chocospray!!

Little Twin Stars x Sophie Monk Body Lotion

2012-01-24T09:50:00.004+08:00

Spotted these cuties when I walked passed Guardian yesterday! Little Twin Stars x Sophie Monk Body Lotions~!! KAWAIIIIII~ <3 <3

I couldn't decide between the 氣潤滑身體乳 (Aroma Silky Body Lotion) and 鑽石亮白身體乳 (Diamond Brightening Body Lotion) since there were no testers available. To spare myself a headache, I picked up both of them, since they were only $9.90 each. Considering that each tube contains 200ml, I find it a steal compared to Crabtree and Evelyn's or Coast To Coast body lotions.

Besides the Little Twin Stars x Sophie Monk Body Lotions, there were also a few boxes of Little Twin Stars x Sophie Monk All-in-one-Whitening sheet mask and some tubes of hand cream.

Here's pictures of the product description and ingredient lists.

Thanks for reading! Bye!

Pre-CNY Mini Haul

2012-01-22T10:21:00.001+08:00

Hi there! First up, here's wishing everyone a very Happy Chinese New Year! May everyone have a happy, prosperous, fulfilling and healthy dragon year!!! ^-^

After having a sumptuous reunion lunch with my boyfriend's family yesterday, I went on a hunt for the highly raved L'oreal Color Infaillible Eyeshadow (not a spelling error, that's what it spelled as on the packaging).

After looking through the drugstores, I managed to find them at my local departmental store (BHG)! *Yippee*. Of the four colors available, I picked up only two of them, 022 Emerald Lame and 024 Bronze Goddess. The other two shadows are 021 Sahara Treasure and 023 Black Onyx.

022 Emerald Lame is emerald green with gold flecks while 024 Bronze Goddess is bronze with gold flecks (rather like old gold).

At $14.90 each I find them very affordable, what's even better is that I got it at a steal at $11.92 as there was a 20% discount! *Grins*

At Watsons, I spotted the Sexy Look Hello Kitty masks, being marked down from $19 to $15, so I grabbed two of them, the Cherry Blossom Duo Purifying & Lifting Mask (pink box) and the Amethyst Duo Moisturizing & Lifting Mask (purple box).

Each box contains 7 pieces, so one piece works out to be about $2.15.

So kawaii~~~!! I've been lemming for these masks for ages!

Cherry Blossom Product Description

Sakura and strawberry polyphenol minimizes larges pores, smoothing and improving skin texture. Soothes, brightens and purify face instantly. Collagen and hyaluronic acid moisturize skin from within. Suitable for troubled skin.

Amethyst Product Description
Excellent in anti-oxidation benefits, increases your skin's ability to protect from environment quench your skin with moisture and transform into fair and glowing skin.

Just in case anyone is interested, below are the pictures for the ingredients list.

Thanks for reading! Once again, Happy Chinese New Year everyone!! Don't over-eat! Bye~!!!

EOTD - Esprique Precious Dual Gradation Eyes D-2

2011-12-31T20:45:00.006+08:00

Here's a EOTD using Esprique Precious Dual Gradation Eyes D-2. It is a very simple, wearable look that can be done in less than 5 minutes (per eye).

Just realised that this is the last post of 2011.

Items used

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Esprique Precious Dual Gradation Eyes D-2

Proofit Liquid Eyeliner

Majolica Majorca Jewelling Pencil BE208

Etude House Petite Darling Eyes in #1 (not in picture)

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Lavshuca Mascara Base

Diorshow Iconic Extreme

Canmake Mix Eyebrow 02 Natural Brown

Closeup on the palette used

Swatches

Steps

Curl lashes

Apply the white cream shadow from the palette all over the lids

Using the shade A from the palette, apply all over the lids over the cream shadow

Apply shade B from the palette from the lash line and blend it up to the double eyelid fold, but leaving the inner corner of the upper eyelid untouched

Pack a little more of shade A onto the inner corner

Tight line and also line upper eyelids with liquid eyeliner

Line the lower eyelid using the beige pencil liner

Go over the pencil liner with shade C from the palette

Apply shade D from the palette in the middle of the lower eyelid, close to the lashes, below the pupil

Using the Etude House Petite Darling Eyes in #1, which is a matte vanilla shade, apply it under the brows

Apply mascara base and mascara on upper lashes (I don't have a lot of lower lashes, so I didn't apply any mascara on them :p)

First, fill in the brows with the middle shade from the Canmake eyebrow powder, then repeat with the darkest shade

That's all! Thanks for reading! Happy new year everyone! All the best for the upcoming 2012!! Bye~~~!

Stila In The Light Eye Shadow Palette

2011-12-12T21:51:00.009+08:00

I have been making small hauls (really small, like 2 or 3 items per haul) from asos.com recently, taking advantage of its offerings of free international shipping and occasional discounts.

The only makeup item I've got from asos.com is the Stila In The Light Eye Shadow Palette. At 25 pounds (about SGD51.91), its not the cheapest palette around, but I do think it is quite a good deal as there are eight eye shadows and an eyeliner in this palette.

Description: Natural eyeshadow palette by Stila. Featuring a selection of long-lasting eyeshadows in soft neutral hues with matte and shimmer finishes and an exclusive smudge stick waterproof eyeliner with a look book on how-to create the looks.

The eyeshadows as well as the eyeliner are all made in U.S.A.

From top row left to right:

- Bare: Matte ivory

- Kitten: Shimmery beige

- Bliss: Matte beige pink

- Sunset: Shimmery canyon pink

- Sandstone: Matte light coco

Bottom row left to right:

- Gilded Gold: Golden brown with shimmer

- Luster: Dark aubergine with gold shimmer

- Night Sky: Blue with shimmer

- Ebony: Black

Smudge Stick in Damsel: Matte brown

Description of the colours are from asos.com.

I currently do not own any Stila eyeshadows, but I have bought the eyeshadow single in the shade Kitten before (that was like six years ago) and I really liked it back then. There was a very short period of time when I was quite into Stila makeup but that phrase did not last very long (but I can't remember why I stopped buying their products..)

Below are the six looks from the look book.

When I first opened this palette I though the colours somewhat reminds me of the Urban Decay Naked palette..

I would not say these two palettes are the same, but the colours somewhat looks similar.

As per usual, I have yet to swatch the palette yet.....

That's all for today! Thanks for reading!! Bye! ^-^

Crabtree & Evelyn Haul

2011-11-19T16:29:00.004+08:00

Did a little (maybe not that little) haul and Crabtree & Evelyn yesterday evening after work.

They are currently having their yearly 30% off for VIPs. Although I am not a VIP, my friend/colleague kindly loaned me her VIP card.

So here's what I came home with!

The Citron Duo, which cost $38.50 after discount. I think the packaging is so cute!

This duo consists of a Bath & Shower Gel and a Body Lotion, both 250ml.

'<3 the ribbon!

La Source Body Scrub 200ml, $31.50 after discount.

Lastly, La Source Vanity Case, $66.50 after discount. A very very good deal for 5 items + a vanity case!

This set consists of Body Wash 250ml, Body Lotion 250ml, Hand Therapy 100g (which is hand cream), Hand Recovery 100g (this is a hand scrub) and Soap 100g.

Right now as I am typing, my hands are engulfed with a pair of plastic gloves as I have slathered on a thick layer of the La Source Hand Therapy to use as hand mask. My cuticles are so dry! Really need to take care of my hands!!

Updates....

2011-11-06T09:45:00.004+08:00

Sorry for being MIA for the past few months... I have been busy with work, after work I am exhausted and have not energy to blog...

Right now there are quite a lot of things happening and I can predict that I will get even more busy and more exhausted...

In a few days time I'll be commencing on my Diploma in Professional Makeup Artistry and I am in the process of flat selection (as a matter of fact, I am going to recce the sites later today).

FYI, just in case any of my friends and relatives are reading this... No, I am not getting married... yet..

Thanks for reading! Bye!!

Small Gmarket Haul

2011-08-28T11:10:00.006+08:00

Pampered myself with a small haul from Gmarket early this month... I was actually intending to stock up on my HG Etude House AC Clinic Red Spot Balm (read my review here) and get some new products to try but to my surprise and horror Etude House no longer ships to Singapore! :~~(

So after removing all the Etude House products from my shopping cart (about 5 or 6 items in total), I was only left with very little makeup items, two tops and a few camisoles (the latter two will not be featured in this post)...

Moving on to the makeup items I've bought..

First up, is a waterproof eyeliner from CLIO.. This is my first item from CLIO, with sexy Lee Hyori as their model.

The name of this eyeliner is so cute! Its called the "Eye Love You! Shadow Pencil". It is available in 7 shades, the shade I chose was #15 Khol Black.

Description: This pencil creates metallic and splendid eye look as an eye shadow or fine point as a colorful eyeliner. This waterproof formular is easy to apply gently and protected from creasing, fading and smudging.

Cost: W10,000 A good deal as it comes with a free sharper!

I am intending to try this soon (having an eye infection now, so no eye makeup for at least a week >_< ).

The packaging reminds me a of Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil...

There are fine silver glitter bits in the eyeliner that my camera didn't capture.. I swatched it at the back of my hands and I am pleasantly surprised at how smoothly it glided on... It is blacker that my current HG eyeliner, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Oil Slick but less glittery. I tried rubbing my fingertip over it a few times and it did not smudge (but the color faded a little)!

I have high hopes for this CLIO eyeliner!

I also bought two items from Banila Co., one liquid highlighter and a eyeshadow quad.

The Secret Highlighter are available in three shades, 01 Star which is pink, 02 Moon which is bronze-gold and 03 Luv which is white. The shade I chose was 01 Star. This cost W15,000.

The other item I bought is the Bon Voyage quad in S08 Africa. It was on discount at W15,400, down from W22,000. *Yippee!*

The pink leopard print on the box is so adorable!

What attracted me to this quad is the top right shade... I love shades like this!

This concludes my extremely small makeup haul from Gmarket.. Saving my money for the fall/winter releases! Not to mention that I am heading to Hong Kong in the middle of next month!! ^-^

Pop Beauty Face Palette

2011-07-24T19:20:00.005+08:00

I bought this Pop Beauty Magnetic Mosaic Face Palette in Smoked Out Bronze a few months ago from Asos.com which it is on sale and totally forgot about it.. Lolx~

I always can't resist the temptation of cheap and good deals.. especially since I have not tried anything from Pop Beauty before.....

The top left are the smokey eye liners, top right are the bronzers, lid toppers on the bottom left and highlighters on the bottom right. They really look very pretty in the pan!

This palette contains 36.6g of product. It did not list where it is being made.

I think this face palette is really travel friendly as it has almost every type makeup I use on my face (it will be perfect if it comes with a blushes instead of bronzers, since I don't use bronzers), the colours in this palette are great for both day and night looks, the palette itself is light, comes with a mirror, the packaging is not fragile - it is made out of hard cupboard and the palette does not open by itself as it has a magnet closure (?? not sure how to term it properly).

Updates + Weekend Haul

2011-06-05T10:09:00.003+08:00

I think I set a new record for being MIA for an entire month.. Hehe~

For the past couple of weeks, I was down with chicken pox, but luckily it was only a mild case with very few pus filled spots (I only found 2 on my scalp and 1 on my arm). My chicken pox was mainly rash-like, small, red and itchy. Luckily, most of the rash-like pox subsided after taking medication and applying Calamol lotion.

Fortunately, my face was also spared and only had the rash-like pox on my cheeks... But even after they subsided, they leave behind dull red-brown marks all over my cheeks. And naturally I wasn't pleased..

So, yesterday was the first weekend I was "released" from my pox, I decided to pamper myself and also to commemorate by getting some new base makeup! Haha.. Just giving myself some excuses to get more cosmetics!

I already had in mind a few foundations I wanted to try.. The Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation, Lunsaol Water Gel Foundation, Maquillage Light White Powdery UV or the Shu Uemura Sheer Refining Mousse Foundation.

I decided to go for the Shu mousse foundation since I have never tried their base makeup before.

And these are what I got.......

The Mousse Foundation and the famed UV Under Base Mousse. Currently, there is a promotion, when you purchase a UV Under Base product and a Mousse Foundation, you will get a free 30g mousse foundation.

The BA matched me to 7YR-ML which is medium light beige.

The nice BA tested 2 different combinations for me by using the UV Base mousse and mousse foundation on the right side of my face and the UV base liquid and mousse foundation of the left.

The combination of the two mousse formulas makes my pores looked more refined, evened out the redness, makes my complexion looks smooth and gives a sheer glow to my skin. My main concern now is how my skin will react to this mousse-y combination when I am holed up in the office... Whether this combination will be too drying, whether it will streak, etc...

I do not know why, even though the free bottle of mousse foundation is also in the shade medium light beige, the packaging of the free bottle is a darker beige colour than the retail size...

Moving on, at Kinokuniya, I bought a makeup book written by this famous makeup artist from Taiwan and also snagged the last copy of MORE (a Japanese magazine) and it comes with a free gelato pique tote bag!! Click here for more pictures.

That's about it! I will on a makeup ban until September.. Gotta save some money for my shopping trip overseas!!!!!

The highlight of my "pox-infested week" was a parcel from Siany! We did a swap and her parcel arrived first. Thanks alot babe ^-^!! My parcel to her is still somewhere in UK :p.. More on the swap in the coming blog entry.

Thanks for reading! Bye~!!

Updated Skincare Routine - Night

2011-04-24T14:53:00.001+08:00

Previously, I have blogged about my cleansing routine and my day time routine, so here's the post on my night time routine.

Like I mentioned before in my day skin care routine post, my skin care routines are not your typical three step routine, I use many many items...

And also, I have to bring this up again. I do not have good skin. I struggled with acne (well, I am still plagued by occasional breakouts) and post acne scars.

I am keen on using products that combat acne and products that have whitening/brightening effects. And recently, I am also beginning to use anti-aging products (I believe prevention is better than cure.. Better to start using anti-aging products early..)

I keep all the products I use regularly for my night routine in this plastic container from Daiso. I have only begin using this current routine just a couple of weeks ago, and so far so good.

After cleansing, I will use a toner first. The current one I am using is Naruko Narcissus Total Defense Night Repairing Dew.

The texture of this toner, is quite thick and maybe because of the thick consistency, the toner lefts my skin a little sticky after usage.

Following that, I will use the (most expensive product in my skincare "collection") SKII Facial Treatment Essence. I pat it all over my face and neck using a cotton pad. In order not to waste any product, I will also use the same cotton pad and wipe it all over my upper chest, shoulder blades, elbows, etc.

Next, is the eye cream. I am using the Clarins Eye Contour Balm. It is supposed to help to soften and slow down the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes.

The first serum I use is the ampm night time SOS skin humidifier x10. It is supposed to provide long-term hydration and moisture and also helps maintain firmness and elasticity of the skin.

It has a gel-like texture, and a nice light flowery scent (well, at least to me, it smells flowery). This item also leaves my skin sticky after application, but I think my skin somewhat benefit from this product? In the morning when I wake up, my T-zone is not as oily as before and my skin looks more supple.

If I have any spots, I will apply Etude House AC Clinic Red Spot Balm (I have previously reviewed it here).

Then I will use Naruko Narcissus Total Defense Night Moisturizing Night Repair. It is a light milky moisturizer which is very easily absorbed. What I don't like about this moisturizer is the smell.. Reminds me of dish washing detergent, but luckily, the smell does not linger.

After patting in the moisturizer, I will apply the Naruko Narcissus Total Defense Night Brightening Serum. This serum is also very lightweight, gets absorbed easily and leaves my skin soft. This is one of my favourite products from the Narcissus range.

The last serum I use is the ampm A30 pore minimizing complex, which is supposed to help with minimize the pore size and stimulates cell regeneration and builds collagen to firm and improve skin texture.

This serum is a thick cream but spreads easily and does not make my skin feel sticky. Since I only started using it a week ago (I only started to incorporate the 2 ampm items into my routine last week), I am not too sure whether it does helps with my pore size or not.

Following that, I will top it off with the Naruko Night Eye Gelly (right) and Night Gelly (left). This is not a typo, Naruko spelled it as "gelly" and not "jelly".

For the past week, I was using the Night Gelly from the Rose & Snow Fungus Classic Hydrating range. I have 5 different night gellies which I use on rotation. Typically, I will pick one "flavor" and use it for a week.

The 5 types of Night Gelly I own are:

Rose & Snow Fungus Classic Hydrating-> favourite, as it sinks into my skin fast and smells nice!
Job's Tears Whitening and Cooling -> least favourite, don't like the scent
Narcissus Total Defense -> absorbs fast
Niaouli & Tea Tree Sebum Control -> absorbs into the skin the fastest, but not hydrating enough
Marjoram and Lavender Classic Brightening -> absorbs fast

For my eye area, I am using also using the Rose & Snow Fungus range. The above Night Eye Gelly is only 5ml which I received as a GWP from my previous Naruko haul.

Lastly, I will finish my routine off with the Ettusais Acne Nighttime Defense.

In summary, here's what I use in at night...

1) Naruko Narcissus Total Defense Night Repairing Dew
2) SK II Facial Treatment Essence
3) Clarins Eye Contour Balm
4) ampm night time SOS skin humidifier x10
5) Etude House AC Clinic Red Spot Balm (optional item)
6) Naruko Narcissus Total Defense Night Moisturizing Night Repair
7) Naruko Narcissus Total Defense Night Brightening Serum
8) ampm A30 pore minimizing complex
9) Naruko Rose and Snow Fungus Classic Hydrating Night Eye Gelly
10) Naruko Night Gelly (various "flavors")
11) Ettusais Acne Nighttime Defense

Thanks for reading! Bye~~~~ ♥ ♥

FOTD

2011-04-16T12:38:00.000+08:00

On the Face

Kemuel Pore Veil Primer Balm

Kemuel Moisture Cover Cream Foundation SPF25 PA++

RMK Control Colour N #01 Silver

KATE Covering Concealer for Under Eyes

Coffret D'or Make Up Concealer

Mac Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder

Kiss Fairy Bright Powder

Models Own Powder Blush Warm Glow (click here for swatches)

On the Lips

e-glips Pocket Lip Tint & Coating Gloss Set #4 Be Coming-ly

On the Eyes

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (click here for review)

Jill Stuart Eye Jelly N #02 Gold Light (click here for review)

MJ Majolook Trick On Quad GR 750 (click here for swatches)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil Oil Slick

Chic Choc Magical Shiny Eyepencil N BE01

KATE Mascara Base

Diorshow Iconic Extreme Mascara #090 Extreme Black

Pardon my weird brows.. :p

Swatches: Models Own Powder Blush

2011-04-06T07:52:00.001+08:00

Some swatches of Models Own Blush in Warm Glow. I got mine from Asos.com at around 5 pounds. On the Models Own website, there are 3 shades available, Cheeky Pink, Warm Glow and Peach Blush.

It comes in a clear plastic casing, which to my surprise is rather heavy.

It is a powder blush and lasts the whole day with minimal fading on my combination skin. The powder is very soft, has very good pigmentation (have to use a light hand with this blush!) and very easy to blend.

It is my favourite blush so far for this year, as it gives my cheeks a natural flush that last the whole day.

Under natural light

Under sunlight

Thanks for reading!

Updated Skincare Routine - Day

2011-04-02T07:56:00.002+08:00

Since I have already did a blog spot on my cleansing routine (click here to view), I thought I might as well do a couple more posts on my skin care routine - one post on my day routine and one post on my night routine.

FYI, my skin care routines are not your typical three step routine.... I use many many different types of products... But I take less than ten minutes to complete each of the routines..

Like I mentioned before my my previous blog posts, I do not have good skin. I have mini eruptions every now and more than often they leave behind ugly scarring. So I am rather keen on using products that combat acne and products that have whitening/brightening effects.

I shall first start off with my day time routine (I will blog about the night routine soon).

After I cleanse, the first product I use is a toner. The current one I am using is the AC Lotion from d Program range (which is manufactured by Shiseido targeted for sensitive skin).

This is a refreshing toner that leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. This is actually my second bottle (I had my colleague to pick up the second bottle when he was in Taiwan last year). This toner is my favourite of the three d Program items I own.

My second step is to apply some eye stuff. My holy grail for the past many years has been the Clarins Eye Contour Gel, which I have finished up N tubes. It helps to de-puff my eyes and after application, my eyes look bigger (because it is less puffy) and more awake.

As I grow older, I find that my eye area is getting rather dry and there are some traces of fine lines, and the Clarins eye gel is not sufficient, so I added a light textured eye cream over it. Currently, I am using Naruko Marjoram and Lavender Brightening Eye Cream. It is supposed to hydrate the skin and reduce the creation of pigmentation.

Following that, I will use serum/essence - currently I am using three different types. :p

The first serum/essence I use is the Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum. First, I warm the product between my palms and then press the product on my T zone and inner cheeks where the pores are more obvious. After using this product for many many many months, I finally saw my pores are less visible.

Then I will use the am+pm Skin Ecological Complex (I got it as a GWP when I bought some Naruko items some time back). Squeeze the bottle once onto my palm, dab a drop each on both my cheeks where it is more dehydrated and using whatever that's left, I will apply it to the rest of my face.

It helps my skin retain moisture and I my cheeks does no longer feel taut even with the air-conditioning switched on. But what I do not like about it is that my skin feels sticky after application.

The last serum I use is the d Program Whitening Clear Essence, which I dab it on areas with scars and also on my freckles. Not a favourite of mine as it also feels sticky after application. Next up, is the moisturiser. I am using the AC Emulsion from d Program. The texture is very watery, however, my skin also feels tacky after application.

As much as I dislike the sticky/tacky feeling, I continued using the d Program items because they saved my skin when I was holidaying in Taiwan last year. I supposed it was all due to the weather. Too sunny, too dry (as compared to Singapore which is more humid).

On Day 2 of my Taiwan trip, my skin was beginning to break out badly, the SOS skincare products I brought along was not strong enough to curb the brewing trouble. So on Day 3, I went to the shopping mall and looked around the skin care counters and I spotted d Program. And luckily, they worked well for me (but pricey!!!). After a few days, I see that my acne has calmed down a whole lot.

This next step is an optional item. When its the time of the month, some spots will appear on my face, I will use this Etude House AC Clinic Red Spot Balm on those hateful spots. I have reviewed it before here.

My very last step is sunblock. My current Holy Grail is the IPSA Super Sun Block, which has SPF 50 PA+++. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

It is a very light weight watery sunblock that spreads very easily. It has no funny scent and my skin feels smooth to touch after application. This sunblock is light beige colour and it somewhat makes my skin look more even and slightly glowy (but not oily) after application.

In summary, here's what I use in the mornings...

d Program AC Toner
Clarins Eye Contour Gel
Naruko Marjoram and Lavender Brightening Eye Cream
Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum
am+pm Skin Ecological Complex
d Program Whitening Clear Essence
d Program AC Emulsion
Etude House Red Spot Balm (optional)
IPSA Super Sun Block SPF 50 PA+++

Thanks for reading! Bye~~~~

Swatches: MJ Majolook Trick On Quad GR 750

2011-03-25T07:55:00.000+08:00

For my birthday last year, my friend gifted me with this quad from Majolica. I wondered how she knew that this was exactly the quad I would have picked out myself.

The texture of the shadows are soft but not crumbly, I did not experience any fall outs when I used this quad. The colour pay off is pretty good, the navy-black being the most pigmented of them all. Not sure if it is visible, I used this quad for my eye makeup for the picture of my current profile.

I am not good at description of colours, so I will just move straight to the swatches...

Under natural lighting

Under sunlight

This is my favourite MJ quad of the three MJ quads I own. Love the level of pigmentation (not overly pigmented nor is it too sheer), love the colour combination (they go well with each other), even the sponge tip applicator that came with this quad is good.

I have been for this regularly ever since I opened it early this month, it makes a great everyday palette!

Thanks for reading! Bye~!!

How I organise my accessories

2011-03-18T08:02:00.000+08:00

Just a short post on how I keep my accessories organsied. I used to keep my earrings in a Ettausis GWP mirrored jewelery box, but it was simply too messy. My necklaces were kept in a hanging organsier with clear pockets (something like this but with much smaller clear pockets).

Now, I keep all my accessories (with exception of my white gold/platinum and diamond jeweleries) in clear plastic containers that I bought from Daiso.

For my earrings, I keep them in containers like these...

I have five of these containers, but so far only four are filled. These containers measure approximately 22cm x 10 cm (excluding the handle). I purposely bought these containers with handle as I want to hang them at the door of my wardrobe.

As the containers are clear and comes with individual compartments with snap closure. I can easily view all my earrings and pick out the ones I want to wear for the day without messing the others up. Each compartment measures approximately 4.5cm x 4.5cm.

For my necklaces and chunkier earrings, I keep them in bigger containers like these...

The measurements are approximately 23cm x 16 cm.

My necklaces and some bigger earrings...

There are twelve small compartments, which measure approximately 4 cm x 4.5cm, the two medium compartments are approximately 8 cm x 5 cm and the only long compartment measures approximately 17.5 cm x 4 cm.

The longer necklaces are kept in another container..

Hope this somewhat inspires you!

Hello Kitty iPod/iPhone Docking Station

2011-03-14T07:59:00.001+08:00

Ever since I got a iPhone 4 late last year, I wanted to get a docking station with speakers. But I never gotten around getting one either because the price ain't right or the design isn't to my liking.

But just last month, my local electronic store had some kind of sale going on and there was this package where you can get a washing machine, 40-inch TV and a Hello Kitty docking station for about $1.5k.

My dad bought this package and gave me the HK docking station! ^-^ As a stroke of luck, somehow the 40-inch TV also went into my room along with the docking station! Lucky~~!

So cute right?! When I opened up the box, I was actually slightly disappointed to see that the HK's face was pink instead of white. A HK with a pink face somehow doesn't look as nice as a HK with a white face, but I will have to make do with it.

Even comes with a remote control!

I did not really expect much from this docking station, but the sound system was much better than expected! I am no expert, but to me, the sound was clear and there was even some bass. Both fast and slow songs sounds good.

With this docking station, I need no worry if I forget to bring my charger/USB port home from the office, since it also charges the phone as well.

Drugstore Collective Haul

2011-03-12T09:30:00.005+08:00

A quick post on the items that I have added to my makeup collection. Just as I have mentioned in the title, its a drugstore collective haul, meaning that I did not buy all these at one go (I bought the items in February and March).

First up, is the Majolica Majorca Puff De Cheek! I bought three out of the four available. Or rather, I managed only to find three of them. They are so pretty and cute! The original price is $22.90 and I got it at 20% off!

From left PK301 Peach Macaroon, OR 302 Apricot Macaroon and the limited edition PK 303 Strawberry Macaroon (special thanks to my BF who helped me get PK303! ^-^ it was oos at the drugstore I went to). The one that is missing is 83 Vanilla Macaroon.

You can read Rouge Deluxe is you want to find out more about these blushers.

I got two nail polishes from The Face Shop, BL602 and PP403.

Currently, BL602 is on my toes. The texture of the polish is great! The formula is smooth but not watery, I only needed two coats for an opaque finish. And its not streaky at all!

I have read many raves about Canmake Cream Cheek, so I finally caved in and got one to play with. I swatched all the available testers, and the texture of all the shades are smooth and the colour pay-off is fantastic.

The one which I picked up is 01 Peach Dream, which is described as a delicate pink like a fairy, for an innocent look.

And I also bought the Cream Highlighter in 01 Crystal Pink, which is limited edition.

Both products were at $2 off! Sweet deal!!

I also got a bottle of the Cleansing Express Eye Make-up Remover to try. I have also read raves about this eye make-up remover so I decided to try it out since I am finishing up my Etude House Mascara Remover One Shot Clean.

I always wanted to try the Maybelline Pure Concealer Mineral, and since it was $3 off, I decided to grab it.

The shade I bought was 01 Fair. My skin tone will probably suit 02 Natural better, but I wanted to use it as an under eye concealer, so I went a shade lighter.

Thanks for reading! ♥ ♥

Updated Skincare Routine - Cleansing

2011-03-04T19:00:00.003+08:00

My last post on my skincare routine was done some time back in Sept 2009. That was a really long time ago, so I thought it is time for me to do an updated cleansing routine post.

My skin is no where near fantastic, occasionally there will be so mini eruptions occurring here and there on my face (due to stress, time of the month, etc). But I can say that my overall skin tone is getting better and my acne scars are fading.

In the morning, my cleansing routine only consist of only one product, ~H2O+ Marine Cleansing Gel (oil-free).

This gel cleanser does not foam at all, so some people might not be used to it. I like the fact that after washing off this cleanser, my skin feels fresh and clean (not the squeaky clean feeling which I hate) and my skin does not feel tight.

I was also using this cleanser back in my Sept 2009 (you can check out my Sept 2009 cleansing routine post), for the past year I have switched to many different cleansers and now, I am back to using it again.

In the evening, I will remove my eye & lip makeup, face makeup and then use a facial cleanser as the last step.

I have been switching my eye makeup remover around, testing out different brands, trying to find one that is cheap and good.

Currently, I am using the Etude House Mascara Remover One Shot Clean. It is a bi-phrase remover, so have to shake it well before using. The cotton pads I use are from e-glips which I bought from Gmarket.

For my lips, I use the Kose Perfect Make-up Remover, which had previously reviewed it (you can read my review here). I am trying to finish this product by using it to remove my lippies as it stings my eye area badly.

For my face makeup, I use either my staple cleansing tissue, the Calmia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue (read review here) or Paul & Joe Light Cleansing Milk (I bought it to try because it was on 40% discount).

Which item I use that evening will depend on whether I am feeling lazy or not... Usually I will use the cleansing tissue, as it removes my makeup faster.. Just a few wipes and my face is clean. But of course I will wipe until no color shows up on the cleansing tissue to make sure my face is clean. It usually takes 2 sheets to remove my makeup completely since I do not put on a lot of foundation.

If I use the P&J Light Cleansing Milk, I will squeeze out about a 20 cent coin and massage it all over my face, tissue off and then squeeze out another 20 cent coin of the cleaning milk, massage and tissue off. By the second time, the tissue paper should be quite colourless. If the tissue is still rather dirty, then I will do it the third time.

For my last step, the facial cleanser I am using currently is either the Shiseido The Skincare Purifying Cleansing Foam or the Biore Acne Mild Care Moisture Facial Foam together with the nifty Clarisonic Mia.

The Shiseido cleanser is the normal paste texture with mirco beads and it foams up really well while for the Biore cleanser, the product itself is foam type, meaning that once I pump the product out from the dispenser, it is already foam-ed (haha, don't think there's such a word).

Both cleansers feel gentle on my skin, my skin feels clean but not tight. I think my skin looks slightly brighter after washing off the Shiseido cleanser but it might be due to my imagination.

I have only recently ordered my Clarisonic Mia from a US website, I cannot remember how much it cost me, but definitely more than US$100 (luckily the exchange rate is not that bad now). I have only started using it for slightly more than a week, so I cannot really comment. I also ordered 2 extra delicate brush heads in the same order, since I have sensitive, acne prone skin.

Clothes Haul

2011-02-24T20:22:00.001+08:00

Sorry for being MIA! I was too engrossed in watching 古今大战秦俑情 (Ancient Terracotta War Situation ) DVD to blog.. It is a historical drama by CCTV that stars Taiwanese actress Ady An and China actor Du Chun.

Ok, moving on, I just want to write a quick post on the clothes I had bought recently.

From this brand L'zzie (not too sure if its a local brand or what..), they were having some kinda of buy 2 get 1 free sale/promotion. I bought it last weekend, so this promotion might still be going on..

So of course, I bought 3 pieces of clothing.. 1 (work appropriate) dress and 2 cute tops (good for weekends)!

I really like the cutting of this dress.. Fitting but yet not tight, and when I wear this dress, I look slightly taller and it gives a illusion that I have much longer legs. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This top is a little on the sheer side, so I have to take note and wear nude inner clothing beneath..

I really like tops with this kinda of cutting.. Is it called empire waist or something? I always wear this kind of tops when I go for buffets or events/functions when I know I will end up eating alot.. Lol.. Helps to camouflage the bulging tummy after meals.. :p

From Forever 21 I bought a kintted top.. I love knitted tops because they are so comfortable!
I actually bought this top some time in January (I think), but I still have not worn it yet..

Review: Kose Perfect Make-Up Remover (Eye & Lip)

2011-01-28T06:53:00.001+08:00

Here's a short review on a makeup remover for eye and lip from Kose.

Price: $16 for 140ml

Texture: Gel-like, not those bi-phase type

Pros: Price wise. it is affordable at $16 and is readily available at Kose counters. Comes in a convenient squirt bottle (see image below) and is unscented. Able to remove waterproof mascara but takes time. Does not leave behind oily residue.

Cons: It stings my eyes badly!! Even the area around my eye stings too!! After using, I eye area feels abused! I have read positive reviews on MUA, the MUA-ers were saying that this remover is gentle and doesn't sting the eye, but not true for me..

Verdict: No way am I repurchasing this again! I still have a lot of this left, which I will use to clean my lips or clean the back of my hands and fingers after swatching cosmetics.

Ramblings and Updates...

2011-01-23T19:12:00.001+08:00

Hi!! I am back! Sorry for disappearing! *sheepish smile*

A list of major highlights that happened in Dec 2010 and Jan 2011 (not listed in chronological order)..

I went for my LASIK op in late December.. My myopia was 850 (left) and 800 (right) before the operation. The operation went smoothly and I was able to see sharply without glasses about 4 hours after the op. Although the op was expensive, it was money well spent.

Celebrated my 25th birthday at Universal Studios Singapore.

Celebrated my BF's, Dad's and Mom's birthdays as well..

My secondary school friend got married! Congrats once again!!

I was actually on a "no makeup ban" but I broke the ban within 2 weeks.. Watsons (a major drugstore here) is currently having 20% discount on most major brands.

Ordered some stuffs from Asos.com (free international shipping currently!!)... My first order was placed on 2nd Jan, I didn't buy much as I just wanted to test waters and I placed my second order just yesterday..

My friend wanted to see what clothes I have bought for the upcoming Lunar New Year, so here it goes!

From Miss Selfridge, I bought a dress and a blouse. Both in size petite 6, I was so lucky/happy that these clothes were available in petite 6! I usually wear size 4 (which is almost impossible to find) or size 6 if the cutting is smaller.

Miss Selfridge was having a credit card promotion where the second price will have a 40% discount.

From WAREHOUSE, I also bought a dress at 40% discount! I have my eye on this dress but I didn't get it as it was frightfully expensive! So I was super happy when I saw this dress with my size on sale! ^-^

From G2000, this bright orange stripped cardigan! I am planning to wear this on the first day I return to work.

That's all for today! Bye~~

Calmia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue

2010-12-29T09:49:00.001+08:00

A review on another of my holy grail skincare item. A (almost) daily staple in my skincare diet. Lol!

Images from Gmarket.

Description: Thoroughly removes make-up in one step. Leaves skin clean, soft and fresh. With the convenience of pre-moistened cloths, they work in seconds to leave you feeling smooth, fresh, moisturised and completely clean.

Price: W 9,450 (US$8.70) for a pack of 3, excluding shipping

Quantity: 120 sheets per pack

Pros: The texture of the tissue is really very soft and the size of these tissues are quite big (it is longer than the usual facial tissue). The tissues does not tear easily (I don't think I remember tearing any before).

I use two sheets per day, the first sheet to remove off all my face make-up, the second sheet to sort of double cleanse, to be sure that I have removed all make-up on my face. After that, I follow up with a facial cleanser in the shower.

My skin do feel clean, fresh and soft after using these tissues. Does not irritate my sensitive skin.

Cons: Even though the pack of cleansing tissue comes with a sticky seal (refer to below image #2) and a tap attached (refer to below image #1), the sticky seal comes off after a few uses and the tap is not the air-tight kind of tap. Once after sticky seal comes off, I have to keep the cleansing tissue in a air-tight container, otherwise the tissues will not remain wet for long.

Have to use a separate eye make-up remove for waterproof mascara and stubborn eyeliners.

Conclusion: I have gone through many packs of the Calmia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue, so this shows how much I really love them. I will continue to re-purchase until I can find a better or equally good cleansing tissue locally. As a matter of fact, I just received my package of these tissues on Christmas Eve.

I have not tried many other brands of cleansing tissue (tired before Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Sheets - removes everything including waterproof makeup, good for travelling but the sheet is not as soft as Calmia's, and M.A.C Wipes - good cleansing powder but makes my face red).

Review: Etude House AC Clinic Red Spot Balm

2010-12-27T07:53:00.004+08:00

Here's a short review of my current holy grail acne treatment.

Description: Formulated with Madecassoside (skin healing agent), Salicylic Acid & Hinoki Cypress extracts, AC Clinic Red Spot Balm heals, clarifies and soothes facial trouble spots. Specialized target treatment heals and brightens blemishes with a medicated formula. Non-comedogenic and dermatologist tested.

Directions: Apply spot treatment directly to acne, pimples and blemishes. Avoid excessive facial rubbing.

Active Ingredients: Madecassoside, Salicylic Acid and Hinoki Cypress extract

Volume: 20ml (0.68 fl.oz)

Price: W11,000 (US$10.21) excluding shipping, comes with a 30ml tube of AC Clinic Acne Foam Cleanser

Texture: Balm

Pros: Calms spots down fast. Does not cause the blemish to peel like some other acne treatments in the market. Does not irritate my skin.

For a small bump, it takes about a day or two to flatten. I do realise that it works better/faster on red bumps than those spots with pus, which will take slightly longer to heal. Although this balm has a slight medicinal smell, the smell does not linger and actually cannot be detected unless you smell directly from the pot.

Cons: As it is a balm not cream, therefore the formula its slightly thick and dense, so need to massage a little longer on the spot before it "disappears" into the skin. The pot is made of a hard glass so it hurts real bad when dropped on the feet/toes! And the pot might crack too.

Conclusion: Not too sure whether it brightens blemishes or not, but I really find that this balm really works well to fight my bumps. I have really gone through three pots of this and currently on my fourth pot and I will carry on using this until I find a much better one.

Review: Bealite Damaged Hair Rebuilder

2010-12-25T09:45:00.000+08:00

Just want to do a short review on my current holy grail leave-in conditioner.

Image from http://www.mik.com.sg/products/bealite

Description: Damaged Hair Rebuilder is specially formulated to nourish, hydrate and rebuild dry, brittle and seriously damaged hair.

Directions: Apply required amount to wet or dry hair, massage or comb through to the ends and leave in. Do not rise. This formula allows you daily use and style as desired.

Ingredients: Cetyl alcohol, stearalkonium chloride, propylene glycol, cyclomethicone, peg-40 isopropyl myristate, aloe vera, chamomile, fragrance.

Weight: 250g

Price: $24

Texture: Cream

Pros: Leaves my my hair silky and pretty much tangle free. Occasionally my hair still tangles at the ends. By the way, my hair is half way down my back. I can easily finger comb from roots to the ends.

What I like best was that I could significantly see that my split ends have became much lesser over a period of extended use (I have almost finished up my current tube). I was using the Liese Smooth Hair Cocktail and Liese Hair Cocktail Moistursing Hair Serum (Light) and I had a whole head full of split ends!!

Cons: Use sparingly, too much will make hair feel oily and weights hair down. Hard to find. My hair is still frizzy at times.

Conculsion: Of all the leave-ins I have tried so far, this is the best and not to mention one of the cheapest. This works very well for me but by all means, it is not a miracle cure. I still have quite a lot of damaged hair because I use the hair dyer daily, but just much much much lesser split ends (I can't spot any when I grab a bunch of my hair up to scrutinise).

Haul: Lunasol Party Coffret 2010U

2010-12-19T12:40:00.005+08:00

I have been really looking forward to the Lunasol Party Coffret 2010U ever since I saw it in Biteki (a japanese magazine that I buy monthly). I really really really regretted not buying last year's Christmas set, so when I saw this year's Lunasol Coffret, the kiasu Singaporean in me awoken.. Picked up the phone and called the Kanebo counter and reserved the coffret set. :p

And it was a good thing that I reserved early, seemed that each counter had limited stocks of this party coffret.

This coffret includes:-

a makeup pouch
Aurorized Eyes in EX01 Sheer Gold Beige Brown 5.5g
High Stylized Mascara in 01 Clear Black 4g
Full Glamour Gloss in EX18 Sheer Gold Beige Pink 7.3g
Coloring Cheeks in EX01 Sheer Gold Beige Pink 10g

It set retails at $118, which is extremely value for money, as it works out to be $23.60 for one item. FYI, the retail price of the Full Glamour Gloss is $39 and an eyeshadow quad is $77.

Some close-up pictures of the items in this coffret...

If you want swatches and review for this Lunasol Party Coffret, do check out Lotus Palace or Autum Masquerade or Makeup And Life.

Have a good weekend!

What's in my bag?

2010-12-09T21:33:00.008+08:00

I am actually cheating a little, this post is actually "What's in my bag tomorrow?" This will be what I am bringing out tomorrow with me to work, nothing more and nothing less.

The bag I will be bringing tomorrow is a navy short handle Longchamp bag which my friend helped me buy when she was overseas last year.

Bird's eye view inside the bag.. Because this bag is rather large and has no compartments, I have to keep my stuff in pouches so that I can find them easily.

In the small (and only) pocket, I keep my Ez-Link card (a stored value card for public transportation) and my Armani watch.

Pouch #1

This is a pouch from Kipling which I bought light years ago lol! Not exactly light years but seven years ago.

This is the first and only expensive pouch I ever bought. I do not typically buy pouches since they are almost always given free as GWP and sometimes my friends will buy pouches for me as presents.

The reason why I am still using this Kipling pouch now, is because the size is just right for the amount of makeup I bring out, it is waterproof and the keyhole of the zipper rather large. Usually large enough for me to hang on the hook behind the toilet cubicle door, as sometimes I only bring my makeup pouch to the restroom and leave my handbag with my friend(s).

For tomorrow, I will bring my Coffret D'or powder foundation for touch ups, a Coffret D'or Shine Drape Rouge (Glow) in PK-239, Shiseido Pure UV-Cut Collagen, Shu Uemura Glow On in M Peach 44 and a RMK travel-size blush brush.

Close up of the Coffret D'or Shine Drape Rouge (Glow) in PK-239. It is a very pretty colour that helps to brighten up my face and its very glossy.

Close up of the RMK travel-size blush brush. I had this for years and the brush is still very very soft.

Usually, I do not bring any makeup with me, I only bring my makeup out if I am heading out after work. I keep a small stash of makeup at my workstation.

Pouch #2

A Cath Kidston Mini Cherry Gadget Case with a Hello Kitty charm (bought separately) and I keep my iPhone 4 in this Gadget Case. I am a fan of their Gadget Case and have two more in my stash.

Pouch #3

A drawstring pouch which is a freebie with January 2011 issue of Biteki. I keep my iPhone charger, cable and earphones in this pouch.

Pouch #4 - This pouch contains my feminine stuff.

A letter from C.K. Tang a local departmental store.

Pouch #5 - Key Pouch (gift from friend) with Rilakkuma charm. Inside also has a small tube of H2O+ Milk Hand & Nail Cream.

My Kate Spade purse.

Pouch #6

This Agnes B pouch is a freebie from a local magazine.

In it I store all the miscellanous items like a comb, tissues, wet tissue, plasters, hair tie, name cards, disposable eye drops, a Givenchy mirror, a Toshiba thumbdrive, a pack of lint remover and my inhaler.

Close up of the lint remover. Very cute right?

To use, just peel of a sheet and use the sticky side to remove lint from your clothes.

Pouch #7

This is a GWP from Paul & Joe. In it I keep my landyard, which has my staff card and door transponder.

Lastly, is this Watermelon Frost Spray for my ulcer, which is getting bigger. >_<
Hope you guys enjoy this post!

FOTD

2010-11-20T13:32:00.001+08:00

Its been a long long time since I did a FOTD.. Hope you all will like it!

Base Makeup used:

RMK Creamy Polished Base #01
NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
RMK Control Color N #01 Silver
Canmake Color Stick #07 Apricot
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Ceylan
RMK Super Basic Concealer Pact #01
Paul & Joe Finishing Powder #001
MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder

For Eyes, Lips and Cheeks:

NARS Everlasting Love Palette - Edie and Night Breed eyeshadow, Orgasm blush, Dolce Vita Lipstick and Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer
NARS Duo Eyeshadow #3081 Tzarine
Stage Eye Liner #04 Pewter Performance
Majolica Marjorca Jewelling Pencil BE208
Fasio Perfect Lash Builder
Maybelline Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara Waterproof (Hello Kitty Version)
Urban Decay Brow Box in Beige Betty

Review: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Jelly

2010-11-18T20:45:00.013+08:00

Even since a few years ago, I have been religiously putting on sun screen on my body, or rather any exposed parts of my body, like my arms, legs and even on my feet. As much I hate the lingering sticky feel of the sun block on my bare skin, I tolerated with it.

I am always in search of THE perfect everyday body sunblock and I am glad that I finally found it.

Item name: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Jelly SPF30 PA+++

Price: I presumed it is fairly reasonable as I bought it in a drugstore in Taiwan.. It was either TWD 199 or TWD 299, I cannot recall.

Description: A new series of water-based sunscreen innovation from Japan that provides lasting protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. It is light, non-sticky, and easy to smear on the skin as the protection-enriched UV Aqua Jelly Capsule turns into water once applied, allowing the skin to absorb it very quickly and easily. With combination of Hyaluronic Acid and Mix Citrus Essence from grapefruit, orange, and lemon extracts, the new product also provides anti-wrinkle effect by helping the skin retain its moisture and softness.

Refreshingly cool and quick-drying, suitable for both facial and body skin.

Pros: I have very little expectations from a body sunscreen, I just want it to absorbed fast, no strong sunscreen smell and my skin should not feel sticky after application. This sunblock fulfills all my expectations.

It comes in a squeeze tube bottle, the quantity is 90ml and is made in Japan.

Cons: It is not listed in my local Biore website, so most probably my local drugstore might not stock it.

Conclusion: I definitely love this sunblock and I would definitely repurchase it (that is, if I can manage to find it). As for now, this sun block suits my average daily needs, I am typically out in the sun for a short while, like walking to the bus stop in the mornings and for lunch. I am not too sure if it is heaty-duty enough to protect me if I were to stay out for a long time in the hot afternoon sun. This is a scenario that I have yet to test out.

Stuff Toys!

2010-11-12T09:10:00.001+08:00

New stuffed toy in my "zoo"! Another bunny from Le Sucre~~!! Even has a cape (which is removal)! Looks like Little Red Riding Hood!!

My two super super cute bunnies from Le Sucre.. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I already eyed another small bunny to put on my desk in the office.. The next one I will be getting will be a beige one wearing blue stripped shirt and a red scarf. とてもかわいいね!

Sephora.com + NARScosmetics.com haul

2010-11-08T20:24:00.001+08:00

Just a quick update stuffs I received today shipped via Vpost ^-^

As both Sephora.com and NARS.com doesn't ship to Singapore directly, I bought them through Amazon and shipped to my VpostUSA address.

So........ Just what did I get?!

From Sephora.com I bought the Sephora Beauty In A Box NARS Junkie which claims to have a value of US$121 but sold at US$69. At current exchange rate, I only paid $92.14, which is a whopping good deal for so many items!!

Contains a Essential Eye Palette, Lip Gloss in Ophelia, a mini The Multiple in Orgasm and a mini Bronzing Powder in Laguna.

The Multiple in Orgasm (4g)

Bronzing Powder in Laguna

The bronzing powder is so puny!!! Only contains 2.5g!! About the size of a single eye shadow..

Lip Gloss in Ophelia (8g)

Love love love this palette!! The colours are sooooooooooo pretty!!

From NARScosmetics.com, I got the Modern Love Palette. This cost US$55 and which is translated to SG$73.44. A little more pricer than what I would usually pay for a a palette with 6 eye shadows.

The colours are (from top to bottom, left to right) Alhambra, Jezebel, India Song, Tokoyo, Habanera and Panodra.

This palette is also very pretty but on first sight, I prefer the Essential Eye Palette over this Modern Love Palette.

I didn't pay for any shipping within USA, as both items were eligible for free local shipping within USA. For shipping from VPost USA to Singapore, I only paid (I believe) $7.40 only after using the credit card promotion code~!

NARS Haul from Taiwan

2010-10-16T09:14:00.006+08:00

My NARS haul from Taipei. I am now a NARS convert!

My haul from NARS is rather huge... I have been lemming for NARS for about a year or so, and when I was at the NARS counter I had a had time controlling myself. I really wanted to get a few more blushes, eye shadow duos and palettes, but somehow I managed to restraint myself and got eight items (only!!).

I know that eight items may sound like a lot to some people but then I did budget on how much to spend at the NARS counter (I did spend within my budget) and I have been saving up on my trip for more than a year.

I got three eye shadow duos, one blush, one liquid foundation, one primer, nail polish and a palette.

The shades I got for myself are Taiga, Kalahari and Tzarine (which is new for Fall 2010).

Taiga is described as pale gold frost (left) and gold infused pewter (right).

Kalahari is described as gold confection (left) and sugared cocoa (right).

Tzarine is described as platinum gold infused with gold and silver reflections (right) and steel gray (left).

So far of the three duos I bought, I have only used Tzarine (tried it for the first time two days ago). The two shades are really very very pretty. However, the lighter shade is not as pigmented so I had to pack on a bit more for it to show up on my lids. The darker shade is rather pigmented and really showed up well. This eyeshadow is very easy to blend (even with fingers) and even though both shades are very shimmery and soft (but not crumbly), there are no fall outs (but that maybe because I used a primer underneath).

This are my initial thoughts, I shall update again once I used it a few more times.

I also bought the blush in the shade amour.

It is described as a peachy pink and has no shimmer. I swatched it with my fingers at the counter and it was very pigmented but the makeup artist at NARS assured me that it would not be so pigmented if I used a brush.

I also got the highly raved Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. This is more pricey than UDPP which cost $28 for 0.34 Oz., while this cost $34 for 0.28 Oz.. But I have to say its worth every single cent!

(click to enlarge for the description of this product)

Whenever I put on eye makeup, I will always use this eyeshadow base as it really helps my eye shadows to last the whole day! The eye shadow/eyeliner did not crease nor fade away even at my inner corners, my lower lash liner. However on some days my lower lash line did smudge a little, but its acceptable for me as no primer has ever helped my eyeshadow to stay and not crease for more than 4 hours.

If UDPP or TFSI did not work for you (they didn't work for me at all), then I suggest you might want to invest in a NARS.

One upsetting thing is that NARS is not available locally.. :~~~(

I also got the Sheer Glow Foundation, which also had good reviews on the internet.

The makeup artist matched me to the shade Fiji but she recommended me to get Ceylan instead as this shade looks brighter, so when the product oxidises on my skin, I wouldn't look like my face is darker than my neck.

I also got a nail polish in Purple Rain which is described as Gothic purple (whatever that means). It is free from nasty stuff like Toluene, Formaldehyde and DBP.

This is really a very very pretty purple and it looks frightfully amazing on my toes! One of the purchase I didn't regret at all despite the hefty price tag.

It is not very expensive at $26, but I am not the kind who is willingly to pay more than $15 for a nail polish.

I only used once coat and the colour shows up very well and the formula is really opaque. I worn it for a week (it was cleaned off when I went for a mani/pedi last evening) and there was no chipping.

The last thing I bought (or rather, it was the first thing I got at the counter) is the Everlasting Love Bold Eye Palette. I had been lemming for this ever since I got it last year!!!! I finally got my paws on it!!

No reviews on it yet as I want to use it a few more times before writing. But one thing for sure, the black rubbery packaging is a dust/eyeshadow magnet!

Jill Stuart Haul from Taiwan

2010-10-07T20:24:00.003+08:00

As promised, closeups of cosmetics I bought from Taiwan. First up, I shall start with my Jill Stuart items.

The items I bought are two Eye Jelly N and two Mix Blush.

♥ the packaging!

The shades I chose for the Eye Jelly N are 02 gold light (left) and 10 vintage decor (right). So far, I have only tried gold light (and I have been using it almost everyday), which like its name suggests, a light gold loaded with lots of fine shimmer.

After prepping my eyelids with NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, I pick up a tiny bit of this Eye Jelly N with my ring finger and using the dab and blend motion, spread it across my eyelids, concentrating more either on the front or the middle of the eyelids (depending on the look I am going for for that particular day), and for the other areas of the eyelid, just lightly blend across without picking up any more product from the pot.

As this shade is very shimmery, I don't suggest applying this shade evenly all over the eyelids nor using too much at one go as it might end up being too bling bling (a mistake that I made when I used it for the first time).

The packaging is so cute~~~! ♥ ♥ ♥

As you all know, all their Mix Blush come attached with a retractable brush.

This is the Mix Blush in shades 06 fresh apricot (above) and 07 lovely tulip (below). Both of which I have not even swatched yet. I don't think I will be using them any time soon, because I of my first-in-first-out rule (I still have a few more blushers to use before its their turn).

I didn't even swatch them at the counter, because my BF (who was waiting for me) was wearing a combination of "can't-you-hurry-up" and "you-are-buying-more?!"and "please-be-faster" look on his face.

Hopefully, I didn't pick out shades that don't suit me!

Look out for the next post, which will be on my NARS haul!

Pics Galore: Haul from Taiwan

2010-09-26T20:56:00.002+08:00

Just what did I bring back from Taiwan?? Well, I bought a lot.. *blush* I haven't really have the time to sort through and crop all the photos yet, below are just an "overall" view of what I had bought. I have taken close-ups of the cosmetics which I will post up at a later date.

Caution: Don't faint from all the photos below..

From Jill Stuart (Yippee! I finally got my hands on some JS stuff!!).

Got two of the mix blush compacts in 06 Fresh Apricot, 07 Lovely Tulip and two Jelly Eye Color N in 02 Gold Light and 10 Vintage Decor.

And from NARS...

I was really lemming for NARS items for a long long time.. I got the 9954 Everlasting Love Palette, Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, three Duo Eyeshadows in 3078 Taiga, 3081 Tzarine, 3057 Kalahari, Blush in 4005 Amour, Sheer Glow Foundation in shade Ceylan and Nail Polish 1766 Purple Rain.

From Shiseido, some skincare from the d Program AC and Whitening range.

Now moving on to items I bought from the drugstore (the ones I went to was Cosmed, Watsons and Mirada).

I know this looks silly, I bought 3 packs of sponges from Mirada.. Hehe.. One pack of big round sponges, one pack of small square sponges and one pack of small round sponges.

Three boxes of sheet masks, Neogence Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Mask, Neogence C+ Mulit-Whitening Mask and My Beauty Diary Platinum Colloid Mask.

Face cleansers... Biore Acne Mild Care Moisture and Kanebo Sour Cream Cream Soap.

Biore UV Aqua Rich Sunblock SPF 30 PA+++ and a box fake eyelashes.

Spring Heart eyelash glue, I still can remember that it cost TWD 99 for two.

Some acne skin care items from Aqualabel.

And finally, some colour makeup!

From Integrate.... Four eyeshadow palettes, a mascara base, a mascara, five lippies, a blush and base makeup.

From Lavshuca, two eyeshadow palettes and a duo, blush and two lippies..

From KATE and Tiffa, two lipplies, a mascara base, eyeliner, eyeshadow palette and a duo.

Some hair styling stuff.. I am trying to learn how to do my hair.. but I am not getting anywhere :(

Ma Cherie Moisture shampoo and conditioner and Tsubaki Head Spa Extra Cleansing and Massage Spa Mask.

Bioderma Micelle Soultion for sensitive skin. It claims to cleanse, remove make up and soothe.

Believe it or not.. On my second day in Taiwan, I already sent back a 8kg package back. Inside the package had lots of cosmetics (mine and a friend of mine), a pair of black wedges and some other miscellaneous items.

From DHC, a box of eye mask and two packets of oral supplement for skin whitening.

Some pouches from Naraya in Dan Shui and a Cath Kidston "inspired" pouch from Shilin Night Market.

Some ribbon hair tie/clips, a Hello Kitty landyard (its a gift from my BF) and three pairs of earrings from Shilin Night Market.

This hair tie and sticker are from a certain shop that spans over a few levels (can't remember exactly how many levels) called Guang Nam which is near Taipei Main Station. This shop sells everything from CDs to stationery, cosmetics to toothpaste.

Queen and Vivi magazine.

Clothes and belts from night markets (Shilin and Shida) and wholesale market (Wu Fen Pu).

2 flowery hangers from Daiso... They cost TWS 39 each !! Which after conversion is cheaper than the local price of $2.

From Eslite Concept Bookstore, I spotted lots of San-X stationery...

I practices restraint and got only one Rilakkuma...... :)

I am afraid to say, these are not all what I bought... I have missed out a few accessories, bags and items from Chic Choc.

Goodbye Singapore...

2010-09-12T08:35:00.000+08:00

And Hello

(source http://www.welcome2taiwan.net/upload/_eng//4cb703e7a23eb0e57d13b951caaccf09.jpg)

Off to Taiwan for a holiday (shopping) trip from 12 - 18 Sept!!

I will be back with lots of Japanese goodies and Taiwanese goodies! Makeup, skincare, shoes, clothes, bags, here I come~~~~~~~!

Review: Sissel Heart-line Palette

2010-08-29T15:00:00.002+08:00

As requested by Blair, here's a (short) review on the Sissel Heart-line Palette which I previously mentioned in my Gmarket haul post.

Description: This gorgeous face palette contains a highlighting powder, cheek blush and shading powder that give you sleek, sculpting face and youthful glow. The ultra-fine, super-blendable formula virtually fuses with your skin for a sheer, radiant luminosity.

A close up picture and swatches of the highlight and blush colour.

(under natural light)

(under sunlight)

Both the highlight and blush colour have fine shimmers in them.

A close up picture and swatches of the shading colour.

(under natural light)

(under sunlight)

The darker colour has no shimmers but the lighter shade has just a tiny bit of fine shimmer.

Pros
The palette has a mirror spans across the entire length and width of the lid. It is light and slim so it makes a great traveling companion.

The texture is smooth and fine but slightly powdery and the shimmers are very fine and subtle. I like the highlighting colour very much, it gives me a nice subtle glow when I use it on my T zone and under eye area.

Cons
Has a light powdery-flowery smell, it might be irritating for some people who are sensitive to fragrance, but it don't really bother me that much.

The level of pigmentation of the blush colour is very sheer, despite layering on quite a few times it still cannot reach the level of pigmentation I desire. Might be good for beginners who are afraid to overdo on blush application or good for days when you just want some colour to your cheeks.

The shading colour is also very sheer, I tried using it to contour my face but I cannot see any difference. In the end, I twirled my face brush on the shading colours and used it as a face powder to add a bit of colour to my complexion.

The Heart-line Palette is a very pretty in the pan but the level of pigmentation is sadly lacking (I was very surprised that it was able to swatch so beautifully), I wouldn't recommend people to get it as there are much better blushes out there.

Hope this review helps!!

Gmarket Haul - Edited

2010-08-18T20:56:00.002+08:00

Here's another haul from Gmarket that I ordered several months back, my last makeup haul before my self-imposed makeup ban.

I have a weakness for cute, cuddly soft toys, so when I chanced upon this cute little bunny from Le Sucre, I know I got to have it!

Ain't she cute?! She's got the softest paws, legs and ears, however her head and body is rather hard so she is not at all hug-able. But nevertheless, I still like her a lot.

There are a few sizes and colours available and initially I wanted to get the biggest beige one, but due to space and money constraints and the one I bought was the beige medium sized one.

In case you want to know, I named her "Bun Bun".

The generous seller gave two 24k gold anti-radiation patches and a pair of Le Sucre Bunny hand phone charm!

The first makeup item I bought is a cheek palette from a Korean brand, Sissel by Kim Sun Jin. This particular cheek palette is called "Heart-line palette" and it consists of a highlighter, cheek colour, contour colour and a small dual-sided brush.

The insides of the packaging box have some information about this palette and its in English!!

What is says "This gorgeous face palette contains a highlighting powder, cheek blush and shading powder that give you sleek, sculpting face and youthful glow. The ultra-fine, super-blendable formula virtually fuses with your skin for a sheer, radiant luminosity."

The brand name "SISSEL" embossed in a checked pattern all over the exterior but my camera can't seemed to capture it well.

Another feature I like about this palette is that the mirror is pretty big and yet the palette is still very lightweight and slim, thus making it very portable and good for traveling!

Edited: The brush included in this palette is rather soft, softer that the brush included with my Clarins Powder Blush Compact, but not as soft as the brush included in my Kiss Dual Fairy Blush (this blush had already been discontinued).

I stumbled upon this brand Woodbury and their eyeliner caught my eye, so I got one to try. The shade I chose is called Black Dia, a black eyeliner with glitters.

Along with this eyeliner I also got a pack of nose strips from Kanebo, simply because it was really freaking cheap! 10 pieces for only W1,000!!!! But it is no where as good as Skin Food's. I have tried both Skin Food Black Bean Nose Pack and Chlorella Nose Clear Patch and they are really fantastic! If you are looking for good nose strips, then try Skin Food!

From Isa Knox, I ordered a Anti-Pollution Cleansing Lotion with Lotus Extract. I was intrigued by the words "anti-pollution" and it sounds good for my skin!

And from Castledew, Water Shot Base pearl effect make up in #01 Water White and #04 Water Purple.

The Isa Knox Anti-Pollution Cleansing Lotion comes in a big 210ml pump plastic bottle and the Castledew Water Shot Base, 45ml and the plastic bottle is the harder kind that can smash into bits if dropped and it comes with a pump too!

A list of some of Isa Knox products and their purposes.

When I opened my parcel, I was rather upset to see that my purple base was leaking from the cap!! Turns out that the cap was not screwed on tightly thus causing the leak! :~(

I also bought from another Korean brand, Tears whose spokesperson is the now-married-with-a-baby Kwon Sang Woo.

I got three nail polishes in shades PP001, PK001 and RD002. The nail polishes are only W1,500 each!

The two blushes I got are in shades PK04 Coral and PK01 Pitch (shade name translated from Google translate).

The freebies that the very generous seller included for this purchase, 5 packets of samples!

Each pack of sample consists of a sachet of face cream, a small bottle of face lotion, a small bottle of serum, another sachet of face cream, a sachet of toner and free drink card.

Bought some stuffs from Etude House (again)...

Repurchased the Sweet Appleade Body Scrub, which I already reviewed it in this post. And a tub on O2 White Mask which Blair recommended. It is supposed to be a revitalizing mask pack promotes clear and bright complexion.

I also bought a matte charcoal black eye shadow single (not too sure what is the shade name as its all written in Korean.) I have four other Etude House eye shadow singles and they are very value for money, have good pigmentation and silky smooth. So hopefully this doesn't disappoint!

Also, I got LUCIDarling Fantastic Gradation Eyes in #04 Fully Olive Black, which is an eyeshadow quad.

The packaging rather pretty, light pink with a black ribbon clasp but I find the plastic casing is somewhat cheapo.

Included in the palette is a mirror, two applicators, a slim sponge-tip and a dual fat sponge-tip and brush. The brush however is a tad too bristly and it doesn't apply the shadow well - looks patchy.

Surprise surprise! I have already tried it once and I find the eye shadows quite pigmented (comparable to KATE and much much better than Skin Food Coffee Creamy Color Fit Shadow) and OK smooth (can't compare to Lunasol's quads but still decent enough for a drugstore eye shadow).

One thing to note is that this quad is very shimmery and has slight fallouts. If you can't stand shimmery shadows then this is not for you.

GWP I received this time consisted of a sachet of Collagen Moistfull Cream and a pack of oil blotting sheets in a cute pink plastic case.

Also bought three packs of Calmia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue as backups.

I have previously reviewed these cleansing tissues before in this post. You can guess how much I love it since its not very often for me to repurchase the same item.

Bye~~!! *muacks~!*

What I've Consumed

2010-08-10T20:10:00.005+08:00

Another update on stuffs I have used up!

The items I have finish using are:-

Paul & Joe Light Cleansing Milk (GWP)
Clarins Purifying Cleansing Gel (Sample)
Clarins Whitening Pure Aqua-Lotion (Sample)
Avene Cleanance K
Ettusais Medicated Acne Night Time Defense Powder
Etude House Mascara Remover
Clinique Happy Heart Perfume
JoyceT Acne Solution Cleansing Gel
Beyond Pure & Clean Shower Gel
Kerasys Repairing Rinse
Lancome Virtuose Mascara (Sample)
Etude House AC Clinic Red Balm Spot
Kanebo Blanchir Whitening Conclusion (Samples + retail size)
Beautymaker Aquamarine Hydrating Lotion
IPSA Cotton

Just a quick review on some of the items.

Paul & Joe Light Cleansing Milk
Pros: Smells really really very nice!! Removes all my makeup including foundation. Makes my skin feel soft after each use. I actually have a full size bottle of this in my stash.
Con: Can't think of any.

Clarins Purifying Cleansing Gel
This used to be my favourite cleansing gel back when I was a teen!
Pros: Smells nice (but not as pleasant as P&J's Light Cleaning Milk). Foams easily. Leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed.
Con: My cheeks feel tight after using.

Avene Cleanance K
Pros: No scent detected. After using for a few weeks every night, I find that my clogged pores became lesser (but it could be due to my imagination).
Cons: It stings a little on the first few applications, but after about 3-4 days the stinging sensation ceases.

Etude House Mascara Remover
Initially I dissed this remover off as it couldn't remove my waterproof mascara. However, later I realised that it is not the fault of this remover, but rather, my mascara (Fasio waterproof mascaras) was too hard to remove.
Pros: Removed most of my waterpoof mascara (I've tried it with RMK and KATE mascara) in one swipe. Does not irritate my eyes. And the price is very affordable.
Con: It cannot remove Fasio waterproof mascaras.

Clinique Happy Heart Perfume
My favouite perfume, it really makes me feel happier on the days I am using it. This is the first fragrance I have ever repurchased.

JoyceT Acne Solution Cleansing Gel
Pros: No scent. Leaves my skin feeling soft, cleansed and refreshed without feeling stripped off of moisture. Helps to contain my occasional acne problems.
Cons: Expensive!! Can only be bought from a certain chain of beauty salons.

Lancome Virtuose Mascara
Pro: Give lashes lots of volume. Best used on top of another mascara.
Cons: Does not hold my curl AT ALL. My curled lashes drooped immediately upon application.

Beautymaker Aquamarine Hydrating Lotion
Pros: Have a light rose scent. Lotion is light weight and absorbs into skin fast.
Cons: Can only be bought online. Not hydrating enough for my combi-dehydrated skin.

Even though it seems that I have used up a lot of items, but my stash doesn't seemed to have deceased much! And I have already reduced my beauty related expenditure!!! Its hard for me to stop buying completely, so I have only been buying what I really need or backups of the items I usually use.

Neogence

2010-07-31T09:58:00.004+08:00

Nature Republic - Mini Haul

2010-07-31T09:55:00.001+08:00

Collective Haul

2010-07-28T19:04:00.000+08:00

Here's some stuffs I've hauled some time in May or June.

A couple of items from Shu Uemura.

A bottle of Lavender Mist Depsea Water which I keep in the office. A few spritz of it helps to hydrate my skin and also to keep myself awake! I also got the Glow On Blush in M44 which is a matte peachy colour. I have been lemming for this for ages!!

I received a $10 credit voucher with my previous purchase, so I got a powder foundation sponge (for backup) and a pack of facial cotton from Shiseido. I have read positive reviews about this facial cottons, so I got a pack for myself to try.

I don't know what's wrong with me these days, but I seemed to keep buying facial cottons!! I think that have like 6 packs of facial cottons lying around in my cupboard!!

Gotten another Ettusais Acne Nighttime Defense refill. This is a product I used nightly as the last step of my nighttime skincare routine. It helps to keep my face matte throughout the night.

From my local Sasa, I bought 9 pieces of Beauty Talk sheet, 7 pieces of Q10 and 2 pieces of Whitening. So far, I have only used the Q10 masks and they are real good! My skin feels more hydrated and bouncy-er. Another plus is that my skin did not react negatively, ie no redness, itchiness or breakouts.

Got a tube of ZA Concealer Perfection in shade 01 to conceal my dark eye circles. I use it together with my Canmake Color Stick in 07 Apricot. Just apply a thin layer of this Color Stick and pat to blend, then dot a few tiny dots of Concealer Perfection over it and pat to blend. Apply a little more of the Concealer Perfection if needed. And voila! My panda eyes disappears by 80%, my under eye area looks brighter! And not cakey at all!!

Frankly, I think all the concealers I bought work best at concealing my panda eyes when layered over this Color Stick!! I prefer using Canmake Color Stick to Bobbi Brown Corrector as I find the formula of the latter thicker and more drying.

Check out ZA's website here and Canmake's website here if you are interested.

Short Getaway to Bintan~!

2010-07-08T08:50:00.000+08:00

Depending on what time you are reading this post now, I might be either on a ferry to Bintan or touring Bintan city or relaxing in the resort.

I booked a short holiday (a mere 3 days 2 nights) to recharge my batteries.

Just wanna show what stuffs I am bringing along on my trip. I have 3 bags of stuffs containing my daily essentials. I thought I can travel light but it seems like its not the case!!

The biggest bag of the 3 is the Gelato Pique bag which I got from a Japanese mook. In this bag contains my shower stuffs.

In this compartment, I have a sheet mask, tissue, cotton pads and cotton buds.

Over this side are my toothpaste, toothbrush, floss and contact lens stuffs.

And here are my shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, face cleansers, etc most of which are samples or GWPs.

The second biggest bag contains my skincare stuffs, some hair ties and my comb!

Most of the stuffs I brought are considered to be essential to my daily routine, like the Kanebo Blanchir toner, serums and moisturiser which are also samples or GWPs. The only full sized item I brought along is the Face Shop facial mist (almost used up) and the Ettusais Night Protect Powder which took up alot of space but it is also used up. I intend to finish using it up in Bintan and throw it away there.

The smallest but rather heavy bag contains my makeup! Did you think I will forget to bring some makeup along?!

I got this pouch as a GWP from Etude House.

Quite a lot of stuffs in this pouch are actually full sized items thus contributing to the heavy weight.

Not sure if you can see, I bought along some brushes, KATE mascara, Muji eye lash curler,Etude House lip tint, ZA concealer #01, #02, Clarins lip balm #03, KATE dual carats, KATE gel eyeliner BK-1, etc... Yar, I brought alot of makeup... :p Can't help it...

I also brought along Neutrogena Ultra Sheer sunblock, a body sunblock with mosquito repellent, Clarins Lotus Oil and Etude House AC Clinic Red Spot Balm (I scooped some out and put it in an empty Kenzoki sample container).

Not featured here is my medicine pouch, which contains my nasal spray, antihistamine eye drop and some tummy ache medicines.

(Besides clothes) That's pretty much what I am bringing over there.. Seems like a lot right??! Heehee!

Random Buys

2010-06-30T19:03:00.000+08:00

Spotted some Rilakkuma stuffs at Isetan! I couldn't resist the temptation and picked up a couple of items.

I bought a hair towel which is supposedly to be very absorbent thus the hair can dry faster and a shower cap.

Ain't they cute!???!!

From my local Daiso, I picked up a pack of pre-wet cotton buds, a pack of square sponges and a black with white polka dots plastic pencil case.

I was rather disappointed with the pack of pre-wet cotton buds as they weren't as wet as I like it to be. Initially I intended to use it to clean up runaway eye shadows or eyeliners before touching up, but my eye makeup refuses to budge.

I planned to use this polka dots pencil case to store my make up brushes when I travel overseas later this year. If my brushes were to dirty the insides this pencil case, it can be easily cleaned up as the insides are also made of plastic.

Clinique Happy Hearts and Kisses Gift Set

2010-06-27T08:01:00.002+08:00

I was finishing my Clinique Happy Heart then and was deliberating if I should repurchase or should I get Ralph Lauren Romance instead. I was telling my colleague about my dilemma and she told me to check out the Mothers' Day gift sets at the Clinique counters.

So I went to a Clinique counter and came home with a Happy Hearts and Kisses gift set ♥ ♥! And best of all, that departmental store I went to was having 10% rebate on cosmetics and perfumes!

For $85, I got:-

A roomy flowery bag
Happy Heart Perfume Spray, 1.7 fl. oz
Happy Heart Body Cream, 2.5 oz.
Happy Heart Body Wash 2.5 oz.

Happy Heart is definitely my favourite scent, I think I like it slightly more than Flower by Kenzo. When I wear Happy Heart, for no reason my mood just become better and brighter. ♥ ♥

IPSA Collective Hauls

2010-06-24T19:03:00.002+08:00

Another collective haul again! This time, its from IPSA!

I've never bought anything from IPSA before and I've always wanted to try something from this brand. Since I received some vouchers from Tangs (the only available IPSA counter in Singapore is at Tangs Orchard), its a chance for me to try some stuffs out!

So what did I buy??

Facial Cottons
Preparing Clear Lotion EX 1
Super Sun Block SPF 50 PA+++
Pure Eye Zone Concealer
Oil Blotting Papers

I have only used this facial blotter twice, so can't really comment much yet.

Description: Delicate fine fibers made of 100% natural linen resiliently fit over the skin. The oil blotting paper perfectly fits even against the uneven surface of the nose wings and absorbs the sebum deep inside pores. Instantly erases shine while keeping the moisture in the skin.

IPSA's facial blotter is the paper type of material, not the plasticy kind like Clean And Clear blotters. Although this blotter is slightly on the thin side, it doesn't tear easily and I only need to use one sheet to soak up all the oil from my face.

I bought the Pure Eye Zone Concealer in shade 01 which is the lighter shade. There are only 2 shades available.

Description: A concealer that covers dullness, uneven tones and dark circles under the eyes as keeping moisture around the eyes. A soft film perfectly adheres to the skin to retain the initial beautiful finish over time without becoming uneven.

I saw this product being used in the Taiwanese beauty show 女人我最大 and the results looked amazing. However, when I tried using it, the results were not as fantastic.. My panda eyes and my eye bags are still visible. If I try to layer on more of this concealer, my eye area looks patchy and dry.

It works best for me when I apply a layer of Canmake Color Stick in 07 Apricot first and then layer the Pure Eye Zone Concealer on top. By using this method, I only need to use a little of both products and my panda eyes are covered moderately well. Don't think I will repurchase, I believe there are better concealers out there waiting for me to try out.

I also bought the Super Sun Block, which has SPF 50 PA+++. I tried it at the back of my hand at the counter and this sunblock is very light and watery and absorbs fast, no tacky feeling!

Description: Prevents the penetration of strong UV rays (UV-A, UV-B) with the Multi-proof veil for beautiful skin that powerfully resists against perspiration & sebum. Provides moisture to prevent dryness caused by UV rays. Perfectly adheres to skin and prolong makeup wear with the excellent resistance against perspiration, water and sebum. Leaves no white residue or stickiness on skin after absorption. Can be removed with a regular facial cleanser. SPF50 PA+++.

I was looking for a toner to use at night as my Etude House Trouble Eraser Toner was finishing soon. I asked the SA to recommend me a toner for combination skin type and she recommended me Preparing Clear Lotion EX 1.

Description: A lotion for stratum corneum care that provides an excellent exfoliation effect to thoroughly remove excess sebum in pores as well as dead corneocytes on the skin surface. Makes the skin "ready" for skincare by enhancing the penetration of skincare that follows and helping maximize the effects of the skincare. Makes oily skin smoother, softer and clearer.

The texture of this toner is a little thick, like a watery lotion. Immediately after using, my skin do feel a little sticky, however it absorbs very quickly and leaves my skin feeling fresh and bouncy. When I sniff straight from the bottle or from the cotton pad, I can smell alcohol, but the it is not very strong and I can't even smell it when I apply the toner all over my face.

This toner is not a must have for me and I expect something more from a pricey toner (don't remember the exact cost, but should be more than $40), so I do not think I will repurchase it again.

The GWPs I received with $150 purchase.

Pouch
Preparing Clear Lotion I
The Time Reset Cream CS1
Cleansing Smooth Foam
Cleansing Oil

On a separate shopping trip, in order to use up my vouchers which are expiring soon, I went to buy more of the Facial Cottons and Oil Blotting Papers.

I have to say that I really like the IPSA Facial Cottons but at $8 per pack they are the most expensive facial cottons I ever used! Good thing that I have vouchers!

Description: Fine quality cotton pads made of 100 % natural cotton. Excellently absorb and release effective ingredients to the skin. The easy-to-use size (6 x 7cm) maintains its shape without becoming fluffy. Split the cotton pad into 2 or 3 sheets for optimum use with the facial mask.

These facial cottons are the softest I have ever used and they don't leave any lint on my face. And best of all, I think I use lesser toner with this facial cotton as compared to facial cottons of other brands.

Gmarket Haul

2010-06-18T17:25:00.007+08:00

Not a surprise that I bought something from Gmarket again right? This is just a small haul that I ordered in February this year (yes!! February!! I know I am slow with posting my hauls), as I am trying to curb my expenditures at the moment.

So what did I buy?!

One of my favourite item from this haul is this navy blue bag (this haul has a lot of items that are my favourites!!)

This bag cost 26,900 Won excluding shipping. I really really like this bag and I have been using this for work since February this year. After using it daily for 4 months, this bag is already slightly worn :(

It measurements are 38.5cm x 28cm x 11cm. The material is very soft and hug-able and the best part is that the bag is light, which is unlike the past few bags that I bought online which are really very heavy even when empty.

This bags has 4 compartments (all with zips), 2 compartments in the front, which I use to keep my my ez link card (a stored value card used in Singapore for traveling on public transports) and the other for my name cards, 1 compartment is inside the bag which I keep my tissues and other small items and the last compartment at the back of the bag.

It also comes with a longer sling which I don't use, I prefer to use the shorter one.

I also bought 2 other bags, which cost only 9,900 Won each!

I also bought another tube of the IPKN My Baby Doll Foundation, this time in #23 as the previous tube was too light for me.

The skin care GWP I received, which is the same set of GWPs which I received the other time as well.

I also bought 2 cute ribbon hair ties, I have yet to use them yet as I am afraid that I will dirty them.

Another of my favourite is the BEYOND Pure & Clean Shower Gel. I bought 2 shower gels from the brand BEYOND, but so far I only tried the Pure & Clean Shower Gel and it became my HG shower gel.

Pure & Clean Shower Gel short review:

Pros: It is dermatologist tested and there is no chemical preservatives and colorants. Leaves my skin soft and clean but not drying. I love the scent which smells like plants and herbs. Comes in pump bottle.

Cons: Does not create much bubbles/foam, so I have to use more product. Pricey at 12,000 Won for a 250ml of shower gel. The product leaks out at side of the pump.

Am I going to repurchase? Definitely! The pros out weight the cons! And this time, I am going to get the body lotion too!

The GWPs I received from this seller.

I also bought some miscellaneous items like heel liners for my shoes to prevent painful blisters at the back of the heels...

I also bought 2 shawls.....

and sanitary pads.... :p

As a matter of fact, I bought 3 big packs of Kotex sanitary pads, 2 packs are for day use and 1 pack for the night. At 41cm, the night sanitary pads are the longest I've ever used!!

In this haul, I also tank tops and presents for my friends!

Clarins Collective Haul

2010-06-15T07:08:00.003+08:00

Over the past few months, I have rekindled my love for Clarins and ended up spending quite a far bit on some of their products.

As mentioned in the title, it is a collective haul, so I didn't buy all these stuff all at one go, bought these at three goes. Hehe~

The first haul includes: -

Extra-Firming Body Cream
Defining Body Lift Twin Pack
Defining Eye Lift
Pure and Radiant Mask

Defining Body Lift is a light gel-lotion which is supposedly able to help to streamline hips and thighs and reduces the appearance of cellulite, ensuring smoother, more toned skin with 'high definition' results. (Yes, I have cellulite >.< )

After application, the skin feels very smooth, soft and almost velvety. As much as I like this product, I don't use it daily as I keep forgetting about it. I really should make it a habit to use it daily.

I was slightly disappointed with this purchase because I told the SA that I wanted to buy Body Shaping Cream but she gave me Extra-Firming Body Cream instead. I didn't notice until much later (which is recently). I can't return the product as I have transferred some product into a pump bottle. :( So I suppose I will have to finish using this tub of cream first and get my Body Shaping Cream the next time.

But luckily, the Extra-Firming Body Cream is easily absorbed and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. However, my intention was to tone and shape my tummy's contours, which is not exactly the benefit of this cream.

Lesson learnt: Check the names of the items you are buying before paying.

Ok, enough of my ranting.. Let's move on.

I was recommended to get the Pure and Radiant Mask by the Beauty Therapist when I went for a facial at Clarins Institute. She suggested me to use it 2 to 3 times a week, after cleansing the face, leave it on for 10 minutes before washing off.

It is supposed to comfort and purify, refine the skin's texture and leave it matte and ultra-soft. Non-drying, it rinses off easily and is suitable for even the most delicate skin.

If I follow her instructions and leave it on for 10 minutes, my skin feels clean, soft and smooth. However, if I leave on any longer, my skin will feel very tight. I usually apply the mask on my face and neck after cleansing, before showering and I will wash it off in the shower after washing my hair.

The Defining Eye Lift is a repurchase, I like it as it helps to "deflate" my puffy eyelids and thus makes my double eyelids more defined.

The GWPs I received with this purchase.

Advanced Extra-Firming Neck Cream
Joli Rouge #07 Raspberry
UV Plus Protective Day Screen SPF 40 PA+++ (tinted)
Pearl-to-Cream Brightening Cleanser
Younger Longer Balm
Bust Beauty Extra-Lift Gel

Samples received..

Another purchase which I bought during 15% discount! ^-^

White Plus Whitening Moisture Day Emulsion SPF 20 PA++
White Plus HP Repairing Whitening Night Cream

Both are my HG currently. Smells really nice and after application, my skin feels soft and have a slight glow. My scars have also lightened slightly. Even though both the moisturisers are cream type, they are light enough for my combination skin and doesn't break me out *cross fingers*.

Ingredients of the day emulsion

Ingredients of the night cream

My latest purchase, bought last month when Institute Clarins @ Wheelock was having 20% discount.

Eye Contour Gel
Advanced Extra-Firming Eye Contour Serum
Bust Beauty Lotion

Eye Contour Gel is my HG, this is my Nth tube, I started using this when I was 18 or 19.. I find it very good at reducing my puffiness and soothes my eyelids. I have drug allergy that causes my eyes to swell, so far only this gel helps to soothe my poor eyelids and my swollen eyelids will reduce slightly. However, it does nothing for my dark circles.

I use daily in the morning after Defining Eye Lift, it is a light-weight gel that absorbs fast and my eye makeup goes on smoothly without balling up.

I have not tried the other 2 products yet, but I was very impressed when I tested the Advanced Extra-Firming Eye Contour Serum at the back of my hands at counter as I find that the lines actually diminished and the skin at the back of my hands looked so much smoother!

The samples I received.

Kenzoki Haul

2010-06-11T19:00:00.000+08:00

Hauled some Kenzoki stuffs the other time.. Did I ever mentioned that I'm a big fan of their White Lotus range? I LOVE LOVE LOVE the scent of the Kenzoki skin/body care range, namely the White Lotus and the Rice Steam range!!

The scent makes me feel very relaxed and happy, very therapeutic (at least for me), that's why I am willing to splurge a bit more to buy Kenzoki products.

I only bought 3 items, all body products.

White Lotus Relaxing Lotus SHH (SHH)
Rice Steam Sensual Hand Balm (RS Hand Balm)
Rice Steam Bare Body Night Cream (RS Night Cream)

SHH is a body mist that helps to perfume, moisturise and soothes the skin. This replaces the Lotus Relaxing Beneficial Water which I am still using (I have not use SHH yet). My nose cannot detect any difference in scent between the old and the new.

The old packaging is made of plastic and over time, the plastic becomes sticky while the new packaging is glass. I can't say that it is an improvement in packaging as I'm afraid that I might break the bottle in the bathroom. However, I prefer to use it on my bed, (mmm.. how do I explain) because when I spray the mist on my arms and legs, the area of the spray is larger than the area of my arm/leg, therefore some of the mist will land on my bedsheets and/or stuffed toys so they will also smell nice too and no wastage!!

What attracted me to buy RS Hand Balm, is definitely the scent! And of course, it moisturises my hands well and makes my skin feels soft. The texture of this balm is slightly thick, but absorbs fast. The scent lingers for hours and even after washing my hands! ♥ ♥

RS Night Cream is a body cream and even though it is a cream, the texture is very light, absorbs really fast, moisturises my skin and makes my skin soo soft to touch! The scent is heavenly too!

Even though both the hand balm and night cream are from the Rice Steam range, the fragrance is different, the hand balm smells sweet while the night cream smells musky. However, I ♥ both.

My GWPs..

1 clear plastic pouch
2 empty containers
1 headband
1 sponge
1 spatula
1 sheet of labeling sticker

Another makeup pouch containing a few body and skin care samples.

I was entitled to a travel size body mist as I bought the retail size bottle.

The skin care samples I received - Bamboo Leaf, White Lotus moisturisers and Eau De Fleur EDTs.

Review: Beauty Credit Acnever Teatree Extracts Spot

2010-06-08T19:50:00.003+08:00

Dear Blair has requested for a review on this blemish cream some time back, so sorry that it took me so long, as I wanted to use it for a little longer before I write a review.

Description: A light moisturising essence of plant elements such as teatree oil, Kava Kava extracts and glaycirrhizic acid derivative lightly protect sensitive and soften skin smoothing out troubled spots.

Ingredients: Water, dimethicone / Vinyl dimethicone crosspol ymer, Dimthicone, Butylene glycol, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Sodium polyacrylate, Biosaccharide gum-1, sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium glycyrrihizate, Salix nigra (Willow) Bark extract, Punica granatum extract, Centella asiatica extract, Ppg-26-buteth-26, Melaieuca alternnfola (Tea Tree) leaf oil, Tetrasodium edta, Aloe cimethicone, Peg-40 Hydrogenated castor oil, Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Ethoxydiglycol, Butylparaben, beatine

Pros: Thumbs up for the packaging as it comes with a pump, instead of the usual squeeze tube. With the pump, I can easily control the amount of product dispensed out. It is easily absorbed by the skin, it doesn't dry out my skin and my makeup doesn't cake on the spots I applied this essence. It heals small pimples (those with pus) relatively fast. Price wise, I can't really remember, but I think I paid less than $10 as I bought it when it was on 30% discount.

Cons: It is not so effectively on those big red bumps (those without pus), I have been using this on my big acne for the past 2 weeks and it only reduced slightly.

Will I repurchase? Maybe yes, maybe not. It is definitely not my HG, but it isn't really that bad. I am always out to try new products, so unless I cannot find another pimple cream that calls out to me, I might repurchase it.

Review: Urban Decay Clean & Sober

2010-05-27T12:23:00.004+08:00

I tried the Urban Decay Clean & Sober for the first time yesterday and I am ready to give my verdict.

image from http://www.urbandecay.com/categories/CleanandSober.cfm

Description: Sweep away your daily transgressions with our soothing gel-based makeup remover. Mild cleansers, coupled with botanicals like jasmine, sacred lotus and manuka honey effortlessly dissolve makeup, while a touch of lavender scent provides much-needed serenity. The oil-free formula leaves skin soft and refreshed and won’t irritate eyes, leaving you free to explore your other vices.

Pros: Able to remove most of my eye makeup with one wipe. Comes with a pump so its easy to control the amount of product dispensed.

Cons: Stings my eyes a lot!! So much so that my eyes teared and my nose also started to 'drip' too!

I wanted to like this so much, as it really cleanses well! But it stings so much that I cannot bare to put myself through the torture again. Good thing that I got it free at Sephora. I most definitely will not attempt to remove my eye makeup with this. I guess I will use it on my lips instead.

What I've Consumed

2010-05-25T19:50:00.003+08:00

Managed to use up another bunch of products recently :)

1. Kanebo Blanchir Clear Conditioner
My HG toner! Really helps to plump and moisturise my skin well! It can also be used as a mask too!

2. Etude House Trouble Eraser Toner
Sadly, this is already discontinued. Really like this toner as it helps to calm my spots and is not drying.

3. Liese Styling Water for Hair Dryer
After applying my leave-in conditioner, I will spray this before blow drying. This styling water helps to speed up the hair drying process, so the hair will not suffer too long under the heat from the hair dryer.

4. The Body Shop Cucumber Refreshing Water
Hate this as it stings my skin badly.

5. H2O+ Marine Cleansing Gel
This is one of my favourite cleaners. It cleanses well without making my skin feel tight. I have a backup of this in my stash.

6. Ettusais Acne Nighttime Defense
I hate to sleep with sticky skin, so every night after my night skin care routine, I will press some of this powder on my face and neck.

7. Clarins White Plus Whitening Pure Aqua-Lotion
I don't find anything special about this toner. Whitening effect? Don't see any. But good thing that it doesn't break me out.

8. Ettusais Acne Body Whitening Mist
Nothing special about this again. I can't see any whitening effect either. Unfortunately, I have a backup of this in my stash. :(

9. Etude House Sweet Appleade Body Scrub
Already reviewd it here.

10. Calmia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue
I have reviewed it in my earlier post. I really like this cleansing tissues as it really soft and I can really all my makeup with only one sheet. And its very cheap too!

11. Neutrogena Shampoo Anti-Residue Formula
I had this for years, and I finally managed to use it up! Was told this is already discontinued.

12. RMK Eye Make-up Remover
This is my HG eye make-up remover! It removes all eye make-up (including waterproof mascara) easily without stinging my eyes.

Review: IPSA Cleansing Smooth Foam

2010-05-19T19:16:00.001+08:00

I got this cleanser as a GWP recently when I bought some stuffs from my local IPSA counter.

Description: A facial cleanser that thoroughly removes impurities in the skin as retaining moisture. Makes the skin ready to absorb the subsequent skincare products. Effectively removes dead corneocytes (what's this?? does anyone know?) for skin with roughness or dullness. Leaves skin feeling clean and smooth after cleansing.

Pros: Even without a foaming net, this cleanser foams easily with water. The foams produced feels thick, soft and luxurious. I like using this as my morning cleanser as it leaves my skin feeling clean, smooth, very very soft and this cleanser does not leave my skin feeling tight.

Cons: The cap of the sample I've gotten is the screw-on type, I prefer the flip-top caps. Other than this minor complain, there's nothing else for me to be fussy about.

I most definitely like this cleanser. The foam produced by this cleanser is definitely one of the softest I've used. I really like how my skin feels clean but yet not stripped of moisture. I will most probably purchase the full size once I finish using up other full size cleansers I have in my stash. A little goes a long way, I use about half a centremeter and its enough for my face and neck.

FYI, I have acne-prone, sensitive, dehydrated, combination skin (semi-oily T-zone and slightly dry cheeks).

Benefit Haul

2010-05-16T21:19:00.007+08:00

Pampered myself with some makeup from Benefit in January this year, when benefitcosmetics.com was having a promo code for free international shipping for purchases US$115 and above in.

I have not tried any Benefit stuffs previously because I find that Benefit is quite overpriced at my local counters, so I was uber excited to finally lay my hands on some of their makeup!

The box is rather small and light as compared to those I usually get from Gmarket.

It arrived faster than expected! Reached my doorstep in less than 2 weeks and my goodies tightly packed. No items arrived smashed or broken and the packaging were in pristine condition.

My haul in their full glory!

I've got many many things (Haha, just kidding! Merely 6 items). One of it is the Ceaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Recess. It is a neutral shade that blends into my skin and helps brighten up my lids. I am not loving these as they tend to crease in my inner corners. But the packaging is really cute though!

I found this at the BUH-BUYS corner and I cannot find this on the website anymore, my guess is that this shade might have been discontinued.

I also got a Realness of Concealness mini "fake-it" kit, which contains their top selling concealers and enhancers. I mainly got it because this kit consists miniatures of the famous High Beam which is a complexion enhancer, Lemon Aid a colour correcting eyelid primer and Boi-ing a concealer.

The kit also consists of Ooh La Lift an under-eye brightener and Lip Plump a lip primer. Too bad it doesn't have the famous Erase Paste. :(

I also managed to score a kit which has 3 cheek colours! So happy that I can try out 3 different cheek colours without buying 3 separate products!! This kit contains:-

Hoola a bronzing powder
Coralista, like its name is a coral blush
Dallas a bronzer/blush
a small brush

From the BUH-BUYS corner, I also got a Girls' Night In!! kit. This is a very value for money kit! I believe its still available at the website.

The kit consists of:-

Talent Brush - shadow/liner synthetic-bristle brush
Full-Finish Lipstick in Lady's Choice
Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner in Birthday Suit
Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner in Skinny Jeans
plastic makeup bag with zip
collectible mannequin magnets

On the website, Skinny Jeans is described as pretty pewter and Birthday Suit is described as brushed chrome. I have not tried them yet... Actually, besides the Creaseless Crease Shadow/Liner in Recess, I haven't try out the rest yet. The first-in-first-out rule. Hehe~

The useless magnets... :p

My three GWPs. A full-sized eyeshadow in Soft Shoulder, a sample of Dr Feel Good which is a complexion balm that helps to mattify shine and Erase Paste (yay!!!) a concealer.

I actually got two more lipsticks from the BUH-BUYS corner, a Full-Finish Lipstick in Passionista and a Silky Finish Lipstick in Fruit Cocktail which I gave to my mom as her birthday present.

I didn't really spend a lot on this haul as quite a few of the items were on sale and I didn't buy any other makeup that month.

P.S. I am currently on a point makeup ban (ie no blushers, no eye shadows, no lippies, no eyeliners) until mid September. My point makeup ban started beginning of this month and I am glad to say that I have resisted all temptations thrown in my way.

However, that does not mean that there wouldn't be any more haul posts as I still have some backlog to clear. Until then!!

Collective Haul

2010-05-10T09:03:00.003+08:00

Here's a post of what I've bought over the past 6 months.

Some products from Kanebo when they were having direct 15% (or was it 20%?) off.

I got myself the Coffret D'or CM Eyes in 05 Beige-Black Mix. I have been lusting for this palette for ages! Finally caved in to temptation and brought it home with me! ^-^

Also from Coffret D'or, the JM Rouge in PK244, another item that I have been lusting after. I also got my 4th bottle of Blanchir Whitening Night Conditioner and a packet of pill masks.

The GWPs and samples I got. Some Blanchir skincare, Coffret D'or lip stick samples and a pretty nail polish.

There was a Tangs Bazaar Sales some months back, so I got some Phytomer body care products and a tube wash off eye mask.

A flat top brush from Sephora Professional. This brush is really very soft! I forgot what's the actual purpose of this brush but I use it as a blush brush.

The famous Kose Mask White was having a buy one get one free, so gotten get it!

This mask is wondrous! Apply some of this gooey black coloured mask generously on the skin (No, I didn't get the name wrong, this Mask White is actually black in colour! Ironic right?), remember to avoid smearing any on your eye area, hairline and eyebrows. Wait for about 20minutes for it to dry. And peel it of gently and you should be able to get your black heads on the mask. Disgusting as it sounds, I always inspect the mask for my blackheads! Lolx~ It feels victorious to see my clog pores being unclogged, if you get what I mean.

Remember to close back the pores with some toner !

I also bought some Dove cleansing products. A gofresh Self-foaming Facial Wash and a Lathering Oil Make-up Remover. The foaming cleanser is not really a favourite of mine as it leaves my face feeling tight and too squeaky clean. My favourite cleansers are H2O+ Marine Cleansing Gel and JoyceT Acne Solution Cleansing Gel, both leaves my skin feeling clean (not the squeaky kind of clean) and refreshed.

And lastly, some paper tapes I bought at Kinokuniya! I love to buy stationary, especially stickers!

Flats from Troiss + Inch

2010-05-09T13:28:00.000+08:00

Did some shoes shopping sometime back (I think maybe 2 months ago or so) and I got myself 2 pairs of flats to wear to work.

Ever since I started working (close to) 2 years ago, I wore high heels to work. To me, a work outfit isn't complete without heels and also heels give me the much needed extra height (fyi I am only 155cm which is about 5 feet) :p

But ever since I slipped and fell down last year, my ankle have been giving me problems. I didn't twist it, didn't even sprain it during the fall, but my ankle just wasn't the way it used to be! If I put my weight on the injured leg, my ankle will start to throb. If I stand for a long time, my ankle will start to throb, if I wear heels, my ankle will start to throb some time in the afternoon, despite that I am seated down most of the time and I change to slippers at my work station.

On my doctor's advise, I got myself some flats to wear to work. But if I do wear skirts or dresses, I will wear my heels :x

The shoes look big don't they? I have a huge feet despite being petite. >.<

The insides are made of sheep linings so they are super comfy! The cutting of these flats are wide at the toes, so my toes aren't squeezed together. And soles of these flats are sp soft and well padded! I have never worn flats that feels as soft as these! But they didn't come cheap, but they are worth every cent!

How many products do you put on your face daily??

2010-04-22T19:02:00.001+08:00

After posting the "What if… you could only keep ten beauty products from your stash?", it got me thinking about the number of products that I use usually on my face from the start of the day to night fall.....

Day time

Cleanser - H2O Marine Cleansing Gel
Toner - Kanebo Blanchir Clear Conditioner
Eye - Clarins Defining Eye Lift
Eye - Clarins Eye Contour Gel
Acne - Acnever Teatree Extracts Spot
Serum - Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum (T-zone)
Serum - Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase (U-zone)
Serum - Kanebo Blanchir Superior Whitening Conclusion (Sparing all over)
Moisturizer - Clarins White Plus HP Protective Whitening Day Lotion SPF 20
Sunblock - IPKN Fresh Apple Sunblock SPF 50 PA+++
Lips - TBS Vitamin E Lip Care

Night time

Cleanser - Calmia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue
Cleanser - RMK Eye Makeup Remover
Cleanser - JoyceT Acne Solution Cleansing Gel (Salon Brand)
Toner - Kanebo Blanchir Clear Conditioner
Eye - Mamonde Total Solution Smart Moisture Eye Cream
Serum (?) - Cleanance K
Serum - Kanebo Blanchir Superior Whitening Conclusion
Moisturizer - Clarins White Plus HP Repairing Whitening Night Cream
Serum - Banila Co Eye Love Lash Essence
Powder - Ettusais Acne Nighttime Defense

11 for day plus 10 for night equals to 21 plus another 5 products used for my base makeup, that makes a total of 26 items. For eyes I use primer, eye shadows, eyeliner, mascara base and mascara. For face I use blushers and powder highlighter and lips, either lip gloss and/or lipstick... More than 30 items!!! *Gasp*

Current Base MU Routine

2010-04-21T22:25:00.001+08:00

I frequently change my base makeup routine as I try to mix and match and come up with the best combination to suit my (very troublesome) skin.

I say that my skin type is troublesome because I have sensitive, acne-prone, dehydrated, combination skin. I cannot use formulas that are too rich or too hydrating as it will cause my skin become an oil mine and I will also breakout. But I also cannot use oil-control products as it will further dehydrate my skin and my U-zone (the cheeks and chin area) to look dry and flaky. Sometimes but quite rarely, certain ingredients also cause my skin to itch and/or become red and flaky.

I have sort of found the best concoction that suits my current skin condition/needs.

IPKN Fresh Apple Sunblock SPF 50 PA+++
Laneige Makeup Primer Sebum Control
Too Zone Brightener
RMK Liquid Foundation in shade #102
RMK Super Basic Concealer Pact in shade #01
MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder

The above is the sequence I use the products.

Technically, sunblock is a skin care item not base makeup, but for this post, I just want to write about the stuffs I use after my moisturiser, so I label them as "Base Makeup".

I do feel that the IPKN sunblock does provide some form of oil-control but doesn't dry my skin out and best of all, it does not feel greasy or heavy! Its a cream sunblock but the formula is not thick, and it turns sort of watery when massaged into the skin. I really like this sunblock a lot! Thinking of repurchasing it once I finish this tube.

Together with the other base products used , I get a dewy, bright but not greasy finish. I get some oil-control and yet my face does not get very dehydrated, but of course, the skin care products used before application of makeup also plays an important part in holding the makeup up. With this combination, I only need to blot about 4 hours later and my foundation can last more than 8 hours on a good day.

Not sure if I mentioned this in my other post, but I really really like the Too Zone Brightener a lot! It is a liquid highlighter and it really helps to brighten up my face! I use it after primer but before my liquid foundation on my T-zone, under eye area, top of my cheekbones and on my temples.

I do realise that when I remember to use this liquid highlighter, my skin looks so much fresher and less haggard. I am sure other liquid highlighters will have the same effect, but I like this better because it in in a pen form and comes with a brush attached.

Random: Cleansers Samples

2010-04-20T21:21:00.003+08:00

Another totally random (but beauty related) thing I would like to share...

While I was tidying and organising my overflowing beauty drawer (its a drawer filled with unused skin care products), I found that I have a lot of samples that are facial cleansers and makeup removers.

I have put them all in a bag so that in the future, whenever I need a cleanser or makeup remover, I can simply reach for this bag.

(front view)

(back view)

(top view)

That's quite a lot isn't it? Frankly, I was also surprised at the sheer quantity myself! All these will be able to sustain me for quite some time! Lolx~!

What if… you could only keep ten beauty products from your stash?

2010-04-19T10:27:00.005+08:00

This morning when I was reading Temptalia, I saw an interesting topic "What if… you could only keep ten beauty products from your stash?" Now that's a tough one...

I have a modestly-sized stash of beauty arsenal and I have quite a few favourites, so picking only 10 of them requires some thinking...

My choice of 10 (essential) products will include:-

Kanebo Blanchir Clear Conditioner
Clamia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue
Clarins Eye Contour Gel
Clarins White Plus HP Repairing Whitening Night Cream
Avene Cleanance K
MAC Fix+
Too Zone Brightener
RMK Liquid Foundation
RMK Super Basic Concealer Pact
MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder

However, I don't think I can ever just survive with just these 10 products... Just skincare alone, I already use more than 10 different products on a daily basis (different products for day and night)..

And usually, for my base makeup alone, I already use like 6 items (primer, liquid highlight, liquid foundation, concealer, loose powder and powder highlight)!! And for point makeup maybe add another 6 more items!

What about you? What are the ten beauty products you will choose?

Random : My Little Zoo

2010-04-18T08:57:00.002+08:00

Bought a new luggage yesterday and as a jest, I put my stuffed toys in it. I thought they looked kinda of cute so, here's it!

They are my little zoo, consisting of a gaint of a dog, a brown bear (my favourite!), giraffe, elephant, a tiny tiger and a white rabbit! They reside in a corner of my bed, I actually have quite a few more stuffed toys kept in a Toyogo box (there isn't enough space on my bed), but didn't take them out.

My new (not but the newest) zoo member, got it only a few days ago. Isn't it sweet?! I named it Pinky! Lolx~

Review: RMK Super Basic Concealer Pact

2010-04-15T19:09:00.000+08:00

A short review on RMK Super Basic Concealer Pact :)

Its available in 2 shades, #01 and #02 and have SPF 28PA++. Each pact comes with 2 shades of cream concealer, a powder and 2 brushes. The shade I gotten is #01.

The RMK SA told me to blend the 2 shades together to match my skin tone however, I find that the colour of the lighter shade matches my eye area (I use it on both my upper and lower eye area) while the darker shade matches the colour on my face.

Pros: Easy to blend and the colour match is pretty good. Concealing power is quite good, it does fade a little during the day but I supposed that is normal, lasting powder is pretty decent.

I like how the lighter shade helps to conceal my dark circles and also how it brightens my eye area. Concealer does not sink into my facial lines. The translucent powder is really light and non-drying. The pact comes with a mirror and good quality brushes (1 for concealer, 1 for powder).

Cons: Despite it being a cream concealer, it is a bit hard and dry. Expensive, cost $85.

What I've Consumed

2010-04-09T19:36:00.002+08:00

Another update on my previous "What I've Consumed" post. I have been very diligent in finish using stuffs from my current skin care/samples stash!

Here's what I have finished using (sorry no pics!):-

Mamonde Happy & Smart Cleansing Tissues (80 sheets)
Ettusais Medicated Acne Nighttime Defense (8g)
~H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment 50ml
Kanebo Blanchir Whitening Night Conditioner 40g
Clarins White Plus HP Whitening Soft Aqua-Soft Milk 10ml
Clarins White Plus HP Whitening Moisturising Day Emulsion 5ml
Clarins White Plus HP Repairing Whitening Night Cream 4ml
Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask 5ml
Beauty Credit Keratin Shampoo 100ml

I am good ain't I?!

Items I am trying to resist

2010-04-03T11:48:00.006+08:00

So far I've done a good job of resisting some expensive goodies that are available locally...

Lunasol Nature Color Eyes in 04 Nature Beige and 05 Nature Colorful

Lunasol Full Glamour Gloss N in 21 Soft Pink and maybe 17 Soft Coral too!

I have a Full Glamour Gloss in 06 (a gift from my BF) which I love very very much but sadly it had been discontinued.

SK-II Cellumination Essence

SK-II Cellumination Deep Surge

I hope I still can resist the temptation in the days to come! I need to save money to go for my overseas trip(s) in the later part of the year!!

Gmarket Haul - Again!

2010-03-21T17:48:00.003+08:00

Here's another Gmarket haul!

I bought some base makeup... (No, I didn't buy any Isa Knox items.. This was the box my items were housed in).

What I got for myself were IPKIN My Baby Doll Base SPF 20 PA++ (the name is soooo cute~), My Baby Doll Foundation SPF 27 PA++ in shade 21 (which is too light for me! I overestimated the fairness of my skin. Lolx!!) and Fresh Apple Sunblock SPF 50 PA+++.

The makeup base and foundation cost about $18 each, I can't remember the price of the sunblock though.

The sunblock, like its name smells like apple (I think more like the green apple sweet that I love eating) and comes in a squeeze tube. It has a slight green tint to it, but it doesn't show up on the skin nor does it cover any redness. It is easy to spread and dries quickly to a matte finish.

Recently, my favourite base makeup routine is to use this Fresh Apple Sunblock -> Laneige Make Up Primer Sebum Control -> RMK Liquid Foundation ->MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder.

The packaging of the makeup base and foundation are really very nice! The tube of the makeup base is light pink in colour while the tube of the foundation is a deeper pink and the bottle is not the typical soft plastic but hard plastic.. Hope you can get what I mean.. Don't really know how to describe it well... Best of all, it comes with a pump dispenser! Very clean and hygienic! ♥

Even the cap has the words "MY BABY DOLL MAKEUP". So cuteeee~~!!

Here's some skincare freebies I was given..

I finally managed to buy a liquid highlighter in pen form! Also wanted to buy one, but those I found were too pricey. This only cost $12 =D (Earlier this month, I wanted to buy one more for backup but it is out of stock!!!)

I have been using it daily to highlight my T-zone and my under eye area. Really like the way it helps to brighten up face. What should I use once I have finished this?! :~~(

I was running out of the Mamonde Happy & Smart Cleansing Tissues, so I scouted long and hard for some cheap cleansing tissues. And I found these:-

Calmia Natural Oatmeal Cleansing Tissue!

For $8 you get 2 packs of cleansing tissues, each pack has 120 sheets!! I use about 1 sheet a day, so I pack can last me about 3 months and each sheet cost less than 1 cent! I really like these cleansing tissue a lot! The texture of the tissue is really very soft and the size of the tissue is quite big (it is longer than the usual facial tissue). 1 sheet is more than enough for each use.

It is really a great buy! However, I have a minor complain about the lid, it doesn't close well... So I don't know how long these tissues will remain wet. :(

I was very impressed with the Ma Cherie End Cure Milk I bought the other time and since I couldn't find it on Gmarket anymore, I decided to try the Aqua Dew Energy Ex.

While the texture of End Cure Milk is like lotion, the Aqua Dew Energy Ex is more like gel-cream which turns watery once I spread it on my palm.

Even though I only bought 1 product. the seller was generous and threw in quite a few body and skin care samples! ^-^

I spotted Beauty Credit (don't know I didn't see it all this while) and the prices are quite reasonable and further more, there was a 30% discount at the time, so I ordered a few products to try..

Moisture Aloe Skin Lotion
Moisture Aloe Emulsion
Moisture Aloe Essence
Special Pack Washable - 8 Grains Mask
Acnever Teatree Extracts Spot

I really like the packing of Beauty Credit! Look at the cute rocking horse are embossed on the caps!!

I really like the fact that both the Acnever Teatree Extracts Spot and Moisture Aloe Essence come with a pump, hygienic and convenient.

I have been using these Beauty Credit items every morning for the past 1 month (except for the 8 Grains Mask), and sad to say, the Moisture Aloe is not moisturising enough for me, Etude House Aqua Sherbet range works much better. I have combi, dehydrated skin and I work in an air conditioned environment, so I suppose Moisture Aloe stuff isn't "strong" enough.

But looking on the brighter side, they didn't cause me to breakout and this range should probably work for my skin if I don't stay in the air conditioned environment for a long time, so I can use still them on weekends. Either that or I can slather all over my body.

As for the 8 Grains Mask, its a steal at $7 for such a big tub! And I ♥ it! After every use, it leaves my skin feeling soft, moisturised, bright and slighty glowy~! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ it!!

I also ordered the Grind Pumpkin mask which was unfortunately out of stock.. It must be really good to be out of stock isn't it?!

Some GWPs I got from Beauty Credit.... 2 sanitary pads (lolx!!!) and some skin care samples.

Also bought some belts to jazz up my outfits...

I really like the first 2 belts (brown and black ones), I ♥ ribbons! The clasp of the off-white belt (I actually ordered white, but instead it looked like off-white) was quite badly scratched!!! I didn't realise that until I already posted my review on Gmarket, otherwise I would have made some noise about it. The brown and the off-white belts cost about $7 each while the black one is about $13.

The freebies I got was a black and white shawl and a blue sky with clouds lap blanket (which is very cute and pretty but has holes!!).

I also bought 2 watches... Same design but in different colours... Both came with a free additional battery! They cost W5,400 each, which is about $6.50.

Some miscellaneous stuff that I bought for fun...

These rollers are quite cheap, cost about $6-8 each (I can't remember), some time back I saw similar ones at a Japanese drugstore and each of the rollers cost no less than $17! I also bought two for my mother to try, but so far both of us didn't have time to use them yet. I admit it, I am so lazy!!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil

2010-03-16T19:47:00.000+08:00

Finally! I got my naughty paws on the famous Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil! My BF sponsored one of it =D

I debated for some time before deciding on getting Stash and Oil Slick. Stash is described as "dark green/gold " and "Oil Slick" is described as "black with teeny silver glitter". Crash, Bourbon and Rockstar were also on my "Considered List", guess I may buy them in the future! Hehe~!

I was really lemming for Oil Slick ever since I saw it being used in a tutorial on one of the blogs I have been following. At that time, Urban Decay was not available, so I am really very glad that Sephora finally brought it in!

I have not tried these eyeliners yet as I am sticking to my first-in-first-out rule but I have swatched them at the back of my hands at Sephora and they really glide on very smoothly and after a few minutes, they doesn't come off despite that I kept rubbing. Hope they will last well on my eyelids too!!

Sephora was having a promotion then, with any two purchases, there will be a $120 worth of GWP.

The GWP consists of a retail size Clean and Sober (gel-based makeup remover), 2 retail size eyeshadows in Midnight Cowboy and Goddess, 2 sachets of eyeshadow primer potion in Original and Sin and 2 travel sized 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Covet and Electric.

(left to right: Midnight Cowboy and Goddness)

Shoes

2010-03-12T12:19:00.000+08:00

Hi~!!

Just a random update on the shoes I've gotten recently :) Loving these peek-toes flats! They are very comfortable and quite cheap too!

I am currently wearing this pair on my feet right now.. ^0^

The "mouth" of the left side above polka dots flats opened one day and I had to seal it up with superglue.. I used up one whole tube of superglue to stick it back together.. The last time I checked, the right "mouth" is going to open up very soon too! So depressing as I had only worn this pair for about 2 months... :(