My Makeup Bag - Spring 2009

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)

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

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

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

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

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)

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.