Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Yves Saint Laurent Ombres 5 Lumieres Lilac Eyes (Makeup Look)



What I used:
EYES
YSL Lilac Eyes
Urban Decay Electro 24/7 Glide liner
Revlon Liquid e/l
Stila Major Lash Mascara

LIPSDior Honey Delight l/g

CHEEKS
J.Lynne Samba Blush



For this look, I applied the shimmering lavender eyeshadow in the inner corners of my eyelid, and then applying the eggplant shimmer eyeshadow next to it up to my outer lid. I contoured my crease and outer V with the matte purple eyeshadow, and then highlighted my browbone with the shimmerring pink pearl eyeshadow. I used Revlon liquid eyeliner to create a catline on my upper lashline, and then lined my water line with UD's 24/7 eyeliner in Lust.











This is the look that I did when I hung out with xppinkxx last Saturday (since I couldn't make it to the Pow Wow. OMG... how good was The Boiling Crab?? It was an adventure finding it, but it was soo worth it. Yay for spending quality time with her though. I had so much fun :D. Can't wait for you to be permanent here in Cali!

Anyway, I'm still in the Philippines. OMG.. how crazy their mall here is open til 12 midnight for Christmas shopping HAHA. And, there's like at least three malls next to each other in the same area. The only thing I hate about being here is it's soo smoggy and the traffic!! Oh and the crazy drivers! It sucks since I wouldn't be able to drive anywhere here :(. Nonetheless, I'm still glad I'm here.

I hope everyone is having a nice break for those who get and have it. I'll also try to revise my other pending posts to keep you guys busy :).


Happy Holidays!
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Sunday, December 21, 2008

FOTD: Dior Earth Reflection Palette

Here's a quick FOTD using the Dior Earth Reflection palette. Review coming up soon!



EYES
Dior Earth Reflection Palette

CHEEKS
Paul & Joe #12 Face Color

LIPS
Bobbi Brown Brown Sugar Shimmer shimmer liptint

For the eyes, I swept the soft gold eyeshadow in my inner part of the lid, and applied bronze next to it blending the colors together. I applied the dark brown color to my crease and outer v to give my eyes more definition. And then, I highlighted my browbone with the golden pearl eyeshadow.















I hope you guys haven't missed me too much yet xP. By this time it's either I'm still on the plane or have landed to Narita Airport in Japan waiting for my connecting flight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll have time to shop at the Duty Free stores there and get my hands on some Japanese makeup *squeals*
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Friday, December 19, 2008

Swatches: MAC Chill Collection

Yesterday, MAC has released it's new winter collection called Chill. Just as the name it implies most of the eyeshadows and lipgloss have a frosty looking finish to it. The colors are more muted for a subtle and soft look this winter.




Eyeshadows ($14.50)
Mont Black - Sparkly black with multidimensional (Velvet)
Vellum - Pale white duochrome with violet opalescent shimmer (Frost)
Wintersky - Frosty neutral mid-tone pink (Veluxe Pearl)
Après-ski - Matte dark brownish grey (Matte)
Arctic Grey - Frosted mid-tone grey (Satin)

Tinted Lipglass ($14.00)
Icescape - Sheer pale pink with pink pearl (Frost)
Snowscene - Sheer white with multidimensional pearl (Frost)
Frozen Dream - Sheer cool mid-tone pink with pearl (Frost)
Naked Frost - Sheer taupe with silver pearl (Frost)


Glitter ($17.50)
Reflects Transparent Teal
- Sparkling white with turquoise
Reflects Antique Gold - Sparkling taupe

Overall: I decided to skip this collection due to the quality and pigmentation of the eyeshadows. It actually took me several swipes to get the color to transfer for a decent swatch. However, I did actually like Artic Grey, but it was a bit chalky for my taste so I decided to pass up on it. Out of all the eye shadows, Mont Black is probably the softest ones out of the five. Vellum is an interesting eye shadow because it's a duochrome, so it 'changes' color when as you look at it from a different angle. Apres-ski reminds me too much of Seedling (which I already have), but it makes a great crease color.

Reflects Antique Gold would probably be a my favorite glitter though. The swatch doesn't do any justice on how it looks in person. It'll be a great way to play up your eyes for the holiday season or just to make any neutral looks a bit more interesting.

The tinted lipglass; however, didn't really piqued my interest. It just looked way too frosty for your lips, and with the colors so light, it can wash-out your look.

This small released collection is just ok to me, and didn't really excite me much. But, there's one more collection out before the year ends... the Dame Edna collection! I honestly wasn't too hot about it in the beginning, but I think I'll be picking something up a thing or two.
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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Eyeko BIG Eyes Mascara (Review)

Product Blurb: Long & luscious lashes in 1 easy squeeze.

Transforms lashes in the twinkle of an eye! Lash friendly formual combining natural oils and silicones with added Panthenol (Vitamin B). Designed to prevent dryness, premature breakage and to promote lash growth. The brush has widely dispersed bristles for evenly coated perfectly separated long lashes.

CELEBERITY FAVE As seen in STAR magazine issue 64: "For thick lashes like Lindsay Lohan's, Eyeko's Mascara in Black does just the trick. It comes in a silver tube and is guaranteed to leave lashes well nourished."

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Synthetic Wax, Glyceryl, Stearate Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Triehanolamine, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Quartenium-15, Parfum (Fragrance), BHT, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cylcohexene Carboxaldehyde, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionene Citral Citronellol, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Amyl Cinnamal. May contain: CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 75470 (Carmine), CI 775470 (Chromum Oxide Greens) CI 77289 (Chromum Hydroxide Green), CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide

Price: £5.00 (approx. $8USD)

Available at: Eyeko.com -- Enter code E122 for a free gift

Overall Rating: 3.8 out 5

More Product Images






Quick Rundown
PROS

  • dramatically lengthens lashes
  • less to none lash breakage
  • dries fast
  • doesn't smudge
  • tube packaging

  • CONS

  • has the tendancy to clump
  • doesn't really volumize
  • weighs curl down
  • tricky mascara wand

  • For Reference:










    One thing for sure about the Eyeko Mascara is that it really gives you dramatic long lashes. For everytime I use this mascara, my bf asks me (when he was still here) if I am wearing fake lashes. Although I'm a little bit more blessed with having some lashes peeking out of my peepers, I still obviously want more to dramatize my eyes. There's nothing sexier than long, sexy lashes. This mascara really delivers if you want longer looking lashes. Even with one coat, you can really see the difference. And, unlike the other mascara I've used, I noticed that I have less to almost no lash breakage after using this product. There's nothing more annoying than having to end up with balding lashes.

    It's unique and sleek packaging also helps get the most out of your mascara. You can simple squeeze the tube to get the rest of it out. Eyeko mascara can also double as an eyeliner by just simply using a bent eyeliner brush.

    And no one likes a mascara that takes forever to dry. Eyeko mascara dries almost instantly and doesn't smudge or flake. So no more having to sit and wait for your mascara to dry before you can even blink. But since it dries so fast, I wouldn't recommend coating one eye with one coat and then work the other before putting on the next coat. You will get better results if you layer your lashes with the mascara in one eye first before working the next one. Because once the mascara dries and you put on another coat, it tends to clump and look "spidery" just like the picture above.

    The mascara one; however, is a bit tricky to work with in the beginning and might take some practice to maximize the result of the mascara. When I first started using this, I do admit that I had the hardest time dealing with the clumps. If you simply slap this thing on your lashes, it will clump and it can end up looking like a mess. But, it can be easily solve by wiggling you mascara wand upward from the roots to the end to get a nice even coat on your lashes. Once you got the trick down, you'll have nice, elongated lashes.

    Although it does give you nice long lashes, another problem area for this mascara is it doesn't hold the curl. After some layering, it does tend to weigh down your lashes.

    Final Thoughts: Despite the mascara wand being a tricky one to begin with, I actually do like how this mascara lengthens my lashes. Depending on your layering, you can achieve natural to almost-like-false-eyelashes looking lashes. My biggest gripe about it though is that it tends to clump if you don't wiggle the mascara wand.
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    Wednesday, December 17, 2008

    Product Review and Swatches: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in VIP

    Product Blurb: Urban Decay Travel Size Set of 5 is full of best-selling bright and tropical hues. The VIP set is back by popular demand! Each is a slick travel size, making it easy to stash anywhere. Created with moisturizing ingredients, 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils are creamy, blendable, and waterproof. Packaged together against a mirrored backdrop, the dazzling shades of 24/7 Pencils speak to everyone's inner party girl: the woman who wants and needs an Eye Pencil that lasts all night (and even into the morning!)

    Price: $29

    Available at: Sephora stores, Sephora.com, UrbanDecay.com

    Overal Rating: 5 out of 5

    (Source: Sephora.com)


    Swatches

    Zero (zealous black), Lucky (brilliant deep copper), Covet (peacock green), Electric (bright aquamarine), and Lust (plush purple)


    More Product Images







    Quick Rundown

    PROS
  • creamy formula but doesn't smudge
  • excellent lasting powers
  • glides on your waterline or upplashline, no tugging
  • more bang for your buck
  • super pigmented

  • CONS
  • can be difficult to remove; requires a really good makeup remover
  • Lucky, Covet, and Lust has some glitters

  • When I found out that they brought this set back at Sephora, I made sure that this made this way to my shopping cart.

    This set is definitely a steal! For five travel sized liners at $29 is way better than shelling out $16 for a full-sized version. I'm glad that Urban Decay had come out with this set because it is a great way to try their eyeliners out with a variety of colors, and maybe one day will lead to an upgrade to a full size.

    What I really like about this eyeliners are they are super pigmented. They as vibrant as the actual pencils are. The colored eyeliners are excellent for more playful looks or you just want that pop of color in your eyes. They're good by itself for those lazy days or paired up with your favorite eyeshadow combinations.

    The eyeliners are very soft and has a creamy formula, but surprisingly, it doesn't smudge or budge. Also, since the eyeliners are soft and creamy, application is easy because it just glides. I've been a fluidline or gel liners kind of gal when it comes lining my upper lashline, and avoided using pencil eyeliners (except for the waterline) like a plague just because pencils just never gave me that nice and smooth line that fluidline or gel eyeliners do sans tugging, but Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencils definitely has changed my mind.

    It just really makes me cringe when you have to pull your eyelids to get that neat line (Don't do it. It only equates to eye wrinkles). This is the only pencil eyeliner so far that I've used that's an ease to put on my upper lashline because there's no tugging required nor does it travel up to my crease despite of its creamy formula. And, this is definitely my eyeliner of choice for my waterline since it stays way better than most eyeliners. It does travel to your lower lashline, but not to the point that you end up with racoon eyes and make a hot mess of yourself.

    These pencils have really good staying powers and won't budge that sometimes they're a pain taking them off. You would really need a good makeup remover because soap and water just wont cut it especially if you use it on your waterline or lower lashline. So soak that Qtip up with a good makeup remover to clean it up. I also noticed that some of the eyeliners in this set has some glitters in it like Lucky, Covet, and Lust that tends to linger around even after you've taken off the color.

    Final Thoughts: Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners have definitely become staple items in my makeup bag. Also, this set, it makes it easier for me to stash them in purse or makeup bag for those emergency days of running late without makeup.
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    Wednesday, December 10, 2008

    Tarte Tres Cheek Natural Cheek Stain (Review)

    Product Blurb:
    What it does: Tarte Très Cheek Limited-Edition Mini Cheek Stain Set features three mini cheek stains housed in a reusable purple and gold pouch that makes this set the perfect gift of pure couture. This annual best seller is back with three brand-new shades infuses with Tarte's natural, t5™ infused formula. The natural formula enriches pigments and blends into the skin for a finish that's fresh and dewy.

    What else you need to know: The tarte t5 super fruit complex™ is a proprietary blend of the five most active superfruits: goji, acai, maracuja, acerola, and pomegranate. The first blend of its kind, the t5 super fruit complex™ is loaded with naturally occurring, antioxidant rich nutrients and vitamins that have been known to deliver refining, anti-aging and skin-restorative benefits with each application. This set features skinvigorating™

    Ingredients: acai fruit extract, goji berry extract, pomegranate extract, acerola extract, maracuja extract.

    Shades include:
    - Posh (soft plum)
    - Fierce (light strawberry red)
    - Chic (golden coral peach)

    (Source: Sephora.com)

    Price: $25 ($50 Value)

    Available at: Sephora, Sephora.com, Ulta stores, Ulta.com and TarteCosmetics.com

    Overall Rating: 4 out of 5


    Swatches




    Quick Rundown

    PROS


  • gives a nice dewy look (read: not oily)
  • easy to stash in your purse
  • has a pretty good staying power
  • smells really good
  • easily blendable
  • didn't break me out


  • CONS


  • very little product inside
  • the twist tube is cheaply made

  • More Product Images




    * I know my thumb looks a bit gross. I am double jointed, so it bends farther than normal LOL





    This is my very first Tarte product. I've always wanted to try cheek stains, and the moment I saw their online promo at the time, I had to jump on it.

    I'm very pleased with this product, although it's smaller in size compared to it's full-sized version, this product is some major good stuff.

    The set has a pretty good combination of colors because of the variety of shades of the stains. Fierce is the color if you want that pinched cheek look. Chic is the one you want for a natural sun-kissed glow. And, Posh the shade for the winter flushed look as if you just stepped outside from the cold.

    First thing I noticed was its Berry scent which smells delicious that it's a bit tempting to even sneak a lick of it (but obviously it's not edible or should even go any where near your mouth). The scent is light hint of berries. I know some people probably prefer their makeup unscented, but I actually didn't mind since my face didn't breakout from using it.

    I'm quite fond of the size because it's small enough to carry one or all three of them in your purse or even your pockets. My only gripe about it is the amount of product that you actually get per tube, which is not all that much as seen in the pictures. Also, since the company wanted to be more environmental friendly, the twist part of the tube is kinda flimsy that sometimes I feel as if the product will plop out of the tube.

    These cheek stains are easily blendable (with your fingers) and transfer to your cheek easily. You really don't need too much on your cheeks, that sometimes just dabbing it on your cheek would do. It gives a nice dewy glow that looks like your natural flush. The staying power is also pretty amazing as it holds up through most of the day when I applied it.

    Final Verdict: I love it. It's great when I'm in the hurry in the morning and I need some cheek color on my face. I can just swipe or dab it on my cheeks without needing a brush. It's that convenient and it's small enough to stash it in your purse. I also like how the shades all don't look closely similar to each other when you apply them on your cheeks. It also works great as a base for your powder blush. It's well worth of its price.
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    Monday, December 08, 2008

    NARIS UP Natural Facial Pack Green Tea Extract + AHA (Review)

    Product Blurb: NARIS UP Natural Facial Pack (Green Tea Extract + AHA)is a skin care pack to remove dirt, oil, and blackheads deep inside the pores while making the skin smoother and softer with restored moisture. This skin pack contains green tea extract and AHA to restore the natural moisture of the skin. With repaired elasticity, the AHA and job's tears will help protect your skin from the inside to prevent damage from the outside. skin friendly3.5 oz.(100g) tube

    Direction: *This is fluid type pack, so open with the cap facing upwards.

    1. After washing face, condition skin with a lotion or milk lotion, apply an appropriate amount evenly all over face. Avoid around eyes, eyebrow, hairline and lips.*Apply cream lotion before use so mask can be taken off gently.
    2. When the pack has dried completely (about 10 minutes), peel off gradually from the forehead downward.
    3. Finish with creme if it is necessary.* Recommended using once or twice a week.

    (Source: OhayoUSA.com)

    Price: $6.99

    Available at: Ohayo store, OhayoUSA.com, Marukai, Mitsuwa

    Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5




    Quick Rundown

    PROS

  • leaves skin soft and smooth
  • gets rid of whiteheads on your face


  • CONS

  • not for people who have low pain tolerance
  • might irritate a blemish, if there's any
  • a bit messy
  • doesn't get the stubborn blackheads out
  • will tug your skin

  • More Product Images






    I picked up this mask during my previous trip to the Ohayo Store in Puente Hills. Since the text on the product is in Japanese, I had consulted with the lady working at the moment which was more suitable for oily, combo, or acne-prone skin, and she had recommended this one as opposed to the egg version (probably because of the green tea).

    I was a bit eager to try the product out since it's practically a "Biore" strip for your whole face. Could this have been the answer for clogged pores?

    So, I went ahead and looked up the instruction online on the Ohayo website and as well as asked Yumeko of a second opinion on the translation xP.

    I got started and washed my face prior to application. It mentioned that I have to moisturize my face first before putting the goop on my face. And, I just thought it was a bit odd since you are trying to clear out your pores first. Anyway, I proceeded with the procedure and applied the facial pack on my face.
    Because of its thick and sticky consistency (very tacky), I ended up tugging my skin as I spread the product out. At this point I'm getting a bit worried since I don't like putting too much pressure or let alone tugging my face.

    So I applied it all over my face, and obviously avoiding the eye area. At this point, I'm just tugging all over my face and it's getting quite messy. I tried my best to avoid getting any of the product on my hairline and eyebrows.

    After I have let sit on my face for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, I was a bit anxious to pull it out. The very first time I've tried it, I only put a thin layer on my face which made it harder to take it off. Around the second time around, I've piled it on thick which made it a bit easier to take off. After it has dried out, it'll look like a film on your face as if you've smothered Elmer's glue on your face (Remember when you were a kid? And you'd smother glue all over your palm so you can peel it off once it dries? It's like that! Or was it just me who did that in art class??).

    It was quite a challenge peeling the film off your face not unless you kinda wrinkle your nose or make some sort of movements on your forehead to loosen it up a bit. This facial mask is not recommended for those who can't handle nose pore strips, because this will hurt even. Even with the lotion prior to putting the facial mask on your face. I mean I have a pretty high pain tolerance when it comes to my face. I do pluck my eyebrows with tweezers, and for some reason I do find that relaxing in a way. I've used pore strips and that doesn't really bother me at all.

    But with this thing, I ended up with tears on my eyes. It seriously took at least 30 minutes before I got this off my skin. I was doing it in portions, and just stopping and going, just being careful. It feels as if you have duct tape your face and now you're pulling it out. It's even worse when you get below your eye area cuz it seems as if your skin is more sensitive there. And just the whole peeling process itself is also messy since the film will break at some point and it's not really going to peel as a whole off your face.

    When I first tried it, I also had a pimple somewhere on my face. Again, not recommended for people with breakouts because it just might irritate your blemish even more. And once you're towards the part you're trying to peel it off there, it is going to hurt even more! My pimple ended up flaring red afterwards. I'm surprise it didn't pop in the process. And be careful when you get to your eyebrows, because it can pull off your hair if you force it. I suggest to just wash off that part if you didn't get it out.

    The pack did get some of my whiteheads out, but the stubborn blackheads are still ever present. It didn't do so much on the blackhead department. It did leave my skin feeling soft and smooth after it was all said and done. However, the whole entire process was just too messy for me.
    I also tried putting the facial pack WITHOUT putting lotion on first. And trust me it's even worse without it.

    Final Verdict: Although it sounds like a good idea to have a "Biore" strip for face, this product just didn't cut it for me. For one, I didn't like how I have to tug and pull just to get the product on my face. And for something tacky like this, you would think it'll get your blackheads in a cinch, but it'll only to leave you disappointed when you check and see that it's still there hanging out on your nose.

    And as far as putting lotion on first, I don't really like the idea, but it does minimize the pain when it's time to take it off. But if you think about it, it seems like you're just taking off the layer of moisturizer you just put and not so much for the dirt or oil on your face.

    Even though this is a pretty neat idea, you'll probably get better results of unclogging your pores and getting rid of dirt with a good scrub (link: honey and sugar scrub).
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    Saturday, December 06, 2008

    Swatches: MAC Monogram Couture Collection

    And here are the swatches for the MAC Monogram collection which is this year's couture collection by MAC. The following items are a bit pricier than the regular MAC's lipgloss and lipsticks mainly because of its packaging. However, the lipgloss are longer than usual (more content).

    Out of the whole collection, I only got the Identity lipgloss because it was a really nice pink gloss that's perfect for smokey eyes. I just really love how it looks on my lips.

    MONOGRAM LIPGLOSS ($22)


    Monodramatic - Bronzy brown with gold pearl
    Identity - Pale baby pink with gold pearl
    Posh Life - Mid-tone bright pink with gold pearl
    Distinguished - Sheer yellow beige with gold pearl

    MONOGRAM LIPSTICK ($22)


    Status Symbol - Warm mid-tone reddish brown
    Flourish - Frosty mid-tone red
    All Mine - Creamy mid-tone blue pink
    Marque - Soft light neutral pink
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    Swatches: MAC Metal Urge Collection

    Here are some swatches from the Metal Urge Collection. I know it's a bit late, but I just want to post it anyway.

    I didn't get anything from this collection. I'm not a big fan of cream to powder formulated eyeshadows because it'll only cause a disaster on my oily lids. But the swatches are super pretty.

    The liquidlast liners won't smudge! I tried rubbing it off after it had dried out and it didn't even budge and it won't wash off with water. So you'll definitely need a good makeup remover for this. This can make a good base underneath your eyeshadows.

    BRUSHED METAL-X EYE SHADOWS($16.50)

    Gilded Ash - dark charcoal grey with pearl
    Material Gold - pale peach/beige with gold pearl
    Golden Spice - metallic coppery gold
    Verdigris - dirty deep green with silver prom


    Pink Platinum - light blue/pink with silver gold
    Forged Rose - reddish copper with gold pearl
    Metalblu - navy blue with silver pearl

    LIQUIDLAST LINERS ($16.50)


    Power Plum - deep plum with red pearl
    Inkspill - deep green with green pearl
    Inky - navy blue with low-level pearl
    Classic Cream - white gold
    Molten Sol - rich gold with intense metallic
    Dress Khaki - khaki green with yellow pearl
    Visionaire - clean baby pink
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    Wednesday, December 03, 2008

    Tutorial and Swatches: Dior Tender Chic Palette

    I finally got the video up. Sorry if it's all choppy and weird. I had to cut it down cuz the video was too long and YouTube wouldn't upload it.

    I'm so bummed that YouTube took down one of my videos :(. It's cuz of the song that I used and something about copyright infringement. Rawr... so sorry no more beats with my videos.

    Anyway, here's a tutorial using my Dior Tender Chic palette from the Polished Face Kit exclusive at Saks.



    Eyes
    Benefit Bunny Hop Creaseless Eyeshadow
    Dior Tender Chic palette
    Eyeko Mascara
    MAC Engraved Eyeliner

    Cheeks
    Bihada Ichizoku Cheek (Pink)

    Lips
    MAC Major Minor lipglass













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