Friday, May 31, 2013

[FOTM] May 2013

I decided to do "Face of the Month" every Month, showing you what I prefer to wear. Although I do not wear the same products everyday, my list will be comprised of the products that I mostly wore. I also took photos when I wore the products that I listed here. I hope you enjoy!



________________________



Foundation: The Face Shop Face It Aura Color Control CC Cream 02 Natural Beige



Eyeshadows: Lorac Unzipped Palette (highlight: Undercover & shadow: Unattainable & Lower Lashline: Unbridled) -- I did not wear any mascara and eyeliner, but these are due to my personal preference.




Eyebrows: The Face Shop Lovely Me:ex Style My Eyebrow 01 Grey Brown
& Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara

Image Credit: http://international.thefaceshop.com/english/product/productView.jsp?ctgr=ctgr&search=ca&prdidx=7299&prdtype=0&pageno=1


Lips: Maybelline Baby Lips in 15 Cherry Me & Lancome Stylista



Share your FOTM!

xoxo
cynthia.

Monday, May 20, 2013

[Review] Essie Nail Lacquer in 988 We're In It Together


Size:
 13.5ml (.46 fl oz)
Price: C$10.00
Type: 2012 Breast Cancer Awareness Collection

Availability
This product may not be available since this is from the collection from 2012. However, this product was available at the local drugstore.

Ingredients
Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Propyl Acetate, Tosylamide/Formaldehyde Resin, Isopropyl Alcohol, Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate, Triphenyl Phosphate, Ethyl Tosylamide, Camphor, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Diacetone Alcohol, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Benzophenone-1, Alumina, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Citric Acid, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate,Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Dimethicone. (D44247/2). May Contain: Mica, CI 77891 / Titanium Dioxide, CI 77163 / Bismuth Oxychloride, CI 15850 / Red 7 Lake, CI 77491, CI 77499 / Iron Oxides, CI 15850 / Red 6 Lake, CI 15880 / Red 34, CI 77266 / Black 2, CI 73360 / Red 30 Lake, CI 75170 / Guanine, CI 77000 / Aluminum Powder, CI 77007 / Ultramarines, CI 77510 / Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide, CI 19140 / Yellow 5 Lake, CI 42090 / Blue 1 Lake.

Product Description
One out of eight women will fight breast cancer in her lifetime. Essie has made a charitable contribution to Live beyond Breast Cancer. Because if we stick together we can do anything. .46 oz. We're In It Together.

Container/Packaging
There is not a special packaging (not even a seal that prevents others from using the products before purchasing it. 

The container of this product is just like any Essie nail polish. The container is transparent with their Essie logo engraved on the bottle. The name of this product can be found on top of the white handle.

Product

Before anything, please note that the product is much darker than how it appears on the bottle. 

While the product looks like a sheer pastel baby pink shade with cool-toned pink micro-shimmer, the micro-shimmer is completely invisible. Rather than being a pastel baby pink shade, the product is actually a Barbie, bubblegum pink.

It was not only difficult to get a complete opacity even after three coats, but it was also very streaky. Due to the streakiness, the color looks very uneven too. Overall, this was not a fun nail polish to play around.

Despite all the negative comments, We're In It Together is surprisingly quite prone to chipping: it lasted 6-7 days without a single nail chipped (without base and top coats).

Scent
It smells just like any other nail polish, but it is very subtle. 

Would I Recommend This Product? 
Despite its longevity, the amount of time I spent to layer the coats was totally not worth the product. Therefore, I would NOT recommend this product (indeed, I wrote this review in order to prevent others from purchasing this product, despite the fact that this product was for the 2012 collection.

Pictures







Thursday, May 9, 2013

[Haul] April 2013

Face Products

Lancome Visionnaire


This product really enhanced the condition of my skin: it minimized the acne scars, the number of acnes, and the tone of my skin. Once applied, it really hydrates my skin. This is the second (or third) repurchase and I am satisfied. 


The Face Shop Face It Aura Color Control CC Cream 02 Natural Beige


Unlike any other CC Cream, this is a CC Cream with medium coverage CC Cream that is buildable to slightly heavier coverage with dewy glow. It feels more like a BB Cream than a CC Cream.


Osèque High-End Touch SPF34 PA++ 21 Light Beige 


Osèque High-End Touch foundation gives sheer coverage with dewy finish. It feels heavy.


(From top to bottom) Sigma Tapered Kabuki - F86, Large Angled Contour - F40, 
Tapered Blending - E40, Short Shader - E20, Eyeliner - E05 


Tapered Kabuki - F86 is my most favourite brush above all. It is very densely-created brush, perfect for applying under-eye concealer and highlighting. Large Angled Contour - F40 is good for countering, but I also use it to apply blushes too. Tapered Blending - E40 was my least favourite brush above all. Although it feels and blends better than MAC 224 brush, it sheds a lot. Short Shader - E20 is perfect to apply and to blend on highlighters on the inner tear duct and on the lower lash line. Eyeliner - E05 works great to apply (but not to blend on) inner tear duct and lower lash line.

Lip Products

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain 045 Romantic



I purchased this product after purchasing the same product in different shade (001 Honey). This product runs smoothly with a glossy finish. It gives the purest blood red shade with very evident red stain.


Covergirl Lipperfection Jumbo Gloss Balm 215 Watermelon Twist & 245 Ruby Twist


(Top) 245 Ruby Twist (Below) 215 Watermelon Twist


Both give sheer to medium coverage. While it is very wet and quite similar to Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain, this product is not a lip stain; therefore, it does not transfer onto the lips. It also does not transfer. Please keep in mind that Watermelon Twist is quite vibrant and may make your teeth appear yellow.


L'Oreal Colour Caress Wet Shine Stain in 188 Coral Tattoo & 193 Eternally Nude




I fairly enjoyed using 193 Eternally Nude and thus bought 188 Coral Tattoo too. Both are fairly pigmented and wet. With an interesting-shaped applicator, the product glides on smoothly with it. 


MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick Elegant Accent


It is a vibrant cool-toned pinkish coral shade with a glossy finish.


Nails

Deborah Lippman Rehydrating Base Coat



It is pretty hard to determine whether this product is really capable of hydrating my nails. However, I still favour this base coat anyways since it does not transfer nail polish colours onto my nails. It also makes my nail polishes to become less brittle. 


Butter London Fiver


This is the light pastel mint-green shade. Because it does not have neon shade within it, it really looks great even in yellow-toned skin: it does not make your skin appear to look yellower. It lasts around 6-8 days without chipping and peeling off. After that, almost all fingers chipped.

That is it for my haul! Don't forget to follow me on my blog and on Twitter :)

xoxo
C. 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

[Empties] April 2013

REGULAR-SIZED PRODUCTS

Lancome Visionnaire (30ml | $90) 

This product functions as moisturizer and, although I am not a person who is very weary of the changes on my skin, I was able to tell that this product has minimized severe acnes and most of my minor acnes.  



Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Ivory ($12.99)

This product is used to brighten up under & inner corners of my eyes as well as my nose. While it definitely highlights and glides on the skin quite smoothly, but it fails to cover up much and settled in creases. The brush is slightly harsh too. 



Bioderma Sensibio H2O (500ml | $30)

This product is effective even for base and waterproof makeup. I apply this product on two cotton rounds to remove the entire makeup. It leaves the skin hydrated. 



Purell Hand Sanitizer (236 ml | $?)

Hand sanitizing is the key in reducing acne problem; therefore, I usually sanitize my hand before starting my makeup routine. I've tried other brands, but this sanitizer moisturizes while sanitizing. It also dries fast. 

Jack Black Lip Balm in Lemon (0.25oz | $7.50)

This is my Holy Grail lip balm that I use everyday. It is the only product that will melt my lips. 

Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat (15 ml | $20.00)

I don't really agree with the hydrating part, but this base coat is still great. 



Delon+ 100% Pure Cotton Premium Cotton Rounds ( 8 Packs of 100 Rs | $10.99)

It is just a pack of cotton rounds, but it has one piece/layer of slightly rough fabric attached on top of the cotton rounds. The rough side is quite helpful in removing nail polishes. If it is not used for the purpose of removing nail polishes, remove that fabric to use soft sides. It is hypoallergenic,  soft, absorbent, and used by cosmeticians. It also contains aloe vera and provitamin B5. It is also not tested on animals. 



Macadamia Rejuvenating Shampoo (ml | $18)
(Image Credit: Amazon)

It is a shampoo that helps maintain my brunette hair colour. My hair tends to turn brunette/brown colour into lighter colour (ex. brassy blonde-brown), but this shampoo has helped me maintain the colour that I prefer. However, it is expansive, does not make my hair smooth in comparison to my other shampoos and fails to keep the scent last all day. 



SAMPLE & SAMPLE-SIZED PRODUCTS

Dior Miss Dior Cherie Blooming Bouquet (Sample Size | $0) 

This product is one of my Holy Grail perfume that I use everyday. It is very floral and fresh; but it does not last more than 2-3 hours, so I always keep a sample-sized container in my purse. Unfortunately, it was a limited edition perfume and it is no longer available. 



Clinique 3-Step Skin Care System (2ml each | $0)
(Image Credit: Sephora)

This skin care system contained 4 try-ons of Liquid Facial Soap, Clarifying Lotion 2, Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (2-day supply). As for the Facial Soap, it was very mild, but there was not a factor that would attract me to purchase the actual product. Clarifying Lotion 2 felt like nothing but an alcohol. Although I avoided my eye area, it was burning and irritating. I tried it several times in order to see the difference, but it never got any better. Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion was definitely hydrating and made the surface very smooth. However, it was not enough for night time use. 



Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream With Super 7 Complex (Sample Size | $0)
(Image Credit: Sephora)

It feels like whip cream melting onto your skin. It sinks into the skin quite easily and smoothly too, leaving your skin very fresh and healthy-looking. It smells like freshly-cutted cucumber. 



Bobbi Brown Hydrating Face Cream (0.05 oz | $0)
(Image Credit: Sephora)

I enjoyed using this product at night. It was very smooth, keeping my skin extra moisturized overnight. 


I hope this empties/mini-review was helpful. See you tomorrow with my April Haul!

xoxo
Cynthia.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

[Haul] February 2013


Face
Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer "Ivory"
Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper Blush "Bellisima"
Physicians Formula Youth-Boosting Power "Creamy Natural"
Physicians Formula Airbrushing Bronzing Veil Bronze Booster "Light to Medium"

Lips
L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine "193 Eternally Nude"
L'Oreal Colour Riche "800 Fairest Nude"
Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede "080 Fashionista" & "095 Finale"

Eyes
Maybelline the Falsies Volum'Express Flared "Blackest Black"
Maybelline the Rocket Volum'Express 
L'Oreal Color Infalliable "006 All Night Blue"
L'Oreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner "Black Mica"
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Makeup "120 Creamy Ivory" & "130 Buff Beige"
Sephora Eyelashes and Eyelash Glue "Astonish"
Quo Full Lashes "804 Flirty"

Nail
Nicole by OPI "Mi Fantasia"
Nicole by OPI "Luke of the Draw"
Sally Hansen Maximum Strength Polish Remover

Etc
Veet Hair Removal Cream and Gentle Finishing Cream with Aloe Vera & Vitamin E
Veet Easy Grip Ready-to-Use Wax Strips with Vitamin E & Almond Oil - Sensitive Formula
Geo Soft Circle Lenses "Angel Brown"