Belated Christmas Haul!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?