product too!

Since I was already at Chapters(bookstore), I decided to spend some hard earned cash on myself and buy some books that I really like. I actually have one more book that I bought but forgot to take a photo of. That one is Giada De Laurentiis' Every Italian. Now, you must be thinking.. Martha Stewart?! Believe it or not, her book teaches the very simplest but the most basic things. I have a couple of these "references" cookbooks and they all teach the same thing as Martha but I think it's very nice to have. It's a great housewarming gift too! The other one I want to talk about is the INDULGE book. It's a dessert book written by the pastry chef at The French Laundry which is the restaurant that inspired the Disney movie Ratatouille. It is an awesome-beyond-awesome book! The pictures are beautiful and the recipes are super easy to follow. Restaurant quality yet homecook level instructions! I already made the panacotta recipe already!

The last of my purchases was on Boxing Day. I actually decided to go to the mall on sheer boredom. I was bored sitting at home so I just wanted to go out and actually see the sales. I went into the normal stores that I like and saw that COACH is indeed really good during sales! Basically they bring out the old collections and sell them half price! It's almost like shopping at the outlets that you have to drive to the border. The line and swarm of people(ladies and gentlemen!) was so much that I only browsed quickly to snatch up a bag and two cute makeup bags. Everything in total costed the price of the one cosmetic bag alone! What a steal!

So that's what I got for Christmas!

AQUAJUJU AQUAMOIST Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream

2009-01-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

New Year but not new product from AQUAMOIST! It's been quite a few months that I've been using the face creams from this brand. I honestly really love them a lot! All season round, they always have one suitable for moisture. The one I've been using most recently to survive the winter and holidays was the AQUAJUJU AQUAMOIST Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream. This one is really the most basic one out of all the ones I've talked about. It's only a lighter gel type version with no collagen, no aloe vera nor vitamin C. However, simple does not mean it's not good. It's really great! It still sinks in real fast and keeps my skin from drying up with rough patches all over. It still has that weird funky smell but only 2 small drops is all it takes to cover your face which is a great dollar value! The gel cream is slightly lighter in texture compared to the collagen(red) one but heavier than the vitamin C one(blue). Where as the Aloe Vera one is the most thick of them all. Since this one is also outstanding like the rest, I do highly recommend this one to people who want to try it. Not saying you have to try this one first but it's pretty basic so you can get the feel of the product.

Pros: Same award-winning formula. Moisture-full! Most basic. Moderate heavy cream.
Cons: None!

Mascara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Gorgeous Wing

2009-01-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

Oh I'm slowly catching up with the MJ releases! This is from the recent Fall 2008 collection and it is the first of the fibre mascaras from MJ. This one is called MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Gorgeous Wing. They released it with only one colour available but now in the most recent collection there is brown. I have the first one which is the signature dark black. Like most fibre mascaras there are lots and lots of fibres that come out of a tube that stick to the ends of your lashes to lengthen. I've taken a close up of the fibres so you can be able to see them!

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eyelash.

FINALLY! MJ has decided to release a mascara with a normal brush! I'm so tired of those comb ones because it takes much more required skill. I also find brushes tend to be more gentle on the lashes and application process. I love the brush! The fibres thing is also not a problem for me either. I like that it lengthens a little but in small doses. It does clump but not like loads and loads of mascara piled on. It honestly really looks very natural! I like this mascara so much that I don't even mind the clumping because I really like the result that it has on my lashes.

Pros: Super smudgeproof, water-proof, fibres, lengthening, natural looking
Cons: A bit clumpy, 1 colour

Please come back for more:

Laneige Girl Lip Coloring Lipstick

2009-01-10T19:43:00.000-08:00

This is going to be probably one of my very first beauty product from Korea reviewed here. I don't really like to buy products from Korean lines and this is only because I have had a bad experience with it and with a famous brand too. Surprisingly the brand is the one I'm reviewing from today. It was one of the Laneige correcting bases and it made me break out. When I bought it, the whole correcting base thing was IN and it was fairly cheap at my local Sasa store in Hong Kong. Oh well, I guess that was me being very unlucky. Anyways, the Laneige Girl Lip Coloring Lipstick that I will be talking about today is also none other than a discounted item as well! I think it's the pricey and unfamiliarity of the Korean market that causes me to only buy the discounted items. Maybe that is why I suffered in my past with the base.

Prior to buying the Laneige Girl Lip Coloring Lipstick, I have never heard of the line except for the major brand Laneige which is pretty much popular for their skincare lines. I don't see much information about the actual "Girl" side of the brand but I'm just assuming it is the more youthful line that didn't do so well. They have commercials on youtube and they look really poppy kiddy type. I chose the only colour available which was 7[6057] which is pretty much a colour I would stay far far away if I had seen it in person. Upon opening it, the lipstick is a very scary blue grape magenta with slight shimmer. It scared me quite a bit. But to my surprise after swatching it on the back on my hand, it goes on real sheer with just a punch of colour.

It's really not that bad as I thought/described it. It's actually pretty wearable for a more "adventurous" day in your life. I like the texture too because it's not thick like lipstick and not too thin like a lip balm. The shimmer is also hardly there as well which makes me wonder why I was so scared in the first place. I would probably not purchase this again even with a cheaper price tag(even already more discounted) but it's nice to have. But as mentioned, it is indeed no longer being sold so this review is just for reference in case one of you girls do happen to see one and want to try it.

Pros: Easy and smooth texture, natural with a punch, sheer, cheap
Cons: Discontinued

Mascara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Enamel Glamour Neo

2009-01-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

I think it's about time to update Mascara Mondays! I've actually had this review lying around for sometime but hadn't really put it up. I'm continuing on with the MJ line and this I will be talking about the MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Enamel Glamour Neo or the one with "Hope my lashes are full and smooth." As the title and cute description on the tube says, the mascara is intended for voluminous lashes. Lots of volume but clean volume, it promises! Well, let's see if it does what it says!

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eye.

Honestly, there is a bit clumping as you can see. The lengthening factor is actually surprisingly there even though it is a volume boosting mascara. If only the volume part would've came out! As usual this mascara is also very waterproof and does not budge even with a day's sweat and tearing. I guess that's the greatest thing about MJ mascaras, that they live true to their word when it comes to waterproof. I think they are still working on the little kinks here and there within every single release of their mascaras. It's like the MJ evolution! So in conclusion, I do not find this mascara of a wow-must-get item. It did not work for me.

Pros: Waterproof, smudgeproof, lengthening(slightly)
Cons: No volume, clumps a bit, average mascara

Please stay tuned for more:

KOKURYUDO 黑龍堂 World Esthetic Mask - Italy

2009-01-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Wow! It's been quite some time that I've purchased the collection of KOKURYUDO 黑龍堂 World Esthetic Masks! These days I'm really trying to save money and and while doing that, try to save my ever-forever drying skin. I'm have to say that my skin is suffering real bad from this winter even though it isn't really that cold. I also largely suspect my job has a part in this too. I face 380-460 degrees oven every single day and that is a requirement for my lovely job. As you can probably have guessed: I am a baker! Lots of fun! So I've decided to dig out all those masks that I have hiding in my bathroom cupboard and try them out.

The KOKURYUDO 黑龍堂 World Esthetic Masks come in a range of 4 masks that are for 4 different skin results and funny enough, they are from 4 different countries! The more moisturizing one of the bunch is the Italy one which I will be talking about today. It is thick grey clay mask which apparently has some rose extracts in it. To sooth, inject and seal in the moisture. Honestly, I really like clay masks and this one went on smoothly which no hassle. The only set back is it was quite hard to wash off even with warm water. It took quite a couple of minutes to wash the major parts and some more minutes to take care of the edges of the face. The results as usual are great. My skin felt instantly smoother and a bit moister than usual. This has to be one of the few clay masks that I've actually enjoyed a lot even though washing was a pain. I am considering repurchasing this before it disappears off the shelves!

Here are the rest of the masks from the line. There is a Hawaii, Korea and Bali one too. Have you missed Bali? Check Bali out here!

My Makeup Bag - Winter 2009

2009-01-01T18:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! New Year means new makeup bag! I got this COACH Makeup Bag at the Boxing Day sale while it was 50% off which was a complete steal! I was so happy about the price that I got one for my friend in another colour(green) as well. Hopefully she would have put use to it already. This one is from an old collection which explains why it's on sale but normally I would find older items should be treated like vintage. Guess not. Good design though! It's very slim but yet very roomy that it can fit all my makeup items that I have changed to for winter.

So here are the items I have in my makeup bag right now!

1) Since I really enjoyed using the Raycious Crystal Skin Base, it has made it's way in. It probably isn't a winter thing but I find it alright for the weather as a base. It's probably whatever actually goes on top that matters.

2) I have started to get into the BB creams thing but I've only decided to try one which is the most attractive and seemingly popular one which is the SKIN79 Super BB Gold Label. I have yet to take some nice pictures of me actually using it so the review will be coming soon!

3)For eyeshadow, I am really trying to use up my old stuff which I have brought back last last year's Lavshuca Winter Make Collection in 01. I really liked the colours in it and there is also lip stuff too! The colours are a bit night-ish but the pink and pearl white is nice alone too.

4) I love love blush a lot! I also loved the Bihada Ichizoku Cheek Blush in Pearl Rose as well!

5) As for eyebrows, I am still using the same old Revlon one but this time I'm really trying to get rid of it badly. So instead of throwing it away, I'm doubling the usage as a hard eyeliner. It's contrary to the eyeshadow selection as it's brown but it's pretty dark and not so noticeable. I also am using a tester version of the Bobbi Brown creamy concealer. I got at the counter for free and it's alright. It definitely needs to be used with eye cream.

6) I am also using MJ products for both lip balm-ish and mascara. I'm using the MAJOLICA MAJORCA Glossy Glamorous Girl Honey Lip Gloss.

7) Last but not least is my favorite lipgloss of all time! The MAQUILLAGE New Climax Lip! The colour and texture is just superb!

So that's what I have in my New Year makeup bag! What's in yours?

Mascara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Silver Glitter Lash Freeze

2008-12-22T19:31:00.000-08:00

As sad as it seems, I am not reviewing the latest winter edition of the MJ mascara but last year's winter limited edition mascara. This is the MAJOLICA MAJORCA Silver Glitter Lash Freeze. It is a silver glitter mascara that can be used as a top coat or alone. They don't sell this anymore but I have seen it online in a few places. I can probably say that the prices are going to be jacked up a bit since it is limited edition and whatnot.

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eye.

I honestly got this for the "limited edition" thing. I don't like using glitter stuff on my lashes because I find most just run off or smudge and leave a huge sparkly mess around my eyes. Plus I don't have that many events to be using sparkly mascara. Well, at least there aren't any events that are worthy to go to the length of sparkly lashes. I would have to say most of the MJ holiday/special occasion/limited edition items aren't really to be used casual days. As for this mascara, it does have to be worn as a top coat/tip coat because as shown(in above pictures) it does not look great alone. I find that the shimmer isn't so obvious that if you are far away, someone would think you have some mad eye boogie gunk. But the good news is that the glitter stays on mad long! No glittery mess as I assumed! It does take forever and ever to remove as well. Another reason to only apply it on the tips only! Overall, this is really only a collector's item and I don't suggest getting it unless you're real serious with glitter or you just want to spend to collect.

Pros: Super smudgeproof, limited edition-wow
Cons: Glitter looks like gunk, hard to remove, discontinued

Please stay tuned in the New Year for more:

T'ESTIMO Shining Eyeliner

2008-12-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

Holidays are here and everything's sparkly! Actually it's not really over here in Canada. It's pretty gloom and there's not much snow either. I wonder if there will be a white Christmas this year or not. It's a real hate/love relationship with snow. I miss it when it's not here and when it is, I really want it to go away. I'm missing it right now. Snow or no snow there are many festivities going on! Lots of parties and celebrations to go to! Unfortunately, this year I am not attending anything because I'm scheduled to work on the night of Christmas in preparation for Boxing Day. It sucks but someone's going to have to do it right? Anyways, today I will be bringing back a discontinued item that I've been constantly using and talking about. It's actually not from a winter collection but I think the end result is very suitable for sparkly party eyes. This is the long-gone-and-missed T'ESTIMO
Shining Eyeliner.

It is a wet shiny eyeliner that goes on in one stroke. I got BR-27 which seems to look like a deep cocoa brown judging the tube but when used, it comes out a nice reddish mahogany brown. Which is why it's so perfect for winter! Nice warm colours that just warm your eyes up! The only reason why I keep bringing this eyeliner up, is because of how much I love formula. It does smudge a bit but because the tube is easily accessible, touching up is very easy. The sparkles aren't very obvious but it's a very cute way to dazzle up your eyes up without going too overboard. And the application is so easy! It's like a thin paint brush which can never be too hard for anyone. It's easy and pretty but discontinued. There may not be any newer versions of these coming out anymore but I see many old ones floating around the net. So it's not entirely discontinued. I would grab it, if you'd like to try a subtle shimmery eyeliner for this holiday!

Pros: Subtle shimmer, wet eyeliner, easy application
Cons: Smudges a little, discontinued

PRIVACY Liquid Rouge

2008-12-17T18:47:00.000-08:00

PRIVACY is an unknown drugmart brand that I just happened to spot and wanted to try out. Just can't get enough of the nude stuff even though I repeatedly tell myself it doesn't work for me. I'm just crazy with the nude lip look and dark eyes. Very cliche indeed. But when you look at the picture on the packaging, the lips do look quite the stunner, eh? So sexy! The added lace motif on the tube doesn't help either! It reminds me of those thigh-high stockings sexy office ladies wear. Ha! Maybe that's what this was aimed for!

This is not nude pink! Looking closely at the tube and the swatch, it was more of a light peach with gold shimmer to it. It's alright. Kind of a downer. I expected something very bubblegum pink or somewhat milky. The picture is quite deceiving! You can see more of the peachness in the swatch picture with the gold flecks.

As you can see, it is kind of a peachy nude. It is obvious not for my skin colour. I must stop buying these colours that I like/think are pretty. I suppose it could work as a thin layer on top of another lipstick but even a thin layer by itself seems a bit too much. Something I did notice was that the gold flecks aren't really noticable once on the lips itself. It seems to cool the colour down. For the lipgloss itself, the pigment is good and the stickiness is like regular lip glosses. There is a faint smell too.

Pros: Nice tube design, Cute colour, Pigmented
Cons: Not a -real- nude pink

edit: the colour of the lipgloss is actually labeled as "CORAL PINK"

Semi-back

2008-12-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Hello and hello again! I have indeed been back and around for quite a bit but my new job is quite important to me and I can not maintain this blog as much as I could before. I'm not leaving this though! I still enjoy my time writing about makeup and beauty products. I'm just afraid that it won't be too constant. My life has taken HUGE step into the future. I went to a job training in the US and it was very successful. I am now back in Canada working full-time at my job and loving every single minute of it. I have also taken an even HUGER step with my boyfriend as well. Good things are happening to me now! I must sound silly now but I have to say I feel very blessed for everything I have and the things I am able to do. I hope we all are.

See you guys around!

- Eliza

My Diary of Beauty(我的美麗日記)Natto Mask(納豆面膜)

2008-12-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

The chilly weather has been long here and my skin has been constantly drying up so I thought I'd pull up some of my old-but-new masks to use again. I have yet to try all those ones that I bought in my My Beauty Diary mask set. These days I have noticed my skin is totally of a different texture compared to normal 365 days of the year. Usually it's pretty smooth but now it's peeling and just nasty to touch. It's pretty much happening to around my face line and the outer corners of my eyes. It really bugs me every time I wash. I've been using the Bihada Ichizoku Gel Scrub to try to get all the dry dead skin off and it seems to work momentarily. My skin is just so dry! I think it's possibly that the even the JUJU creams I've been using aren't really working out anymore. I need something more powerful! I have indeed looked into buying some that others have reviewed.

But anyways, I decided to scrub and apply a mask today. This is not the most moisturizing one I have in my "collection" of masks but it had to be tried! This one is the Natto Mask(納豆面膜). I have had natto beans before and I'm honestly not a big fan of it. The one I actually bought was specifically targeted for women's beauty. I didn't really think much of it after eating it except that I probably wasted some money. The mask itself though does not smell of the natto bean but of a faint floral scent. Also as usual, the mask is drenched in liquid that it seems such a waste to take it 0ff after the 30 minutes duration when it's still wet! The mask was really refreshing to the touch and it made my skin feel real soft. The roughness was slightly better. Of course, I didn't expect too much of a difference but it did surpass my expectations. Definitely did.

美肌一族 Bihada Ichizoku Makeup Remover

2008-11-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

Here is another skincare product from Bihada Ichizoku. This is their makeup remover which is quite essential before using their scrub/facial washes and masks. It is encased in a pretty normal tube but what tempted me the most to try it out was the actual cover design. It is quite a horrible excuse to get something for that reason but Bihada Ichizoku just always seems to draw me back. I've used quite a few makeup removers over my time of constantly applying makeup daily. For both my face and eyes, I would use the oil types. The Bihada Ichizoku Makeup Remover would be my first remover of a cream base. It comes out pretty much like cream and one could even mistaken it as one because of how soft it feels. The fragrance is pretty light and soothing. Lots of lavender scent. As for actually removing the makeup, it is awesome! According to the instructions, the cream is to be rubbed in circular motions around the face but I've also tried to slowly wipe away my eye makeup as well. Surprisingly it works real well! The MJ mascara and KATE eyeliner is gone! And after rinsing it off, my face feels incredibly smooth! Just like a baby's bum! It's definitely worth a try!

Pros: Moisturizing, removes all makeup, smells great!
Cons: None.

美肌一族 Bihada Ichizoku Lip Gloss

2008-11-07T05:07:00.000-08:00

This is another release from Bihada Ichizoku along with the blush there came a Bihada Ichizoku Lip Gloss. It doesn't really look like an exciting release but I was in fan mode for the Bihada Ichizoku line that I had to have everything. It wasn't that expensive either. It is basically lip gloss within the line with a normal-but-semi-stiff brush. I'm really glad they didn't use plastic spatulas because I really don't like using those. Now there is another gloss that is clear and these ones did come out after that one. These ones are pretty much the same but with colour.

The first one I got was the Pearl Pink which is totally wrong to what it actually is. I think the labeling was bad but to me it should be called "Shimmery Pink". A very pretty cute berry translucent pink with a dash of shimmer to it. It goes on quite well with the brush and it gives a glossy watery-look. The scent of the actual gloss is VERY nice! Reminds me of a cherry popsicle.

The second one I got was the Pearl Pale Orange which suits is name entirely. It is semi-pearl that just looks flat-out nude to me. I was already shaking my head when I recieved it because I knew it wouldn't suit my skintone. It would be too pigmented and make me look weird. But actually to my surprise, it goes on thick(with colour) but really sheer. It doesn't even have a gold tint to it at all which is perfect. I observed wrongly! This one also has the lovely and yummy cherry popsicle scent. Texture wise these glosses are semi-sticky and they don't taste like anything either. I know I wouldn't be purchasing these again but I do think they make great stocking stuffers!

Pros: Cute colours, Cheap, Cherry Popsicle scent
Cons: Just a normal tube of lipgloss

Sofina Raycious Crystal Skin Base

2008-11-05T01:18:00.000-08:00

Along with the Face Trick Duo I decided to also try out the Raycious Crystal Skin Base as well. Again when I tried this I had absolutely no impression of Raycious. This was just a sure gamble with my money. The skin base came in a pump bottle which I immediately liked and it also had the intelligent "window" showing how much product you had left. I believe it also turns white when you have only a few more pumps left. I can't justify this because I have yet to see it for myself and I can't read the Japanese on the back. All I can see the word "white" so I know something along the lines is going to happen.

The actual base/primer is pretty much a peachy toned gel that you can spread around your face while creating a luminous skin texture. The gel-cream is pretty smooth and light-weight. It awfully feels like a moisturizing base too which is very good for the upcoming months. The sell-point of this base is because of the slight bit pearl so your face can beam after it is put on. The finish is incredibly nice and makes me want to order a bit more to keep stock. It is sadly a discontinued item from Sofina. I would definitely recommend getting it if you happen to see it on sale somewhere.

Pros: Great texture, creates luminious skin, moisturizing, inngenious bottle design
Cons: Discontinued item, slight bit smelly like SPF

Mascara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Enamel Glamor

2008-11-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

Yay! You know what time it is! Why! It's Mascara Monday! Yippee! It's been a blast doing these entries! Today I bring you Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamor! It is one of the other options when choosing a MJ mascara. There is the lengthening Lash Expander and I suppose this one is quite the opposite(seeing the name). The name Lash Enamel Glamor sounds like quite a veneer for the lashes. Almost like shiny nail varnish. In translation it must be a shiny wet glistening-in-the-spotlight type. Real glamour!

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eye.

Not that I personally didn't like the effect the Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamor gave off on my lashes but it just wasn't as impressive. It did not suit any of my needs at all. If I had wanted perfect, shiny and dark lashes, it would've been a winner. I'm really not into the "wet" mascara look but more structured and lengthy one. As the pictures reveal, the lengthening skill is quite on the minimal side. You can also see the glisten & shine of the mascara on my lashes too. It was a bit darker and a bit clumpy for me. I would think it'd be a great top layer after the Lash Expander but only a little! Is it great? Not really. It is worth buying? It all depends on you!

Pros: Waterproof, smudgeproof, dark, "wet" look
Cons: No volume, clumps a bit and no length.

Please come back next Monday for:

Semi-Hiatus

2008-10-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I hate to say this again but I will have to be on a short hiatus. I have an important job training to go to for a few weeks so I will be unable to post new reviews and respond to the questions/comments. I'm afraid to say Mascara Mondays may be on a pause as well.

Please enjoy the past entries for the time being!

Thanks!

- Eliza

Sofina Raycious Face Trick Duo

2008-10-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

When it comes to actual face makeup I usually tend to only stick to brands I know, tried and liked. I never got into Kanebo's face makeup line Raycious which is now discontinued/revamped with a new name and style. Even though I didn't use any of their products I did keep a close eye on the brand as I liked the model(Yamada Yu) in it. I finally gave the brand a chance and tried out one of their interesting products called the Raycious Face Trick Duo. At first I didn't understand how to use it but I slowly got the hang of using it. Basically it is a face highlighter and shader.

Usually these highlighters and shaders come in powder form but this one is in a light gel-ish cream texture. One end is a pearl light(highlighter) and the other is a cafe caramel brown(shader). I tend to use the highlighter part a lot just to emphasize the areas of my brows and cheeks. It's pretty easy to use too. Just a swipe, a few smudges and you're good to go. I never really understood the shading part because I never included shading in my daily makeup routine. I suppose you could swipe it upwards on your cheeks to create a "hollow" look. The colours are pretty blendable if you wanted to put them together and they do mix into your skin real well as demonstrated in my 2nd picture. It's overall not a bad product at all and it's easy to fit in with your other makeup.

Pros: Easy to use, cream texture, duo concept, compact
Cons: Discontinued item, shader may not be suitable for all skintones

美肌一族 Bihada Ichizoku Cheek Blush

2008-10-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

Bihada Ichizoku is famous for their masks but the line has grown and introduced some cute blushes. The packaging of the blushes aren't exactly wow-worthy as they are only encased in a sleek clear plastic container similar to ones from MJ. They don't come with brushes which is quite alright considering the price. The texture of the blushes are quite silky smooth but they are quite loose once brushed. Quite a bit does go to waste because it just brushes and traps into the corner of the container. I have to be careful to not brush too hard so there is minimal waste.

The first one I got was Pearl Rose which is a pure rose with pearl finish to it. It does have some shimmer to it but only because of the pearl. Sometimes blushes come with just a top coat of pearl colour but this is not the case for this one. It is full of pearl. It is slightly more pigmented than the other one I have. I find this shade(because of the pearl) is very suitable for everyone. It's not too pink or too orange. I can be lightly tapped or brushed full-on. I really liked this one a lot.

The other colour I got was the Pearl Orange which is mediocre. I thought it would be vibrant(or as pigmented as the rose) with a pearl finish but it's pretty much a very light pale orange with pearl. The colour isn't so great because it's way too light for my skintone. I could see it better as an eyeshadow or highlighter.

Pros: Very smooth and silky, Pearl Rose is worth a try
Cons: No brush, blush is quite loose(waste)

Macara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA My Lashes Extend Elegantly

2008-10-06T04:29:00.000-07:00

Mascara Monday! I'm excited to add more to my new project! This time I will be talking about Majolica Majorca My Lashes Extend Elegantly. There really isn't an official name that I can find for this mascara but I'd probably think it's referred to the newer version of the Lash Extender as the selling point is that it gives you 120% increase in length for your lashes. That's insane considering most mascaras in the western market only boost up to 90%! Can do this mascara do what it says and give a 120% boost to my short stubborn lashes??

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eye.

Now my eye, curled, 1 layer of the Majolica Majorca My Lashes Extend Elegantly and combed out with a lash brush. For some reason, it doesn't seem all that great. It seems like the original Lash Expander did better. The formula is slightly the same but I found in this one it was much more wet and thick. By thick, I don't mean it making the lashes thick but the formula was rather wet gloopy. It also clumped quite a bit. My lashes looked really covered with black gunk so I had to use the lash brush to comb it out that is why it looks so natural in the pictures. Maybe it was a gimmick to release this one? Maybe it just doesn't work for me? Maybe it'll work for you.

Pros: Comb brush
Cons: No volume, clumps, wet, no 120% boost

Anna Sui Moisturizing Fluid Foundation

2008-10-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

The colder season is approaching and I thought I would share my favourite(and #1) winter foundation. It is indeed the stunning Anna Sui Moisturizing Fluid Foundation! I haven't seen much reviews on this particular item from Anna Sui since the powders are much more popular. I tried this last winter on a spontaneos Anna Sui splurge while shopping for Christmas gifts. I have to admit that I do spoil one of my friends who is also a super Anna Sui fan.

I got B02 which is described as a medium beige and perfect for my skin whether it be summer or winter. The foundation sports the signature Anna Sui rose scent and is semi-thick but liquidy. I have to say, just with a simple test at the counter, you can tell how moisturizing it is. It feels like a great cream with a touch of colour. Don't get me wrong though about the touch of colour because the coverage is SUPERB! It has a real good coverage not full-on mask but it hides the major issues on my face(redness). As I mentioned before, I did purchase this one last Christmas and it has been tested many many times that I have to say it is truly a MUST-HAVE! It's moisturizing factor really lasts long that it keeps your face moist and won't dry out from the cold. It's obvious not meant for summer but I've been using it as concealer for the warmer months(shh!). I'm so glad summer is over and I can use this wonderful find again! Snow, please come soon!

Pros: Very moisturizing, medium to medium full coverage, signature scent
Cons: A bit heavy for oily skin beauties, no SPF, pour-out application

MAQUILLAGE Design Cheek Color/Colour

2008-10-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Oh MAQUILLAGE! Why must you release such pretty blushes?! I was trying to refrain from purchasing the MAQUILLAGE Design Cheek Color/Colour but I couldn't help myself last minute when I was checking out. I had previously owned two of their blushes from their discontinued line(pN). They were pretty good and they looked pretty similar to the Design Face Color/Colour. This one isn't any different. The case(sold seperately), which comes with a brush, is divided into two levels. The first is where the brush is and the second is where you pop the blush into. And added, but no brainer, bonus is the mirror on the bottom of level one. The brush is soft but not outstanding so I rather use my full-sized one.

Like all blushes, there is always a pink one and an orange tinted one. I chose the pink one #80 solely because winter is pretty much just around the kitchen. I owned the orange tinted blush from the previous discontinued line(pN) and I didn't particularly enjoy using it at all. Just too orange for my Asian face. The orange would obviously work better for pale-skinned beauties. #80 has 3 pinks consisting of a baby pink, vibrant pink, coral-ish pink and a white. Although the shimmer is swiped off within the first use, there are some hints here and there when you apply. My favourite pink of the 3 would have to be the vibrant pink because it's just right for my skintone. The other ones are far too off or sheer. The other option is mixing all the colours but didn't like the result. The pinks were just too light for my cheeks. Overall, it is a great blush because of the design and longevity but the colours are definitely needed to be tested before purchasing.

Pros: Nice colours, slight shimmer, cute compact
Cons: Compact sold seperately(costly), only 2 shades available

INTEGRATE Pencil Eyes

2008-09-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

Ever wake up one morning and tell yourself that you have to have a certain product? I did! I remember seeing INTEGRATE Pencil Eyes for a long time and didn't really think much about it until lately when I discovered Covergirl has something similar. I then thought to myself "Wow! How handy and cool is that?" The concept of an eyeshadow pencil is nothing new but it seems like it may make a comeback! I jumped to get this one right away and couldn't decide between colours because there were just too many!

I finally made a choice on one(yes! only one!) based on the fact that I had to go to work and it would come in real handy for those days I wake up late or I'm in a rush. Plus it's easy to touch up at the office. I went for the darker brown that they carry which is BR691. I really had a hard choice between the two because they were both equally pretty. The only reason why this one ruled over was because I believed it could be seen more on my skintone and could possibly, if mastered correctly, used as a kohl liner. The BR691 is of a dirty dark dirt brown but when used as eyeshadow it turns into a chocolate brown with slight bit shimmer. The pencil itself is incredibly easy to use: line close to the lash line like liner and use ring finger to smudge upwards. Simple! The colour that I thought would show up on my eyes didn't really. It's there but you have to be awfully close to me to see it. The lasting factor is real bad too. I'm so disappointed that it would turn out like this! I suppose I should start using it with a coordinating powder eyeshadow. Bad one for INTEGRATE.

Pros: No brain instructions, beautiful colour selection, subtle shimmer
Cons: Not very pigmented, not long-lasting

Mascara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Expander

2008-09-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

It's Mascara Monday! I love mascara! Don't you? I have yet to find one that is awesomepants. I have found great formulas but not 100% the best one for me. So it's great that there is such thing as Mascara Mondays! Today I will be reviewing Majolica Majorca Lash Expander which is one of their older ones. The thing about MJ is that they come out with a newer and approved edition of the same mascara each collection and sometimes within those collections they have special limited edition ones. I think that's an awesome way to keep consumers attached but horrible for our wallets. But again since they come out with it every season, I suppose they want you to use their mascara from the time it got released to the time a new gets released so you will keep using it. I don't do that though. I like to mix it up here and there depending on how much time I have at the mirror. Lash expander is pretty much a lengthening mascara with a waxy like formula to coat.

Here is my uncurled, plain, short, sparse and straight eye.

Here is my curled and singled coated with Majolica Majorca Lash Expander eye. Quite a difference, right? It lengthened real well but yet still looks quite natural. There isn't much clumping either. Just a minor here and there that can be easily fixed with a lash brush. I liked that it also lasted pretty much the whole day without smudging or flaking around the outer corner of my eyes which is usually the case for all the other mascaras I own. The only thing that I don't really like about it that it doesn't give me enough oomph. I want thick and long lashes and this only gave me the long. But hey! This mascara really works and I'm not the only one who thinks that. A lot of beauty bloggers on the net are falling in love or in love with it. Move out natural fake lashes! Majolica Majorca Lash Expander is home!

Pros: Comb brush, lengthens real well, waterproof, smudgeproof
Cons: No volume, clumps a bit.

Stay tuned for more:

Anna Sui Eyebrow Powder

2008-09-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

Eyebrows. Not only do eyebrows open up your face but it also is a sign of a woman who takes the time to care for themselves. Even saying that, I really don't like grooming my eyebrows because it's sometimes painful and just a lot to do when I'm so tired. I probably should touch up every single day but honestly, I only do that 2-3 days apart. I've used many waxing products and I don't particularly like the results. Manual plucking is the most time consuming but efficient way to do it. My brows are naturally thinned towards the end so I have to be very careful in where I pluck. I also have to fill them in to make a more complete look. I like to use Anna Sui Eyebrow Powder during the drier months. I only do this because I find I don't need to worry about it melting in the heat.

I chose 02 which is the brown type. My pictures seem to make the brow powder look very warm but it is not. It matches dark brows(typically Asian) perfectly. The brush is fairly firm for the application and it makes it a real breeze to swipe and draw. Filling in the gaps is also pretty easy with the slanted tip. The one thing I love about the actual product is it's case. If you notice in the second picture above, there is fine etching around the mirror. Very pretty indeed! The lasting colour of the powder is just awesome! Although sometimes I do touch my brows unintenionally so I do have to touchup but it's no worry because the case is so small to bring out. It's about half of an average palm. Overall, the eyebrow powder is worth the try because I've tried the ones in America and I find those either too pigmented or too powdery.

Pros: Long lasting, signature rose scent, quality brush, easy to use
Cons: Limited amount of colour tones.

Anna Sui Face Color/Colour Accent

2008-09-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

My Anna Sui Face Color/Colour Accent had been hiding at the back of my makeup drawer for awhile that I almost forgot that I actually had one! I was wondering to myself about how I would not have a blush from Anna Sui. And it just popped out! It's not that I have a lot of makeup that I can't keep track of it... the only reason is because my drawer is such a mess. I divided everything according to blush, lip and face(with eyes) but it just seems to always get messed up. I am really in need of a makeup drawer makeupover! Please sign me up for one!

Anyhow the Anna Sui Face Color/Colour Accent is a very cute rose molded blush that comes complete with a small cute brush engraved with signature Anna Sui design. Like all of her makeup products, the blush smells like roses and is excellent quality blush. I got yet another vibrant blush 400. It is interesting that it's the same number as my Mini Rouge. Does that mean they go together? I suppose but I wouldn't go that way because it's just too much red on the face, in my opinion. Seeing that Anna Sui is all about bold colours, I only assumed that the blush would be incredibly pigmented but actually it picks up just the right amount of colour to make dolly cheeks happen. Depending on how much you swipe, the colour can turn from a cute pink to a very bright pink. I prefer the cute pink which is 1-2 swipes. One thing that surprised me about the blush was the actual brush that came along with it. I've seen my friend(who I previously talked about. Anna Sui fan) collect the brush jar and brushes. They looked pretty high quality and highly collectable. I never got to try them but the little one that came with this blush really wow-ed me! It's incredibly soft but not in a flimsy way. It felt like the actual larger version of a blush brush working but just smaller in size. The brushes are definitely something to check out if blush isn't your thing or if you're looking for cute and awesome brushes.

Pros: Great colour payoff, signature rose scent, outstanding brush
Cons: No mirror

Anna Sui Mini Rouge

2008-09-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

There was never anything that attracted me to the simple idea of having glossystick (my version of lipgloss and lipstick in one) in a ring or keychain. I found those incredibly useless and prone to bacteria because of the fingers and constant opening and closing. Plus the mileage of the container for the price just didn't make sense to me. However that thinking is very different when you're splurging at a counter. I got the Mini Rouge when it came out which is around last Christmas. I had intentionally wanted to buy one for my friend but I found myself purchasing one for her and myself. The packaging is pretty simple with a small rose flower container and beaded clasp fixture. Along with the glossystick there is a mirror which is really smart and great to have for touch-ups.

I got my friend a pearly pink for everyday use, since the container was small for her already growing bag(she's a design student) and a much more bolder one for myself. I had intentionally wanted to try out the blue sparkly clear one but instead I chose to stick with a traditional one like the 400. It is not only a vibrant hot red but a very shiny vibrant hot red!

Testing it on the hand and actual lip are totally different stories because it goes on slight-bit sheer which is totally alright with me. The glossiness of it makes it movable and very moisturizing. So the glossystick isn't quite (lip)stick just very pigmented. I like that it's a real pigmented but you can still wear it every single day without having to worry of looking like a clown. It's a real great introductory gift for red lipstick virgins or even just a stocking stuff. This shade is so flattering for a lot of skin colours. I'm probably going to buy a few more to give to people this year as it's so cute!

Pros: Convenient design, moisturizing, works for everyday, signature rose scent, great gift idea
Cons: No applicator

Mascara Monday: MAJOLICA MAJORCA Mascara Base

2008-09-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

It is MASCARA MONDAY TIME! This is the debut post for this new special project! The first mascara I will be reviewing is from Majolica Majorca. I have most of the mascaras but am missing 1-2. They are quite famous for the quality and the comb application. I'm personally not a fan of the combing mascaras but I love everything about these mascaras. Must say the packaging is what brought me to purchasing all of them as they came out. For starters, I will be reviewing the primer first as it's an essential or lust-worthy thing to have. It comes in a nice white tube with signature font that reads "Curl, curl, curl toward the sky" Primers are used to prepare and seperate lashes before the real application of mascara. They are often white/clear and have lengthening strengths to it. It also helps set and maintain the curl of your lashes throughout the day. The MJ one comes with a comb brush and is fairly translucent so it doesn't leave loads of white liquid drops on the lashes.

Here are photos of my lashes before application. I have curled my short straight lashes.

Now my lashes coated with the MJ Primer/Mascara base.

Just to show the full effect of the Primer/Mascara base with Mascara. Here are pictures of my eye without the primer but with the Visee Lash Glamour Shape Mascara.

And finally pictures with the primer and Visee mascara.

I honestly don't find this base as great as other primers I've used but I did own the first one MJ came out with. It's not as lengthening as others but I like how clean it is. It's comb feature is easy to use even though I don't like the comb. It's truly a breeze to apply! It's probably meant for a natural look. It's really an ok product depending on your needs and wants. I personally enjoy using it even though it doesn't really do much because it's a primer which is probably better than applying mascara alone.

Pros: Natural looking, Primer for lashes, Easy comb application
Cons: Not much difference

Please come back next Monday for:

MAQUILLAGE Climax Moisture Gel Foundation

2008-09-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Although I do have my all time favourite foundation for winter already, I still always try out other brands so I can switch it up so I can have options. I had also purchased MAQUILLAGE Climax Moisture Gel Foundation last Christmas. I have only tried two foundations from Shiseido, the UVWhite and Sun Protection. Those were pretty good so I had a real good feeling about the Climax Moisture Gel. One of the things that caught my eye about this foundation was the dispense bottle type of bottle. I love the way that it doesn't have to get all the back of my hand and it just gives me the adequet amount needed for my face. And besides the fact that I'm also crazy for anything with pumps(shampoo, conditioner, body wash, styling gel, cream..etc).

Another interesting detail about the bottle is that it has a small window to tell you how much of the product you have left. I have yet to witness the actual thing but I read on this blog that when the foundation is used up to a certain amount the window will turn white to let you know that you only have 15 uses left. That sounds pretty good! Very thoughful because it's pretty bad if you run out when you need to put on makeup, say for an interview or a highschool reunion! Even though it is obvious when the foundation's life is over from the weight of the actual bottle contents, the window is much more accurate. The foundation also comes with a sponge encased in a small flat box made just to fit your makeup bag. A freebie! No need to open up another sponge just for this foundation!

The foundation is a gel texture which I find quite intriguing as it's a winter edition product(so it says on the bottle: fall/winter) because normally foundations should be moisturizing for the colder and much more drier climate. The only explanation for this really is that the foundation is made for people with oily skin-type for winter! I have combination skin so it was dry in most areas of my face and very dry in some. It really didn't work for me. The coverage was pretty good though and I loved the light gel texture on my face. It's a shame though that it didn't work out for me. I suppose there is one for combination skin-types and I purchased the wrong one. I would try it if you have oily skin type for the winter.

Pros: Medium coverage, interesting gel texture, ingenious bottle design
Cons: Drying for dry and combination beauties.

MAQUILLAGE Design Face Colour

2008-09-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

MAQUILLAGE makes some great looking blush and highlighters. Even before MAQUILLAGE, the Shiseido branded blushes were just awesome! I love the design, colours and the high quality of the products that I decided to purchase the first edition of the Design Face Colour. The palette is quite pretty with a dual ended brush for cheeks and little areas on the face. However, the case(with brush) needs to be purchased separately which makes the entire palette quite costly.

I chose #50 for a warmer season and thought it would go along with the bronze babe look that I wanted. I was also hoping to further the use during winter as well for a wintery glowy look. There are 4 different shades in the palette from light dirt brown to a beachy sand. They can be used separately or in 1 swipe. When swiped the colours combine to make this wonderful sandy brown tint. I honestly don't use it much as it hasn't really done what I really want but I really wish it did. Kind of a real disappointment to me especially with it coming from Shiseido's MAQUILLAGE. The Face Colour was just too sheer with no glow whatsoever.

Pros: Pretty case, Pretty to look at
Cons: Costly case, sheer colours

MAQUILLAGE Neo Climax Lip

2008-09-17T02:28:00.000-07:00

From the moment MAQUILLAGE released their Neo Climax Lip, I knew I needed to have it! Just a few months ago, I finally got off my butt and ordered it online and was very pleased with it. I've always liked Shiseido's lip glosses but never purchased enough. The designs and results of the glosses always were what I wanted my lips to have. The gloss itself is actually half lip gloss and half lipstick. It has that pigment that lipstick gives you yet the sheerness and smoothness of a gloss. The gloss also sports the ingenious design of a lipstick shaped applicator that has a twist dispenser with the familiar REW and FW.

The colour I had spotted and wanted was the RS755 which was the model's colour and one I didn't have. It was rather a quick decision to choose this colour because it looked so flattering. It is a very very flattering rose plum pink. I just love it! The texture of the gloss isn't bad either. I don't find it at all thick or slimey like other glosses seem to have. It's just perfect! In fact, I did go to a couple of job interviews with this gloss on and have been complimented on it. What can I say? Wonderful! I'm even considering purchasing more colours from the same line!

Pros: Great formula, GREAT colour(RS755)
Cons: NONE! AT! ALL!

New!

2008-09-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

That's right! A whole new section to my already growing blog! A OUI BEAUTY SPECIAL: Mascara Mondays! I thought it would be a fun project to do with my blog. It's nothing too different from my normal mascara entries but just every Monday, it'll always be about mascara! How fun is that?

It debuts next week(you guessed it...MONDAY!)!

AUBE Mousse & Accent Eyes

2008-09-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

This is not the newest AUBE eyeshadow but it's one of their good ones that I enjoyed a lot. This is the AUBE Mouuse & Accent Eyes. I was actually in Asia at the time it was being sold at the counter and got to actually try it. This was back in Summer 2006. The colours were very pretty and it was hard to not collect them all but I had to refrain myself. The eyeshadow is a duo with a mousse(cream-like) eyeshadow and a coordinating cream eyeliner. I only purchased one(81) of them at the time.

The one I had gotten two years ago was 81 which was probably the safest colour out of the bunch. Although they had a gold, I found this one pretty good for any colour combination. The mousse isn't thick or "whippy". I find it like a cream eyeshadow but softer. The colour could be easily adjusted with your finger/brush depending on how much you swiped out of it. When I first got it, I used it alone but after awhile I started using it as an eyeshadow base for more pigmented looks. There is shimmer to it but it just enhances the eyeshadow or your eyes. Makes dark eyes sparkle madly! The eyeliner that came with 81 is a shimmery grey leaning onto metallic. It's not a hard eyeliner but made to match the texture of the eyeshadow which is nice and soft. I find 81 a good choice if you can't decide on a colour because you can do just anything with it!

I bought 84 recently when I found it on sale. I don't like pink but I had a feeling that this pink was going to be a tinted version of the 81. Which in fact it is and what makes it more attractive is the colour of eyeliner that comes with it! Purple and pink? So cute! I love swatching it and looking at it but it's really not as good as the 81. I seem to have more purpose with the 81 instead of the 84.

Pros: Smooth shimmery texure, coordinating eyeliner, can be used as base
Cons: Eyeliner pencil longevity.

MAJOLICA MAJORCA Shadow Customize Eyeshadows

2008-09-13T03:47:00.000-07:00

I have seen the Majolica Majorca Shadow Customize Eyeshadows for quite awhile but never got into actually buying them. I have many of their quads and eyeshadow sets but never once owned just the shadow alone. I was naturally assuming it would be the same as the collections they put out. My curiosity got the worst in me and I purchased two shadows from the newer colour selections. I believe they came out around Fall 2007. A pretty long time ago, I know!

The first colour I got was PK421 which is a very bold hot pink colour. I love how vibrant and pigmented the pink is. I hardly ever wear or buy pink because I just don't think it looks great on me. I got it to compliment the other colour I had chosen. I really like black and pink together because I had gotten a T'estimo and Lavshuca palette with those two colours in it and they just looked fab! Especially with winter coming up, it would look really romantic yet dark.

BK922 was the colour I wanted to try the most. I really like silvery/blackish colours. I have a fairly bigger-than-average collection of black shadows because I just love mixing it all up. No, not to make a mess on my eyes but to do smokey eyes. The black is slightly darker than it appears so it makes a perfect smokey eye. Blending is very easily done with the two shadows or any from the huge selection they have. I must say I really like these shadows but I rather buy it in the collections because the collections don't take as much room as these. Comparing the shadows to the actual palette shadows, they are of the exact same silky texture.

Pros: Lots of colours to choose from, cheap
Cons: "Value" palettes seem better

Lavshuca Jewel Lipstick

2008-09-12T02:35:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I never really had the urge to try Lavshuca lip products but somehow I always find myself doing the opposite. I decided to try 2 of their Rouge Lipsticks when they first came out. I tried BE-5 and RS-5. At the time of promotion they had more attractive names but I have yet to look them up. I will update with those names shortly. These lipsticks came out before the Lip Essence and are smaller than most lipsticks in size. Somewhat stubby and cute with the signature Lavshuca colours.

BE-5 is a shimmery dark champagne colour that is leaning onto nude. I still don't know why I always purchase these "golden" numbers when they don't suit me at all. I suppose I wanted to be experimental and hae something other than pink and red in my drawer. BE-5 is a really pretty colour for much more darker skinned audience, I think. Although the colour isn't great, the texture of the lipstick is pretty good. It's not too thick and not too thin. Compared to the lip essence, it is of a different cateogory. More pigmented and much more "coverage".

The RS-5 runs along the darker colours in the collection. It was pretty alluring to me. I found it close to my lip colour but darker. By darker, it made me feel more alive and just brought more colour to my face. The only complaint is that I wish it was a bit more shimmery. Just a touch and it would've been well-made for me.

Pros: Good formula for lipstick, Great colour selection
Cons: Gold tinted lipsticks aren't great for everyone.

Shiseido The Makeup Luminizing Brush Powder

2008-09-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

Although it is no longer summer, I have a review for a powder that is certainly great for the hotter climates. I've been using this product for quite a few months already and I'm pleased to say that I am very happy with it. It is Shiseido The Makeup Luminizing Brush Powder. Shiseido's The Makeup line is actually all made and designed in the US. I find it quite different from the Japanese Shiseido because there is only one collection for makeup with some updates here and there. It also has that luxury feel to it that appeals to more of a mature audience.

The Luminizing Brush Powder comes in three shades. A pink, beige and white. All three do about the same just depending on the outcome you want on your face. I chose the white(01) one for setting my makeup and keeping the shine off my t-zone. It's very finely grated powder that is picked up only when you twist the brush around(while still having it connected together). With a twist(or 2) it picks up just the right amount of powder to dust all over your face. I personally never liked powder but my face was just getting too shiny! There really is no coverage as it's translucent. It does have some shimmer particles in it but once swiped on, it looks as if there's nothing at all. The texture of the powder is really light-weight and it makes your skin feel so soft that sometimes I even apply it alone(after moisturizer) when I head out for an errand. Scent wise it is pretty well done with a small, slightly floral soap scent. Very clean and very pure.

It is truly a powder that is worth it's money! The design of the powder is very ingenious! It's in a wand form that when you pull it out the brush reveals and with a simple click, a wall will cover it. With that being said, I do really love the design of the tube but it is a bit bulky to bring around in your makeup bag. It seems perfect for nights out but there is no way to put it in the small clutch. I really wish they had come out with a mini-me size. I would totally buy that in a heart beat. How about refills? There are refills available to purchase where you only get the bottom part. It is a bit pricey but I find this powder totally worth the time and money. I just love it! But sadly now, I have to put it away for it is getting cold!

Pros: Keeps the shine off, wonderful design
Cons: Bulky, a bit expensive

I bought a new scarf from H&M! Isn't it pretty?

SANA Esteny Super Hard Gel - Lemon

2008-09-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

While I was reviewing the other gel I was using the Sana Esteny Hot Massage Gel(Normal) This one comes in an orange tube and is used the same way as the Super Hard edition.

It comes out a clear orange watery blob with no exfoliating beads(unlike the Super Hard edition). It smells pretty nice of orange and bergamont. The gel is to firm up the body and make it super soft. It can be used on the arms, butt, thighs and tummy area. On contact it does not have a hot sensation but as you rub in circular(as in instructed) it will heat up just like the other one. I didn't particularly like this one as much(hence using it 2nd) because there were no exfoliation beads in it. Like the previous one there are some slimey issues where the gel is running off the hands so the beads in the other one really help grip. Between the two I would purchase the Super Hard one again because of the beads and extra hot sensation.

Pros: Less irritating/hot, Orange scented
Cons: No exfoliating beads

Lavshuca Lip Essence

2008-09-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

I never really wanted to try the lip products from Lavshuca or any other brand but the Lavshuca Essence Rouge really intrigued me with the packaging and the overall effect on the models' lips. It looked like one of those lip gloss in lipstick combinations all packed in a skinny tube. The tube has a twisting mechanism at the bottom with a REW and FW directions. It also makes a clicking sound as you twist. Below I have 2 different shades from 2 different seasons. The first one(RD-1) is from the older collection while the second one (PK-4) is from the recent Summer 2008 collection.

This is the RD-1 which is from the older collection. It is a pretty red that isn't too mature/alluring or too bright. It's a red with a shot of hot pinkness to it. Plus there is shimmer to it which makes it even prettier! I love this colour a lot! As you can see it does go on pretty sheer but not sheer enough that it will look like nothing. The formula of the lip essence is to die for! It's light-weight and it glides on the lips like butter on corn. It's just wonderful!

The second and newer PK-4 is a really light nude pink for a beachy look. From the looks of it, it looks like it's to achieve a summery beach babe look without going all bronze. The colour goes on naturally with shimmer and some hints of gold. I'm really not a fan of the gold but it is still a really pretty pink. It's just not for me which is a shame. This one also has the same formula as the older collection and is limited edition.

Pros: Great formula, Slight shimmer, Natural colours
Cons: Gold tint in PK-4

Have you noticed I have played with the angles?

Update!

2008-09-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

Hello again, readers!

How was your summer? Are you ready for fall? Hopefully it isn't too much of a hard transition!

My summer was great! Having my computer in the shop helped me get out a bit more and experiment with some western cosmetics. I'm thinking of reviewing them. Maybe on special days. I haven't decided yet.

I'm pleased to tell everyone that I am back and hopefully some of the reviews(that have been sitting in my email account) will be up in soon-time.

I have also decided to close the other two locations of my blog on Livejournal and Pixnet. It's just confusing sometimes!

That is about it!
Bye for now!

MAJOR HIATUS

2008-07-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

Hello readers!
My blog will be on a short break due to a malfunctioning computer.

There will be many reviews to come and will be posted when I come back!

Bye for now!
Have a great summer!

SANA Super Hard Massage Gel

2008-07-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

There are so many famous products in Japan and SANA's Super Hard Massage Gel is one them. The collection of massage products for toning and making skin smooth is also known as SANA Esteny. The one I have here is the Super Hard Massage Gel which has lots of chili pepper ingredients and marine extracts for exfoliating. It helps smooth everything down while the gel heats up as you massage in an upward circular motion. This one is particularly aimed for tummy, thighs and calves. There are many others for legs and another one to target the tummy. Unfortunately, I have used this product up so there are no pictures of the exfoliating beads and the gel up close. So this review may be a little on the boring side.

The target area that I was focusing on was mainly my thighs and tummy. I used it at least twice a week and it only took a medium sized squirt of it to cover my whole body. I found that when in the shower the gel gets pretty slippery so there should be caution when squirting it out. I had some major accidents when I squirted too much and wasted a bit. Good thing is that this gel is inexpensive so it didn't really matter too much to me. The best thing about the gel is that you can immediately feel the results. Skin feels tight and is smooth to the touch. People use this to slim down so it's probably similar and comparable to a cellulite scrub. I love the fact that I actually felt scrubbing and the heat felt really refreshing. I really loved using it so I probably would purchase this again when I see it. Currently I am using the normal Sana Esteny Citrus Massage Gel which I will review a little later.

Pros: Makes skin feel soft and tight. Inexpensive!
Cons: A bit slippery!

Kosé Visée Metallic Gloss Rouge

2008-07-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

There doesn't seem to be anyone talking about the recent additions to Visee Metallic Rouge or the original lipgloss itself. I didn't find it that interesting either but I managed to find myself purchasing 2 out of the 3 newest colours from the Spring 2008 line. I suppose the lipgloss isn't quite popular because it's outer appearance isn't attractive at all. The packaging and colours available are pretty plain jane with a black cap top and a shapely bottom. I'm not a huge fan of Kose Visee products because I never really gave them the time or day to try them out. That's why I find it surprising that I actually have them. The mascara I tried before was exceptional because it looked promising even though everyone knows that people who do mascara commercials are usually wearing fake lashes or they beefed it up with a graphic program. But let's now talk about the lipglosses!

I don't know why but I always have to buy a pink when it comes to a new product. Maybe for the safety or maybe because I really like pink lips. I really don't know. This is PK-858 and it's a light pearl shimmery pink. It's a very warm pink that it could be almost mistaken for a nude lip. When put on it's pretty and shimmery just like the next pink lipgloss out there. There really isn't anything special with this one because I have plenty of the same colour already. In fact it is comparable to Shiseido MM's plump glosses.

BE-354 is the ultimate nude champagne colour. It might as well be champagne with all the shimmer that could represent all the bubbly bubbles. It's pretty pigmented that it makes my lips look very fake, loaded with gloss and gross. I had to blot many times to get a more natural look but who really blots their gloss when it's just 1 coat? That's just weird and a waste of product. I suppose this colour is for those who have darker and tanned skin because the gold flecks and champagne colour would match perfectly! It really reminds of Gyaru makeup. Too bad I'm not into that kind of style or this would be perfect!

The texture of the gloss is pretty sticky and it makes me think that Visee is behind in creating an excellent formula that's lightweight. It just doesn't feel great to have such a heavy layer for Spring. But if you look on the brighter side of things, thick gloss means it will last longer. I'm really not WOW-ed at this collection of lipglosses and I really wish I hadn't put money down on it. Oh well! It's just going to end up at the back of my lip drawer.

Pros: Safe colours
Cons: Thick gloss, blah colours

Anna Sui DOLLY GIRL Bonjour L'Amour Lipsticks

2008-07-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Anna Sui isn't from Japan but she's really popular there with her makeup collections. The packaging of the makeup is very elegant with gothic kind of look. Romantic black swirls with her signature butterflies engraved. Not only are the products are encased in cute containers but they are also of great quality! It's a luxury and every Anna Sui fan's dream to have a room filled with her style. I've had the Anna Sui DOLLY GIRL Bonjour L'Amour Lipsticks for awhile already. I haven't been catching up with the new trends from any lines these days so I'm just going to bring out good buys/finds that I love that are already in my collection. Some may be discontinued but there are places that will still offer them and what's better.. with discount! The discontinued cateogory is only for those things from way back. Anyhow, back to the Anna Sui lipstick!

I believe these were launched the same time as the DOLLY GIRL Bonjour L'Amour perfume. I adore the DOLLY GIRL series that Anna Sui has put out. The DOLLY GIRL series is somewhat like Escada's limited edition perfume (Sunset Heat, Rockin' Rio, Ibiza Hippie..etc). She puts on 1 every year I believe and I have collected until the 2nd latest (Bonjour L'Amour) as the newest one(Lil Starlet) isn't available yet. Along with the DOLLY GIRL perfumes there are nail polishes, lipsticks and special casings that are available for a short while. In Japan, these are sold quite quickly but in America, it's not quite as flying off the shelves. But that's fine with me because that means I have no need to run to the counter just to get something limited edition. I got these pretty much months after the release but at original price. These lipsticks are just as big as MAC ones and they have the signature Anna Sui rose scent to them. I was surprised they didn't smell like the DOLLY GIRL Bonjou L'Amour fragrance. The packaging doesn't have engraved swirls but it has the famous Anna Sui mannequin head dolls. Very cute and collectable! There are only 3 in this collection labeled 01, 02, 03 I never understood why she likes labeling them with numbers because I find it so hard to "know" the colour! And as always for lip reviews, here is a picture of my bare lips.

01 is in a orange packaging but what's inside is a bit different. It is a shimmery light almost-mod pink. It has some fuschia and blue tones in it. It's awfully pretty to just stare at for the colour. When on lips it goes on pretty sheer with a slight tint. It's a winner for cute lip colour and more on the safe side.

02 is also packaged in a different colour from the actual lipstick. Red shimmer lipstick in a purple case is by far the best combination of the 3. This is probably the most interesting and signature item from Anna Sui. The designer herself loves black but adores red lipstick so this one is only natural to come out. I love how sheer this lipstick is despite it's deep red. You can apply a light layer or pile it on for a dramtic look.

Last but not least, 03 is a orange shimmer. It's honestly not much different from 01 just orange. I'm not so into it but I got it for collecting purposes. I had an Anna Sui obsession before. I still have it but in small doses. Have you noticed the engraving in the lipsticks yet? That's major WOW-factor. I don't want to "erase" it so I'm keeping the usage to a minimal. I love these lipsticks a lot, not only for collecting or packaging but because of the sheerness plus it's extremely easy to glide on. However, I do find it very easy to rub off and that's not cool at all. I wish it had more stay-put power so I wouldn' t have to keep on applying it.

Pros: Colours are quite pretty, Scent, Signature Anna Sui item
Cons: Price is so-so, Easily rubs off.

SANA EXTRA LARGE MASCARA

2008-07-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

I'm back with another SANA product! This is their EXTRA LARGE MASCARA. It's selling point is the huge volume and curl effect it gives with one coat. It's a fiber mascara that coats at least 15 fibers on one lash which gives you fuller and longer lashes. They have english site on the official page for this mascara but I clipped the graphic and posted here for those who wanted to see directly. Basically the fibers get sucked into the brush bristols and get evenly distributed with a roll-zig-zag application. Sounds good? I think so too! The brush is a pretty average shaped/sized one. It's comparable to the Maybelline Volume ones. This mascara only has one colour and is super water/sweat resistant.

The shots of my eye before putting on a single coat. I did not curl my eyelashes here but they seem a bit curled which makes me think my lashes are splitting! Must buy and try those eye lash treatments. These are your pretty average asian eyelashes. Short, sparse and curl-less.

Here are shots of my eye with curling(from curler) and 1 coat of the SANA EXTRA LARGE MASCARA. You can really see the difference. It wasn't hard to apply nor was it messy. However, I wasn't incredibly happy with the result. Just more than average. BUT, I must say one thing that this mascara is incredibly hard to remove! It's like most fiber mascaras but tougher! It really lived up to it's name of being water/sweat resistant! Even oil based makeup remover didn't work so well. Do we have a breakthrough or what?!

Pros: Long lasting, waterproof, sweat-resistant (at your own risk!)
Cons: Hard to remove, slight bit clumpy

AQUAJUJU AQUAMOIST Collagen Cream

2008-07-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

I'm back with some more AQUAJUJU! I've tried 2 from this line already. The Vitamin C and the Aloe Vera one. After the aloe vera one, I've been using the Collagen one. It was new and I thought I might try it because it didn't seem bad at all. The collagen in this cream strengthens the skin barrier while keeping it tight and moisturized. Honestly, this cream is like all AQUAJUJU products. They keep the skin from feeling dry and it's non-irritating. I don't think I would buy the Collagen one specifically next time but if you are looking for something to keep your skin tight then this is the one!

Pros: Same award-winning formula. Moisture-full! Tighter skin.
Cons: Slightly heavier than normal cream.

Kesalan Patharan Lip Jelee

2008-07-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Keselan Patharan is a name for a plant and for a very elegant line in Japanese cosmetics. It is famous for high quality makeup with flower/plant exteriors. There are probably a lot of natural plant extracts put in it as well hence the name. Although they are famous for their base products, the Lip Jelee has appeared in numerous magazines over the years. It is known for it's colours and hi-shine. I got 003 which is a vibrant orange with slight shimmer. There are 3 other colours in the Lip Jelee collection. Numbered 001-004.

001 - Peach Pink
002 - Light Pink
003 - Vibrant Orange(the one I have!)
004 - Nude brown

I must say getting the vibrant orange is nothing special. However, the formula is very good. Very light-weight, not sticky and it gives a beautiful shine on the lips. It's just one swipe and you get so much. There is no scent and no taste either. The shimmer is there in the tube when you look at it but it's job is more to enhance the shine and plumpness of your lips. It's one of those glosses that you dish out a high price tag for that you wouldn't use much. It's like you know it's really expensive but it'll always do the trick. I've honestly been saving this lip gloss because it's so good. I was hoping to get more but the price tag always pushes me back.

Pros: Great shine! Light-weight. Not sticky. Great formula.
Cons: A little on the expensive side. Small colour selection.

Mandom Beauty Barrier Repair Collagen Mask

2008-07-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

Cuteness overload on the Mandom Beauty Barrier Repair Mask line! It's marked with the cute little baby face that we all want. Beautiful soft skin like babies! The one I have here is the Collagen one. It's an anti-aging one for lifting, tightening and the usual moisturizing in masks. I'm not like old but sometimes I feel my skin is very pudgy and needs some lift. I'm sure we all need that.

On the back of the mask package there are instructions on how to apply the mask. What I found about this mask is that it has an open end at the bottom where the chin is for a multi-fit. It's adjustable for any size of face. I know there are many masks out there with these cuts but I seemed to notice this one the most. The mask also smells great! I can't put my finger on the smell but it's similar to rice bran. It's the natural smell of the ingredients because this mask uses no added colour(which one does?) and scents. One of the things I like about this mask is that it's loaded with the liquid. The mask is so heavy when you remove it from the package plus there's some excess there as well! I quickly applied it to my neck. Overall, this mask is superb! My face felt firm and toned. My skin had more elasticity in it. Thumbs up!

Pros: You get more than you pay for, makes skin refreshed and tight/firm
Cons: none!

SEXYGIRL Hand & Body Whipped Cream

2008-07-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Do you want to be sexy? I want to be sexy! That is why SEXYGIRL is the best! Ok, not really. But it does fulfill dreams and makes one feel great! SEXYGIRL is popular for their hair product line but they have a couple for the body. Today I am going to review their SEXYGIRL Hand & Body Whipped Cream. There are 5 different scents for this cream and all of them are of food things. I mean who doesn't want to be smothered in peaches? Or fruit punch?

This is the Strawberry Mille-Feuille. Which means Strawberry Thousand. What is Mille-Feuille? That means a thousand layer puff pastry with cream and strawberries. Mmm! I love eating the dessert so I would naturally have to have this one! It actually smells really berry with a hint of cream scent to it. The texture is very smooth and watery. It feels like whipped cream that hasn't been beaten to it's fullest peak. It's easy to apply in a nice container and it sinks in quickly. Overall it's a great body cream and I would purchase it again.

Pros: Great selection, light-weight texture, smells great
Cons: Small container

My Makeup Bag - Summer 2008

2008-07-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be time to do a "What's in my Makeup Bag" entry. I love seeing what's in others collections and bag of goodies. I personally love my collection a lot but I really can't bring all of them out so I really made one for every day work. Going out makeup is another story.

To start off I'm using a Victoria Secret makeup bag that I got for free at a checkout online with a $50+ purchase. I bought the eye shadow and face mosaic which is very awesome but I'm not here to talk about those. I used to use my COACH one but it's really too small to carry my new stuff. This one holds everything and still has room to breathe.

I know this is a Japanese beauty product blog but I just happen to be one of those billion happy users of the Laura Mercier primer and tinted moisturizers! I'm happy enough about it that I have never really looked into the Asian market. As I've pointed out in my previous entry, I'm not too keen on buying cute packaged face products. And yes! Tinted moisturizer for summer!

I still haven't found great-oh-my-gosh-holy-cow concealer for the undereye yet but the MAC one is probably one of the few ones I actually sat down in the MA chair to try. Coverage and texture is ok.

I'm so so very obsessed with bronzers for the summer! I own quite a bit but by far MAC MSFs are lightweight and great! I don't really see much bronzers in Japan. I guess they just like pink dollish cheeks. Now you must be wondering why I have that expensive MAC Kabuki brush there! I was slow in getting the one at Sephora before it sold out so there it is. I also use Revlon eyeliner because I'm horrible with powders. I am however looking into buying one from INTEGRATE.

Ahhh! The lovely LAVSHUCA Summer pallete! As I mentioned before, I love this one to bits! The colours are so right for summer and they create multiple looks from natural to daring. KATE and stila eyeliner that are different but both extremely outstanding. Just had to have a black and brown in the bag for different looks.

I love the Visee mascara a lot because it makes my lashes really long but sometimes I like to switch it up with my Anna Sui waterproof one. The Anna Sui one is also used for lower lashes.

And finally the lips! I'm currently using lip glosses for the summer because it matches the look and it's not going to melt. I have the stila plumping gloss and the MM Rouge Majex that I've been raving about!

So that's pretty much my entire bag for the summer! I'm currently looking for bronzed looks to do with my daily look. Maybe I'll scan and post some.

Sony CP Curvy Lip Silicone

2008-06-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Sony CP is a great brand if you want to achieve certain looks. They have quite a line of lip glosses, eyeliners and mascara for natural to cat looking vixon looks. This one in particular is the Curvy Lip Silicone. It's "look" is the glossy glassy watery full lips the model has. Very juicy and splendid! This gloss has sold millions in Japan alone and more all across Asia. It plumps without the burn and it's summer glossy. It comes in a small tube with a spatula application.

The formula is a moderate gooey. For the amount of glossiness you would expect glue on your lips but it's more like melted butter. The spatula application isn't the greatest for me but it's meant to provide an equal deal. As you can see in the above pictures, there isn't much plumping done or maybe it's just a minimal difference I can't see. I love the glossiness though! It's so pretty that I could stare at my lips forever! Holy cow!

Pros: Price, Gloss factor, Tasteless, Not stingy
Cons: Plumping doesn't work for me

My Diary of Beauty(我的美麗日記) Apple Mask(蘋果面膜)

2008-06-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

Here is another one from 我的美麗日記! This time it's the 蘋果 mask! This mask is aimed for people with oily sections on their face and enlarged pores. The aim is to minimize the pores and give a clear complexion.

First off, I LOVE THE SMELL OF THIS MASK! Crisp clean apple scent for the face that isn't too childish and not too aromatic. The funny thing about this mask is that it says "Apple Polyphenol Mask" which basically is a Vitamin P mask. Vitamin P? What on earth? Vitamin P is just another word for antioxidants. After a long day at work and a full on oiled up face, this mask is great to try! The scent relaxes me and it makes my skin feel so soft afterwards! Very heavenly!

My Diary of Beauty(我的美麗日記) Aloe Vera Mask(蘆薈面膜)

2008-06-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

My skin has been very oily these days due to the amount of work I do during the summer. I have also started to wear more makeup than my usual lately as well as I like to go out and have fun. That meaning lots of oil built up on loads of bronzer powder and coverups. The good thing is that I have switched up from my winter line-up of makeup from foundation to tinted moisturizer! Light weight and great! Have you changed your line-up yet?

By having oily skin, I also have the problem of irritated skin from the makeup. So today I decided to try 我的美麗日記's 蘆薈面膜. Although it's not for sensitive skin directly, the mask is for all skin types that are dry and have enlarged pores. Dry skin type and enlarged pores? Does that make a lot of sense? Sort of. Well, a mask is a mask! The Aloe mask has a very nice floral scent(which I assume is to represent aloe) and the texture of the mask is no different from the others. Very "juicy" and packed with moisture! It left my skin feeling really soft and the pores were noticeably smaller! Another hit from 我的美麗日記!!

MAJOLICA MAJORCA Rouge Majex

2008-05-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

More from MAJOLICA MAJORCA!! This time it's the fabulous Rouge Majex. This lipgloss is known for the value of 70% more pigmented compared to others. It's more vibrant, more moisturizing and glossy. It comes in 9 different colours with 3 limited edition ones(not pictured). I have always wanted to try this line of glosses because of the 70% pigment and besides it is MM which I love so much! The wand is very nice with a slant tip that can be easily put on at any angle. Loving it already!

First colour is PK-404. The most vibrant pink in the collection with no shimmer/sparkles. I thought it would go on very pink but it's actually a very nice nude pink with the watery lip effect. By far my favorite of the 3 I got.

This one is PK-313 which is pink with shimmer. I was playing it safe so I could use it regularly but with these glosses there is nothing to be scared about. The shimmer is nice and subtle but it gives me this dry feeling about it. Like too much cluster in it but despite that, it's really pretty.

Last but not least is the OR-317 which is the only orange shimmer in the collection. It's not great and it's not the worst. Very mediocre. I wish I had bought the vibrant red or a beige instead now. Not much of a difference from the pink shimmer one except for tint.

Overall these glosses are pretty cute. Quality wise for pigment isn't outstanding but it's passable for the price. I really liked the vibrant pink one the most though because of the watery effect it gave me and how long it lasted(quite a few good hours without eating/drinking). The smell is great like a fresh bouquet of flowers and there is no taste to it either. I probably wouldn't buy it again if I ran out but I don't think I'll ever get to that stage as it's not the first gloss I'd grab.

Pros: Moisturizing, vibrant solid colours are better, water lip effect
Cons: Shimmer colours are average, not much pigment, like standard lipgloss

Kosé Visée Lash Glamour Shape Mascara

2008-05-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

Visée is a sub brand under big named Kosé. Unlike other sub brands Visée is reputable but not quite out there. It has some very pretty and enjoyable product ranges. The face of this sub brand used to be famous popstar Ayumi Hamasaki but now it has changed to Koda Kumi who put out a range of collaboration products. However there was an incident with Koda Kumi and her "loose" mouth that caused her to be taken off the site. I don't know what the news on that is right now but I still see her on the site so I guess she's alright now.

The product I'm going to talk about from her collection is the Lash Glamour Shape Mascara in BK 001. The mascara is volumizing, waterproof and will provide intense colour to the eyes. The jaguar and Koda's lashes show the intensity it's to provide. It comes with a normal-thick width curved brush.

Here are shots of my eyes before putting on the mascara. Short, thin and straight. I have had many attempts to find a mascara that doesn't smudge and run but I have failed. I realize how gross my skin looks close up but forgive me as I have not put on makeup.

These are the shots after curling and applying 2 coats of the mascara on top and bottom. As you can see it's pretty lengthening and it curls nicely. The colour is there but it still has that natural feel to it despite the image it's supposed to pursue. As for curl length, it has maintained the curl for a whole day and there hasn't been any smudging or running. It's a pretty decent mascara that deserves a try! I love the curved wand too!

Pros: Natural looking, Long lasting, Waterproof
Cons: Department store price, basic colours

KISS Pure Bloom Cheeks

2008-05-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

KISS is another cute brand that has very cute collectible products. It has a full line from base to nails to perfume. There is some hype on the base products but I'm not incredibly sold to buy any base/cover-up products that look cute out there. But what about this blush? Does it not count as a face product? Yes, but I just find this collection so cute and I have this huge thing for blush and bronzers these days! This is the Pure Bloom Cheeks Blush that features duo colours that give you a slight rush of colour and some highlighting. There are 4 colours in this collection which I have clipped and shown above.

I decided to go with Sweet Pea because I really wanted a cute dolly pink blush. I initially wanted to go with Cosmos but I decided that I only needed one and Sweet Pea it was. This one is the most vibrant out of the rest. The darker flush pink is more of a dark fuchsia pink lemonade colour with a light shimmery ballerina pink to highlight. The colours are well presented to the colours in the product compared to on the skin. A little goes a long way as it is pigmented but not extreme like clown makeup. To be honest I love this blush a lot! I like a small dab of the dark and going over with the lighter. Plus the embedded heart patterns is so cute! No regrets about the blush itself but the brush provided is pretty crappy to me. I just use my regular full size blush brush to apply. Really nothing too drastic about that.

Pros: Extremely cute, Good pigment
Cons: Horrible brush

MAJOLICA MAJORCA Honey Pump Lip Gloss

2008-05-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of the older MAJOLICA MAJORCA lip gloss known as Honey Pump Gloss. I believe this is the second generation of the entire lip gloss line for MM. There are 10 colours in this collection with an added plumping affect.

The colour I chose was BE-155 which is described as a caramel but I find it a light nude caramel with a shimmer. Honestly, these glosses don't really have a lot of pigment in them so I don't really find it extremely important for a light pink and dark pink(in the collection) but it's cute to collect. The gloss has the same formula and texture as previous and newer collections. As for plumping.. I don't really see anything at all. There's no sting and no sign on the lips either. HOWEVER, even with that being said it is still a very big seller in Japan. Think BONNEBELL!

Pros: Good formula, cheap, collectable
Cons: Minimal shine, No plumping/pumping

MAJOLICA MAJORCA Glossy Glamorous Girl Honey Lip Gloss

2008-05-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Another great success from Shiseido's MAJOLICA MAJORCA! This is MM's latest edition of the honey gloss. They've had a few collections of honey glosses with normal and plumping formulas. This one is more of a shimmery colour twist range. The collection is The Glossy Glamorous Girl Spring 2008. This is the first time MM has had a duo-twist coloured lip gloss. Like many collections this one from MM is limited edition for Spring only.

PK-320 is a pretty watermelon pink entangled in a cream-clear sparkle. The application is a round end with a mini hole in it for precision glossy coated lips. The colours, although not too important as aspect on the impact of lips, come out of the tube in intervals. The gloss itself is a very light yet smooth formula that smells of floral. It wasn't as glossy as I liked but it was indeed very moisturizing.

Pros: Pretty colours, good formula, cheap
Cons: No gloss factor, not much of a pigment, tube form