Part Three: Reviews!

The final part of the very long post, I'll be doing reviews on the Amuse Stick Foundation, L.A. Colors Liquid Makeup, Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush, Indelible Cream Eyeshadow and Averine Loose Powder.






Indelible Cream Eyeshadow

I got Bare Necessity to use as a base. I've previously mentioned that I liked this cream eyeshadow and I still do. However, I've been using it for awhile and I find that when used with loose powder pigments, the colors are not entirely impressive compared to using a mixing medium base. It also dulls down some colors like greens and blues. Also, those with oily lids may not fancy it too much as it does crease for them. On the bright side, it works wonderfully with regular pressed eyeshadow and I use this everyday. I'll still get an Urban Decay Primer Potion someday though.

My Rating: 3/5


Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush

I was surprised to really like this blush! I haven't been particularly convinced with a mousse blush but I thought I'd give it a try and it's wonderful! The color I got was Soft Plum and on my skin tone it gives the had-a-glass-of-wine look. It also has very finely-milled shimmer in that sculpts the cheeks as well. The texture is excellent as it's very easy to blend and turns from mousse to powder giving a really smooth finish. The color also lasts the whole entire day with lotsa heat and sweat so that's definitely a plus! I normally use this as my base blush color now.

My Rating: 4.5/5


Amuse Stick Foundation

This is gonna be one of the cheapest stick foundation that you can get with great quality. At only USD1.99 (from cherryculture.com), it's practically a steal! This is my staple travel and I-only-have-2-minutes-to-put-on-my-face foundation. It's in a twisty transparent tube which I'm not too crazy about because it looks messy but thank goodness the content was awesome! The stick of cream foundation isn't too oily. In fact, I find it slightly drier than my liquid foundation but it's not cakey and doesn't give a powdery finish. The coverage can be easily adjusted and it's just so easy to use -- just draw on where you want it and blend. The staying power isn't too bad either. Definitely a must have especially for your cosmetic pouch. The color I got was Medium Beige I think. I find it a bit fair for me so I'll get a shade darker next time.

My Rating: 4/5


L.A. Colors Liquid Makeup

This is a very impressive product for me especially for it's price which is USD4.99 from cherryculture.com. The foundation gives pretty good coverage and doesn't cake up at all! It makes the skin look really glowy but not oily throughout the day. The texture is just really smooth without being too runny and the color doesn't dull down after oxidation. However, it's not water resistant so when u get caught in the rain you can actually see the water droplets on your face clouding up. Also, the color I got was Natural which happens to be a tad pinkish for me so to fix this, I use a yellow illuminzer as a base. I'm not a fan of the traditional liquid foundation bottle packaging with no pump though. Kinda messy. Nevertheless, I'll definitely get this again in my next Cherry Culture order but in a different color.

My Rating: 4/5


Averine Silky Smooth Loose Powder

The texture is really smooth and the powder is very very light. This brand is excellent for those with sensitive skin and prefers a product that has been dermatologically tested, non-comedogenic, and fragrance free. Personally, I'm not crazy about this powder because I find it a little dry and slightly cakey compared to my usual Giorgio Armani Loose Powder. However, if you happen to have normal to oily skin then you can go for it. It's good for absorbing excess oil because of the talc in it.

My Rating: 3/5





Photo Credit: www.madminerals.org, www.maybelline.com, www.cherryculture.com, www.averine.com
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Part Two: Neutral Eyes

A continuation of the previous post. We'll start off by showing you how I look without any makeup whatsoever. I actually went to college with a bare face today because apparently some of my classmates have never seen me without my makeup. Lol! I hope I don't scare you. Please excuse my stress zits, tired eyes and awkward smile/pose.


I did my favourite neutral eye look at the moment especially because I'm loving my NYX eyeshadow in Golden (I hope to get more of NYX single shadows in future) and of course, my Chocolate Mousse Indelible Gel Eyeliner.

Products Used:

1. Indelible Cream Eyeshadow in Bare Necessity
2. Giorgio Armani Eyeshadow in #9
3. NYX Single Eyeshadow in Golden
   
4. Sweetscents Pigments in Egyptian Oracle
5. Sweetscents Pigments in Smokey Quartz and Diamonds
6. Indelible Gel Eyeliner in Chocolate Mousse
7. Bloop Eye Liner Pencil in Black
   
8. Canmake Extra Long Curl Mascara

These are the brushes that I used...

Neutral Eyes

Start by prepping the lids with the cream eyeshadow or any eye primer of choice. Take your eyeshadow brush and apply GAC #9 on the inner half of the lids.

With the same brush, take Golden and apply it to the middle of the lid by dragging the color downwards and then blending it into the inner crease.

Apply Egyptian's Oracale on the remaining lid and blend it into the outer crease.
Next, take your contour brush and apply Smokey Quartz and Diamonds into the outer corner and blend into the crease.

Take your highlight brush to apply highlighter under the brows. Blend out any harsh lines and also to soften the overall look.


Apply gel eye liner on the upper lash line and create a little winged end. Tightline with your eye pencil. Also apply eye pencil on 3/4 of the lower lash line.


Use your small contour brush to pack on Golden eyeshadow on the lower liner. Curl lashes (my goodness, my lashes are so short you can't even see them being curled) then apply your mascara.

Done!


With flash.


The finished look: So you see, not heavily made up but just enough to enhance the features. And apparently I forgot my concealer so please ignore the dark circles.


Thanks for looking!
P/s: I hate my hair!!

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At Last!! It's Over!!

I just noticed that I like to "shout" on my post titles. Hmm... So, anyways, I'm finally done with my exams but just a few days before my last paper I did manged to get pictures for a really huge post. I'll probably separate the posts but they're directly linked.

I'll be showing how to use liquid foundation with a stippling brush (AKA skunk brush) and applying stick foundation with a kabuki brush. I've also applied my blush, first in 3 in 1 stick and then mousse, with my kabuki.

I've done a tutorial on a natural day makeup that I'm currently really digging using my NYX Golden Eyeshadow. I'll have the reviews on some of the products that I've used in this tutorial in the next post as well.

There are A LOT of pictures and since I'm still unable to handle my camera's lighting in natural light and I got lazy of editing all the photos, the colors may be a tad mix matched. *sorry!* Also, please view the pictures left to right, top to bottom. Thank you!!

Let's get started then!

L.A. Colors Liquid Makeup With Malian Stippling Brush

Get a dallop of liquid foundation on the back of your hand or on a petri dish. Tap the surface of the brush on the foundation until you get a well-distributed amount on the brush.

Tap or "stipple" the foundation evenly onto the skin. Stipple on more foundation in areas where you want more coverage. Next, buff the foundation by working the brush in circular motions. Keep at this until you get an even and smooth finish.

Amuse Foundation Stick With BunBunCity Kabuki Brush

Draw on foundation where you need it. I like the albino tiger stripes. Then, grab (yes, grab!) your kabuki brush and just buff buff buff. Add more foundation if you need to.

(please excuse my icky eczema-ed lips)

Princessa 3 in 1 Jumbo Pencil With Kabuki Brush

Draw on tribal stripes across the cheeks. Buff!

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush With Kabuki Brush

Swipe on some mousse blush and then buff, once again, with the kabuki.

Averine Loose Powder
Shu Uemura Highlighter (Cheeks)

Dust entire face with a layer of loose powder to set the foundation and blush.
You can highlight your cheekbones to make them look more prominent. Just swipe some highlighter directly above the cheeks where the cheekbones are blending upwards.

Shu Uemura Highlighter (Nose)

For a seemingly narrower and sharper nose, swipe some highlight along the bridge of the nose. Note the word "seemingly".

Shu Uemura Highlighter (Eyebrow)

Finally, highlight above the brow bones to make them more prominent.

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Massive Haulage!!

Just to tempt those who are vulnerable to temptations. My massive haul. Not inclusive of 10 more items that I have not received.

Beautiful, aren't they? What I got:

1. Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream (I got the first 3 in a set)
2. Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Body Treatment
3. Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Hand Treatment
4. Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Lip Protectant
5. Revlon Eyeshadow Quads (I took out the other 2 pans)
6. Loreal True Match Liquid Foundation in Golden Vanilla
7. Revlon Skinlights in Golden Light
8. Revlon Skinlights in Peach Light
9. Revlon Luxurious Lengths Mascara in Blackened Brown
10. Averine Loose Powder in Fair
11. Averine Perfect Finish Pressed Powder in Beige
12. Shu Uemura Glow On Blush in P Gold 91
13. Bloop Eye Liner Pencil in Black
14. Bloop Eye Liner Pencil in Blue
15. Bigelow Cinnamint Mentha Lip Shine
16. Clinelle Lip Solution Lip Balm
17. Loreal Holographic Eyeshadow in Xenon Blue
18. Loreal Holographic Eyeshadow in Golden Rose
19. Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Soft Plum
20. Maybelline WhiteStay UV Base in Purple
21. Maybelline Fruit Jelly Lip Gloss in Honey Berry
    
22. Maybelline Lash Discovery Mascara in Cherry Fuschia
23. Maybelline Lash Discovery Mascara in Cool Turquoise
24. Maybelline Lash Discovery Mascara in Wild Black
25. Maybelline Unstoppable Shiny Black Mascara

I shall review soon. Too many stuff to review!! Thank you for viewing!

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Fry An Egg On Your Face!!

I just thought I'd share some tips on how to deal with oily skin although I actually have annoyingly dry skin so, this is basically just another opportunity to avoid studying. Here we go!

"Oily skin is shiny, thick and dull colored. Often a chronically oily skin has coarse pores and pimples and other embarrassing blemishes. It is prone to blackheads. In this type of skin, the oil producing sebaceous glands are overactive and produce more oil than is needed. The oil oozes and gives the skin a greasy shine. The pores are enlarged and the skin has a coarse look." -- http://1stholistic.com


1. Cleanse Thoroughly!

Make sure you cleanse your face properly and thoroughly at the end of the day especially when you're wearing makeup. Use a cleansing oil as your first cleanser to not only dissolve your makeup but also to dissolve the sebum on your skin effectively. Many people with oily skin tend to avoid cleansing oil altogether which is the exact opposite thing that you should do.

Double cleanse using a foaming facial wash that is soap-free and preferably contains antiseptic or mildly medicated if you are acne-prone as well. Use warm water to cleanse with as warm water dissolves oil easier.

Do not over-wash your face. Just once in the morning and once at the end of the day is good enough. Over-washing will actually cause your skin to produce more oil.

Recommendation: Kate Cleansing Oil, Clearasil Ultra Daily Face Wash


2. Mask!

Use a deep cleansing mask once a week to draw out impurities and excess sebum. Clogged pores due to poor cleansing is one of the many reasons of breakouts which is especially more likely for oily skin. Steam your face by placing your face over a bowl of hot water and covering your head with a small towel. Heat helps the pores to expand and thus making it easier for impurities to be drawn out.


Follow with a hydration mask the day after to rehydrate the skin.
Recommendation: Origins Out of Trouble



3. Moisturize!

This is something that those with oily skin are so afraid of doing. Moisturizing is actually quite important if you have oily skin because dehydrated skin is not only going to cause fine lines and flakiness to appear but it would actually make your skin even more oily! Always keep in mind that your oil glands are hyperactive in producing oil that anytime that they feel that your skin isn't getting enough oil, they will start to produce more oil. Thus, you should keep your skin amply moisturized.

To avoid the shiny look from moisturizers, use an oil-free moisturizer that is mattifying. You may even use moisturizers only at night and hydration gels in the day time.

Recommendation: Simple Oil Control Shine Manager Moisturizer


4. Don't Over-scrub!

Although scrubbing seems like a good idea to get your skin deep cleansed, it really isn't. Scrubbing will aggravate and irritate the skin especially if you have breakouts, it may tear tissues and cause scarring. Only scrub your skin twice a week or the most, once a week. The turnover rate for skin is two weeks thus scrubbing it everyday doesn't mean that you're sloughing off dead skin cells everyday.

Avoid using scrubs with harsh exfoliating beads that may cause microscopic scars on the skin. Instead, use chemical exfoliants such as AHA (glycolic acid) and salicylic acid that are more gentle on the skin and exfoliates more uniformly.


Recommendation: Skineeds Acne Moderator: SuperGel Blackhead Remover from PriceAbuse.com


5. Eat Well!

Take a diet that is rich in protein with plenty of leafy vegetable and fruits. Reduce intake of sugar and salt.

Deficiency of vitamin B2 can cause oily skin. Increase intake of wheat germ, yeast, whole grains, nuts and beans to supply vitamin B.

Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins and hydrate the skin. Lower the consumption of carbonated drinks and alcohol.


Makeup Tips for Oily Skin

Use a mattifying face primer (Make Up For Ever All Mat) to absorb excess shine on the skin to prepare skin to help makeup to stay. Follow-up with a suitable foundation (Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation) for oily skin that is oil-free, controls oil, absorbs excess shine and gives a matte finish. For powders (Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder), look for those that contain talc as one of the main ingredients since talc absorbs oil effectively. Throughout the day, keep shine at bay by blotting off excess shine with oil-blotting sheets.


Photo Credits: www.simpleoilcontrol.com.au, www.priceabuse.com, www.clearasil.us, www.origins.com, www.sephora.com

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Shouldn't I Be Studying?

The answer is most definitely "YES" but I'm far too lazy to hit the books unless it involves me literally hitting the books or throwing them out the window or burning them... Therefore, to channel my anger into something productive, I did these! Not too fond of the looks because I couldn't get the colors as how I wanted them for the first look and as for the 2nd look, it was done half-heartedly while watching Gossip Girl. I apologize for the mess.

I would like to officially announce that I have successfully applied LIQUID LINER! Be shocked. Be very shocked. This is the beginning of a whole new world. The world where Connie would survive if she was held hostage by terrorists, waiting in line to get herself shot in the head and the only way to escape was, for some reason, to apply liquid liner. She would survive.

Now that I'm done being lame, these are the looks! Top row without flash. Bottom row with flash.


Items Used (Full Pigments Unless Stated Otherwise):

- Mixing Medium
- NYX in Pearl used wet as base
- MAD in Black Cherry on crease
- Secretsummer in Plum over Black Cherry
- Secretsummer in Mauved Pink above crease
- MAD in Camisole above Mauved Pink
- Secretsummer in Old Gold on lid
- Sweetscents in Orchids and Diamonds on lower lash line
- Stila Eyeshadow in Champagne as highlight
- Indelible Gel Eyeliner in Black Cherry
- Giorgio Armani Eye Pencil in Black
- L'Chear Mascara




Items Used:

Purple Glitz Eyeshadow Palette: I used the
- Red (Lid and layered over Black),
- Black (Crease) and the
- Light Yellow (Highlight)
- Giorgio Armani Eye Pencil in Black
- Elianto Liquid Eye Liner in Black (OMG!!)
- Kleancolor Silver Eye Pencil
- I forgot the mascara
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I Heart Gel Eyeliners!

Ever since I’ve started using gel eyeliners, I can honestly say that I very seldom use other types of liners as a primary liner. I’ve always loved the effect of liquid liners but I can’t apply them to save my life. Pencil liners are great for softer looks but it smudges way too easily especially in our humid weather. Since gel liners are so adjustable, I can create a clean line for a dramatic look or a smudgy line for a more natural look.

So, I’ve tried 3 brands of gel liners to date which are Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner, Kate Gel Eyeliner and MAD Indelible Gel Eyeliner, which I’ll be comparing.

First up, we have the Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner. This is the first gel eyeliner that I got and actually, it now belongs to my mom. It doesn’t mean that it’s bad though – just better for my mom. The texture of the liner is very smooth and has a slight powdery feel to it which is an itsy bit difficult to work with when I’m lining very close to the lash line. The lasting power of the gel liner is good but I find that it does smudge on me if I use the liner without eyeshadow. It doesn't smudge for my mom though which I find weird because usually I smudge pencil liners and mascaras faster than she does. Perhaps you should try it out at the counter first and walk around with it to see if it works for you. Despite all that, I find the liner to have the best colors of all. I got the Chocolate Shimmer Ink and it's just such a beautiful color. The shimmers are multi-colored and well distributed. The other colors are beautiful as well especially the shimmer ones like Ivy Shimmer Ink which is the next color that I'm eyeing for. Also, the jar looks very classy. Retails for RM65.

The second gel liner I tried was Kate's Gel Eyeliner. I got BK-2 which is a black with silvery glitter. They didn't have much of a color variety -- only black, glittery black and brown. Naturally, I'm a sucker for glitters. The liner came with a neat brush. It's short-handled so it's convenient to carry around in your cosmetic pouch and the brush density is good for the gel liner. The liner itself has a slight powdery texture rather than an actual gel. It glides on well but it probably dries too quickly for my liking. My jar is rather new and the content is already drying up slightly. Fortunately, there's a method to save dried-up gel eyeliners. The lasting power of this liner is excellent. It doesn't smudge for me with or without eyeshadow. The jar is also frosted like Bobbi's although not as pretty. Retails at RM40-RM45 at SaSa and Watson's.

Finally, I got 2 of MAD's Indelible Gel Eyeliners. Chocolate Mousse is currently my favourite daily liner because it's a very rich brown that is almost black so it's not overly dramatic and the texture is incredible. Not gel-like but sort of like hard butter. Glides wonderfully on my lid and doesn't smudge for me all though it does a little on plain lids. The liner stays on the whole darn day though if I use it with a base or eyeshadow. The other color I got was Black Cherry which is a black with dark red shimmer. I was expecting this color to be my favourite because the description and swatches were so beautiful but from my point of view, I didn't find the color to be as impressive as I was hoping it to be. The black wasn't a very rich black but just a dull black. The red shimmers were poorly distributed and just didn't look very impressive compared to Bobbi's colors. Despite the fact that I like this gel liner very much, it may not work too well for those with oily lids. The liner is hard to apply smoothly onto oily lids and the colors are difficult to build up. I have no problem with it but just saying, those with oily lids might. The jar is plain ugly compared to the other 2 liners. It's transparent, small, you can see the air bubbles on the inside of the jar and it's just very cheap looking. Fortunately, the content is good. Retails for USD8.99 but I got mine through a pre-order on LYN for RM35.

Out of the 3, I'd probably purchase more of the Indelible Gel Eyeliner when I get the chance because I really like the texture and it's quite affordable. The color variety isn't too bad either but I'm hoping to get a good shimmery color from the range since I was rather disappointed with the Black Cherry. I'm hoping to try MAC's Fluidline next.

Image Credit: www.madminerals.org, www.kissandmakeup.tv
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Abducted By The Hairless Martian

Many of you may be wondering where I've disappeared to since I usually have updates everyday. Well, I have been abducted by a hairless Martian. I am still at the motherbase (at least that's what I think an alien's HQ is called) but I have managed to obtain access to communication while the Martian is in combat. I shall be returning very soon as I have been granted a safe return to home due to official duties that are required to be fulfilled back home. Also, anticipate further absence due to my attendance to those duties. I shall be back in contact very soon.

In other words,

I've been staying at my boyfriend's place and it's practically impossible to do girl stuff when guys are around. I'll be going home soon for my final exams which ends on the 29th of April but I'll still try my best to find time to squeeze in a few posts. After my exams I'll have my semester break for a month so you can definitely expect many many posts then! In the meantime, please enjoy the rest of the blog and leave me any comments and requests for the blog.

Thank you very much for your support. With lots of love!
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Glittering Green Morning

But of course, to play with makeup, is why I wake up at 7.45am for. Just wanted to play with my green glitters. Unfortunately, I lacked the patience to wait for it to dry. Therefore, this would be quite a messy one.

Without Flash

With Flash

Items Used (All MAD Pigments unless otherwise stated):

- Indelible Cream Eyeshadow in Bare Necessity
- Spruce on whole lid and lower lash line
- Peridot Stone on whole crease and lower lash line
- Wedding for highlight
- Secretsummer's Emerald Green Glitter
- Dior Pencil in Black
- Kate Gel Liner in BK2
- L'Chear Mascara
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Last Post of The Day! I Promise!

Firstly, I would like to apologize for the post overload today. I just realized that so many things were going on. Lol. This would be the last for the day. Yesterday's makeup using mineral makeup (well, mostly). Enjoy!


Items Used (All MAD pigments unless otherwise stated):
Face:
- Missha Perfect Concealer
- MAD Loose Powder Mineral Foundation
- MAD Satin Glow
- Some mineral loose powder blush

Eyes:
- Indelible Cream Eyeshadow in Bare Necessity
- Chance on inner lid
- Cat's Eye on middle lid
- Spruce on outer lid
- Stila Eyeshadow in Champagne as highlight
- Indelible Gel Eyeliner in Black Cherry
- Dior Crayon Pencil in Black for tightlining
- Flamingo Mascara


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MAD Is Here!!

Yes, I've gotten my MAD stuff and here they are! My metallic red handle kabuki brush and some random eyelash-card-thingy I picked up from Chamelon.

So, this is what I got from MAD via secretsummer on lowyat.net:
- Satin Glow Mineral Finishing Powder
- Loose Powder Mineral Foundation in Lt-Med Golden
- Indelible Gel Eyeliner in Black Cherry & Chocolate Mousse
- Indelible Cream Eyeshadow in Bare Necessity
- 23 MAD Multi-use Pigments

The order of the swatches are: Bare Necessity, Chocolate Mousse and Black Cherry. Left is without flash and right is with flash.


Quick overview! I love the 2 gel liners. They are very smooth and really lasts the whole day without smudging. I really like the cream eyeshadow as well to use as an eye primer. It brings out the pigment colors and help them stay on the whole day but I find that it does crease just a little. Quite equivalent to using mixing medium but of course, minus the hassle. The kabuki brush is really soft and dense but it sheds so I'm still waiting for it to stop shedding. I'm trying not to throw a fit because even the MAC 182 sheds. I love the metallic red handle though. Very cute. The pigments are of course, great. Very pigmented even without a base with better staying power as well. The foundation is by far the best mineral foundation that I've used. It gives just enough coverage and it lasts. The Satin Glow adds a really non-over-the-top glow to the skin as well. The eyelash card, just get it. It's RM1.90 and great for avoiding messy mascara mishaps on the lids. It comes with two combs on the handles. Just a neat tool to have around especially if you're messy with your mascaras. Plus, I've seen people selling this for RM6. So, just get one from Chamelon. Comes in a few colors.

I'll do a more in depth review for some of the items later on.
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Fafi Sunset

As always, I wake up early to play with makeup and rub them off to put on my "normal" makeup for the day. First up, we have a Fafi-inspired look that Jessie made me do. I don't actually have any Fafi products or MAC products (except for the brush cleanser) for that matter so I'm not exactly sure if it's supposed to look like this but here's my attempt anyways. Improvised by using my own stuff.

Items Used:

- MAD Indelible Cream Eyeshadow in Bare Necessity as base
- MAD Pigments in Wedding all over the lids
- Secretsummer's Pigments in Pink Bronze on the two corners of the under-brow
- Kate Gel Liner in BK-2 for... obviously where
- Dior Crayon Pencil in Black for tightlining
- Missha Cream Eyeshadow Stick in White for the lower lash line







On the other eye I did a somewhat soft sunset eye look.



Items Used:

- The yellow from L.A. Colors Tease Palette
- MAD Pigments in Trust Fund
- MAD Pigments in Rave
- The white from Purpleglitz Palette
- Kate Gel Liner in BK-2
- Dior Crayon Liner in Black
- L'Chear Mascara
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