Sunday, November 13, 2011

Haul - Bubbi/Quo Brushes, Lancome Cleanser, Clinique Real Foundation, Makeupforever concealer, Mac Fall Colour Collection for Fall 2011

hey all ~

it's a gloomy Sunday afternoon, and I'm in the mood for some blogging. Here are some products that I've been using and would like to share with you all. It's not a lot considering how long I have not blogged!


My newly acquired Bubbi brushes. I happen to stumble on Bubbi's video featuring her newly launched brushes. I was interested in trying the foundation brush, but i also decided to pick up a powder brush as well.

Here is how they look: The powder brush and the flawless HD brush

When I first got them, I was surprised by the size of these brushes. They are almost like travel size brushes. I was really looking forward to using the "flawless HD brush" but I was highly disappointed by the size of it. Aside from that, I find myself falling in love with the flawless HD brush by the day. It works beautifully around the area of my nose, and around my eyes. What differentiates this brush from the stippling brush is its density and ability to buff out the foundation. I highly recommend using this brush with a thick-formula liquid foundation (these tend to be the full coverage foundations). It works beautifully with my Estee Lauder Double wear liquid foundation.

As for the powder brush, I like how soft it is, but aside from that it's just another regular powder brush to me. Overall, they are easy to clean synthetic brushes. The craftsmanship is not top quality, but okay and the design is adorable. You can find these brushes on Bubbi's Shop. They are highly affordable, and i received them within 2 weeks.



It must be the month for brushes, because here is another pair of brushes I managed to snatch up. These are the newly re-modeled Quo Professional brushes, available only in Canada. You can only find them at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Here I have the blush and crease brush. The blush retails for $35CAD and crease brush retails for $25CAD. I am incredible impressed by the makeover Quo has given these brushes. If you re-call the old Quo brushes, these are completely an upgrade! I read online that they are real hair, and this could explain why these brushes are super soft. They don't shed after washing and they stay in shape.



What i like about both brush is the size. The blush brush works perfect as a highlighter (especially Mac mineralizes powder). It blends beautifully as a blush brush as well. It picks up power well, however I find it doesn't deposit enough on the face. It's as if the brush holds onto the powder more then it should.

As for the crease brush, it does amazing at picking up and depositing the eyeshadow. What i adore most about this brush is the size. It's perfect for people with smaller crease/eyes. I don't think Mac has a comparable crease brush size.

Also, the material of the handle is identical to NAR's packaging. You are able to firmly hold the brush, however it does get dirty coming into contact with powder. Nothing a little water can't clean up though.

Here is a picture of them. I just used it yesterday. The blush brush is typically less dense then most blush brushes in my opinion.


Next here, i have the Clinique Perfectly Real Make-up Foundation. I recently acquired this and I am still testing it out. I love my Estee Lauder foundation however, i am always open to trying new foundation. After about a week of using the foundation I can say that it is definitely light coverage. The formula looks thick, but it's very blend-able. I've also noticed that there are tiny shimmers in the foundation, which i'm not sure if i like it. Once applied your skin feels like silk, however i find this foundation not long lasting, and it has a tendency to slip off your face. I feel the need to powder when i use this foundation, because it doesn't dry matte, hence i can easily get it onto my clothes..etc.



despite this, it does give off a nice glowly finish. You will need concealer if you have acne, blemishes. This foundation would be perfect for those who have minor discoloration, uneven skin tone, dry to combination skin.

It looks thick, but it blends like heaven, and the coverage is light to sheer. If you compare this to makeupforever HD foundation, this one is light coverage.


I never knew that makeupforever had a concealer like this until I was browsing the stand at Sephora. I love the the silicone tip applicator on this concealer. You twist the end of the stick to get the concealer to come out of the applicator, and none of the product gets wasted! You can apply it directly to your under eyess. The coverage is medium and the blend-ability is amazing as expected from makeupforever. However, i find it to slip off my face as well after a few hours even with powder. Not long lasting, as I seem to experience with most makeupforever products.


i use this concealer strictly for my under eyes. It doesn't settle into find lines, and it's buildable.


Recently I've grown fond of perfume. I have them, but i don't regularly use them, because sometimes i feel like it's a waste for everyday. I happen to be at Bath and Body one day, and every time i go there, i fall in love with the wonderful scent in the store. A sales associate introduced me to this fragrance and told me that it's their number 1 seller. I tried it and instantly fell in love. If you are looking for an affordable perfume that you can spray everyday, i'd recommend this one. It's incredible!

I'm not good at describing scent so here is a description i got off their website:
Paris Amour, a dreamy blend of French tulips, apple blossoms and sparkling pink champagne, inspired by a romantic stroll through the streets of Paris.
Top: Sparkling Mandarin, Petite Strawberry, Cassis, Pink Champagne, Apple Blossom, Dewy Freesia
Middle: Luscious Peach, Jasmine Petals, French Tulip, Water Lily, Frangipani
Dry: French Vanilla, Coconut Milk, Amber Wood, Sandalwood, Creamy Musk


Now as for skincare, i have been using Clinqiue Even better -It's designed to get rid of blemishes and scaring. I have yet to see results, but i do see that it does cause my skin to dry up a little. I will update you more on this when I see results

As for the cleanser, i'm really starting to love it. It's a foam type cleanser (no surprise there). I find it very gentle and it doesn't strip away my skin's moisture, instead, it nourishes. My skin is left feeling clean, but not irritated, instead very comfortable. I LOVE my LAneige Professional makeup cleanser, but i find it to start drying up my skin now that it's winter. Instead this Lancome one has been very pleasant to use during the cold weather. This is a sample size, I think i may purchase the full size once i am done with it. It smells very nice as well. I'm starting to like Lancome products!

As for blistex - this is a lip treatment for cracked, dried up lips. I love it, because my lips are very dry in the winter!


This is from the Fall collection by Mac. What i got here is the Snow Orchid lipstick. It's a very bright fuchsia shade. The lipgloss is C-Thru A90 and it's a sheer nude gloss. The mineralized skinfinish is called Lightscapade
and i got that to use as a highlighter.

Here is a close up of the swatches. I use the Quo blush brush to apply the mineralized skinfinish and i find it to be the perfect combination, because it doesn't deposit too much product on my skin. And lipgloss pairs well with nude lipsticks like Mac Creme De Nude, and the lipstick is a bold statement. Looks amazing with simple makeup.


I hope you enjoyed my post. It's nice to be back blogging and taking my mind off school. I'm really hoping to update more, but i don't think i'll have the time until Christmas. Until then, take care and thank you for dropping by

;)

P.S i used my phone camera to take these pictures, because my camera battery was dead. The quality isn't too shabby eh? hehe

Friday, October 28, 2011

My Natural Makeup Routine

After taking a very long break from blogspot, I've realized that there is a post that i never ended up posting. Since i have not blogged in a long time, i decided to post this. Hope you enjoy!
For natural looking makeup, these are a few of the things i like to emphasize:

1)brows: define them, lightly pencil in, or use powder. A full set of brows frame the face.

2)eyes: - natural full or semi lashes; I don't have big eyes, so i like to make them appear larger than they really are.

- highlighting your lids (i used mac bare study paint pot) draws light into them.

- "tight linning" by using eyeliner to give the appearance of fuller lash line

3) cheeks:

- cream blushes gives off a natural glow compared to powder blushes. A soft pink never fails.

4) lips: i like to stick with semi lustre to matte finishes. A colour that doesn't scream attention but just enough to make you lips look kissable. I like warm tone pinks or corals.

5) face: depending on the season. I like to use a tinted foundation in the winter, that is hydrating to protect me from the cold weather. In the summer, I love my estee lauder for the long lasting power!
Here is my natural makeup routine and some of the products that I use.For eyes: define a lash - mac bare study paint pot - mac naked lunch eyeshadow - mac taupe brow pencil - black pencil eyeliner (not pictured)depending on your comfort zone, use false lashes -Here i used : revlon lashes



For Cheeks: Mac LadyBlush Creme blush - Costal Scent blush brush - Mac Fix +



For lips: Mac florabundance - Nars Belle De Jour



swatches of the products used:

(left to right) Mac bare study, Mac naked lunch, Mac Ladyblush cream blush - nars belle de jour, Mac Florabunance



& here is my final look: simple + clean.



now i must go back to my studying....

:(

Sunday, June 12, 2011

My Summer Essential Makeup

Here are a few products that i have been constantly using to fight the humid, hot weather.

Face



Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation:
I'm in the shade Desert Beige


I will consider doing a full review on this foundation in the future. For now, I will give a brief summary about my experience with this foundation. It's staying power is amazing, and the best out of all the foundations that i have used. I can depend on this foundation to last a good 6 hours, without slipping off my face. It also keeps the oil at bay ( no need for powder touch ups). I absolutely love this foundation for that. The only downfall I can point out is that the formula can be a bit drying, and lack that "natural, glowing finish" that you would get from a foundation like MakeupForever (which has more oil content), but I guess this is a trade off (to have a long lasting foundation). Also it does not come in a pump!!!

I have seen that there are a lot of mix feelings about this foundation. I actually like this foundation, so i will try to do a in depth review on it.

Cheeks

Mac Surf Baby collection - Lush light Bronze Studio Careblend/Blend

I'm not sure why they call this a Studio Careblend. I've never heard of that, but it's basically a good contouring, bronzing product to me. I just got it a few weeks ago, and I really adore it. I think the shade works wonders against my pale skin tone. It's just perfect. I don't own anything like this, so I really like it because i was searching for a product like this for the summer.


I use the Mac 138 or Quo Angled brush to apply this


on the left, i applied it solely on my cheeks lightly. On the right, i applied more then usual and used the excess on the rest of my face. Definitely look a lot darker!


Eyes

Mac Paint Pot in Bare Study

I like to apply this all over the lid. Simple, quick, and the best solution to brightening my eyes & making it appear larger. It lasts all day as well!



Lips

NYX Dolly Wink lip liner & Mac Creme Cup lipstick. Using a lip liner before using the lipstick will prolong the longevity of the lipstick

In the summer i love to wear bright lipsticks! The dolly wink lipliner is a super cool tone pink. I wore Creme Cup over it to give it some warmth. lol



hope you enjoyed! take caree . & thanks for reading

Thursday, June 2, 2011

An update on life...

It's been months since i've blogged. Where do i start? Well, for one, it's already been a month into my summer. I have yet to make travel plans, but i intend to in august. The weather here is super humid. We already have our AC on, because the heat is just unbearable. Heading to the beach would be perfect, but i'm not really interested in the beaches that are around here. I hope i can arrange a trip to the beach soon though!

I think i'll just share some photos that i've managed to capture during this month. There isn't much, because i don't often bring my camera. So lets get started.


Recap, shortly after school ended, my brothers, his gf, and my bf and i all decided to go out for dinner to celebrate the end of the school year. We had dinner at a resturant called Milestone.

Here is the few pictures i've gotten.
my delicious steak...yummm

my bf's chicken. ...i really love how they garnished this. Looks so pretty

& the two of us. Notice anything different? i got a hair cut. That is the true length of my hair. I chopped off A LOT. Hoping it would look healthier.


Shortly after dinner, we went to watch Fast Five. Not sure if you guys had the chance to watch that movie yet, but i absolutely loved it! Make sure you wait around for the preview of the next Fast Furious at the end of the movie. I can't wait till it hit theatres.

Aside from eating out a lot, I weather has finally allowed for outdoor activities. One day, my friend and i decided to take a walk down a park near her house. It was surprisingly big, and I really enjoyed it. I like to take walks on a warm day. The weather was perfect.

this is a photo i managed to capture. It was around 6-7 pm. Absolutely stunning.


a cross-over bag is absolutely crucial for these walks. LOL. It was very tiring holding the bag until i remembered there is a strap. I can't believe i can smile that wide. My eyes are almost non-existance. haha

my childhood friend and I. She is much more tan, but this picture doesn't do it justice though.



.....I finally had the chance to give my room a makeover. i wanted to do it a while ago, but never had the time. I painted my walls a colour called "wild berry". It's a pinkish plum. Previously, i had a light pink walls. I've decided that i needed a more bold, dark shade of colour to match my furniture.

I had to paint 2 layers. It's still not perfect in my opinion. I might consider doing a 3rd layer. I love the colour against my furniture.


Here's a peak of one side of my room that is finished. ....well basically finish. The other corners of my room still need to be rearranged and decorated. I'll update more on my bedroom when i'm finish!



Lastly, i went to this yogurt shop downtown. It's called YoYo's and i REALLY love their MANGO flavoured yogurt. It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO delicious. I got strawberry and Mango. strawberry is good too, but mango is even better!



thanks for reading, take care !

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Haters & their comments

Typically, it's not in my best of interest to address these types of things, but I feel spontaneous and bored enough today to feel the need to blog about it.



A few months ago, I started getting these hate comments left behind on my blog. Mind you, i never published them, and there is no need to explain why. But after reading those comments, i was actually shocked.

First of all, I didn't think much people actually read my blog - let alone take the time to leave a hate comment.

Second of all, the comments were addressing my personal life posts. So I probably know the kid behind that "anoyomous" comment.

Third of all, I never thought I was the type to have a hater. LOL. I always thought of myself as a neutral person that everyone was okay with. I mean i don't expect to be adored, but I never thought i'd ever be associated with hate. But then again, no one likes to think that they are hated.

But anyways, i won't say what the comment actually was. But i would say that it's not as bad as some of the harsh comments that are left on some makeup guru's youtube videos. What i just don't understand is, why do people even bother to leave comments like that. Does it make them feel better? Or are they just bored and have nothing better to do?

Things like this just makes bloggers like myself, refrain from blogging. I'm a personal person as it is, so i don't blog much about my life. However, I do like to share some of it once in a while, since I can only take so much of makeup posts (they take too much work as well!). But be assured, i won't let a little comment like that stop me from being me, and doing what I like to do.


I guess that's all for my little rant. I'm sure i'm not the only one here that has experienced this. How did you guys deal with it?


----------------------------------------------------
P.S I had an epic March, so i'm quite glad that things are starting get better now. I hope to get back to blogging soon


<3 Anh

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Mac Venomous Villians, Wonder Woman, Peacocky Swatches & Collective Haul

I've been acquiring a few Mac items here & there for the past few month. Some are from the permanent collection, and some is from the limited collection. I realize i haven't had the chance to play with them very much, since they are still in their packaging, but i wanted to swatch them for ya today.


First, let's start with the Wonder Woman Collection I grabbed one item from this collection, and it is the Mighty Aphrodite. The combination is pretty. The larger half of the blush is described to be light pink coral. It reminds me somewhat of Nars Deep Throat. So if you love Nars Deep throat, then i would recommend this blush. Might Aphrodite is just a tad bit more pink then Deep Throat. The smaller half of the blush is just a more reddish coral colour.

Here how the packaging looks like. I'm not really in love with it, but i guess it's nice to have changes.




I love the colours, but i'm not crazy about the formula. I'm actually disappointed in the pigmentation. It's very sheer. The larger half of the blush (light pink coral colour) is more pigmented then the smaller half of the blush (reddish coral). Definitely need to layer this on if you want it to be visible.





Swatches: It was much easier getting it onto my fingers then onto my hand.






The

second item

that i've acquired was from the Mac Venomous Villains Collection. I picked up this beauty powder, because i never tried any from Mac. The one I got is Blair Rose and this is like a pinky plum colour.





swatches: sorry, my flash kind of made it more warm tone colour then it should of.
The pigmentation is sheer but pigmented and I don't know if that's normal for beauty powder? I wear it sort of like a blush, because i think the colour is very beautiful. Don't be afraid of how it appears in the packaging. I wear this alone, when my face looks washed out. It gives just the right amount of colour to the face.





The

third item

is from Mac Peacocky Collection & i only happen to pick up one of their mega metal eyeshadow called Unflappable. I don't know how to describe this, so this is what temptalia says " it's a plummy-gray-taupe with soft metallic shimmer-sheen". I think this colour looks incredible, and i have nothing like this. I wish i had picked up more eyeshadows from this collection.

The eyeshadow is very pigmented, and i think it would look beautiful with a smokey eye look.





Now onto the permanent items...



I decided to try the Mac Select Sheer/Loose Powder. I was going through a period where i broke out a lot, and i really needed my foundation to cover my troubled area. I don't have any face powder product, besides my translucent powder from MUFE. The reason i was looking for another powder product was because, I wanted something that offered a bit of coverage while setting my foundation at the same time. Hence why i tried this.


What i discovered was - DON't BOTHER WITH POWDER, when your face is dry/flaky and breaking out. Using powder just EMPHASIS that, and it looks terrible. Sadly, i can't return this, but i figure it would come into use when i have better skin day. Perhaps i'll give this a try in the summer.

But overall, the powder on it's own has light coverage, it's very soft, and i do like it. I imagine it would be wonderful if you don't have dry skin issues.




Another product i got from the permanent line is a blush. It's called Pinch O' Peach and it's a sheertone blush. I'm absolutely in love with the sheertone formula! It's feels very velvety and creamy when i swatch it. The colour payoff is incredible, and i love the fact that this shade is not shimmery. Sometimes i just want a MATTE coloured blush. They always look great when i'm trying to do a natural look. I'm definitely going to look out for more Sheertone formula blush from Mac from now on.



btw i was told by the SA that MAC is bring out new blushes? I don't remember if she said it was the cream formula ones, or the powder one, but they are up to something she said. Anyone else knows anything about this ?

swatch:




LASTLY, i can not go to Mac and not pick up any of their lipsticks! Welcome the two that has now joined my lipstick family Mac Costa Chic, and Chatterbox. Costa Chic is a frost coral colour & Chatterbox is a amplified pink. They are both bright shades

left is Costa Chic and right is Chatterbox


...and that is all! Thanks for viewinggg