Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain in 14 Fuchsia Dore

Whoa.... That's a mouthful name!

I have been waiting for this forever since I saw the promo pictures! YSL says this is for those who wants all....stain, lipstick, gloss... All in one! I say fantastic!

The launch includes 20 colors from the pale pinks to the bold reds. Now, I won't talk much about the packaging, except that it is very YSL with gold caps and all. One thing I gotta say is.... I am loving the applicator! The flat pointy tipped applicator is very easy to use. Especially for darker color.. Where You definitely want precise application. And the window makes it easier for me to pick the right color and how much product I have left in my precious tube.

The color I picked is 14 fuchsia Dore, bold fuchsia with super soft golden shimmer in the tube. But it does develop to deeper color with not much golden shimmer visible when applied. However, it is certainly glossy, even with single streak.

The product is fragranced, similar fragrance with other Rouge Pur Couture lipsticks. Nice floral fragrance,but not too strong. Just pleasant enough to sniff upon application. The fragrance dissipates after application. I don't detect any taste in this.

The color definitely sets fast... I wiped off my hand swatch about 5 minutes after initial application, and it leaves nicely stained skin (see right most swatch above). The color is similar to its state before I wiped it off.

One more thing, the color develops on lips... I find it goes a little deeper then it appears in bottle. Since this is rather pricey, I do recommend swatching them first before buying one... Especially if you prefer paler softer colors.

On my lip, it is certainly comfortable. I don't need more than single swipe to get the pigmented color and lovely gloss. It doesnt give off Mac lip glass-esque gloss...more subltle but still glossy.

The color stays on me at least for half day with all eating and tea sipping. It is non sticky and doesnt pool to the crevices of my lips like man glosses do. It stays even for long time. Doesnt dry my lips too.

Bottom line...
This is really wonderful... Totally worth my money. Delivers the pigment, the longevity and the gloss. I am off to get more colors!

Etude House – Look at My Lips # 5 Pink Holic and #12

Ever since I got to know Miss Tangerine collection from Etude house, I have been waiting and anticipating for their seasonal collections. For 2011, Etude, still with Sandara Park as its model, released Aloha collection. Beachy, fun, bright –themed make up collections. It includes this lipstick! Different packaging design with (may be) new formula? Either way, I love the packaging. 
The tube looks so pretty with patterned pink metallic tube enclosed in hard plastic case. They took care of details too this time! The lipstick bullet has ‘my lips’ engraved to it. Cute!
#12  (couldnt get the english translation) is almost pale neon creamy apricot with a dash of pink in the tube. however, it subdues to sheer soft apricot on my lips. I like this one for the fact that it doesnt pool on  my lip lines.




#5 Pink Holic is neon magenta-pink! So bright! Pigmentation in this one is really good! Single swipe is enough to make your lips pop nicely.
Unfortunately, the formula is not as nice as the color… it doesn’t glide – not because it is waxy, but because the formula is not ‘smooth’, there’s a little grainy-ness about it. And on me, it was rather drying. Within an hour it feels uncomfortable to wear already. And the formula tends to accentuate chapped lips- make sure you scrub well before applying this one. Balm as a base would help smoothen the application too.

But I gotta salute Pink Holic's longevity. the bright pink tint lasted 3-4 hours! even after snacking and tea sipping.
Bottomline… nice color, too bad – it lacks in comfortable, moisturizing formula. To improve this, i topped the lippie with my favorite pale pink gloss or clear gloss.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Kose Visee meets Blondy in Foxy Midnight

Each year, Japanese brand Visee collaborates with fashion labels and launch limited edition make up collection. This Spring 2012, They are collaborating with blondy, Japanese clothing brand. The collection features 3 new Glam Nude Eyes palette in Foxy Midnight, Classical Bitter Chocolate and Nudish Peach. All three features easy to wear nude palette.

I dont need tad much nude palette in my collection...but the design in the palette really tempts me! I picked up Foxy Midnight the moment I saw it popped in Adambeauty.com (I'm not affiliated to Adambeauty, I just like its excellent service, speedy shipping and reasonable price).

To my surprise, it comes in a pretty thick carton packaging. very pretty and appealing. Even thought it is called Foxy Midnight, I dont think these shades are vampy-bold at all. They are pretty, sweet collection of nudes.

The pearly pale warm beige on the top right has creamy texture. I cant read japanese, but I think this is meant to be used as base. The shimmery glittery pale beige on the bottom right is the most glittery-it also features the most visible glitter-not chunky but visible. The other shades are lightly shimmery, uplifting but doesnt cross to discoball territory.

All has wonderfully soft texture, easy to blend. These shades are sheer-so it is really suitable for day to day use.

Bottomline,
for nude shadow lovers... these are good value in cute packaging! But this is certainly not for high pigment lovers out there.

Baviphat Bodle Bodle Baby Foot Peeling Treatment

Seems like the baby foot craze has also reached Korea! Baviphat, a Korean cosmetic brand also has it's version of this peeling treatment.

The concept of this treatment is really simple, to make your foot skin baby smooth, you gotta do some peelinng to get rid of old dried hard skin. Makes logical sense to me!

I first started with Japanese brand called Babyfoot. Now I am going to try Baviphat's version! This one is very simple to use. Each pouch contains single large socks shaped essence infused plastic sheet (which is perforated in the middle, and you Need to tear off to make two pieces of socks to wear) and a set of stickers. the socks is made of soft white plastic, lined with non woven material inside. This non woven material is saturated with the peeling essence.

You need to wear the socks and use the stickers provided to fasten the top, just to make sure it won't fall off when u are wearing it. I personally find the stickers not strong enough, so I usually use my own tape or even rubber band to tie the top off. You need to out it on for about 1.5 -2 hours. Yes, trouble some, and it is hard to walk on these. So,usually I just sit an watch tv. After 2 hours, you can take off the socks and throw them off! Then wash your feet with water thoroughly, as the essence is sticky and slippery. The essence is very thick, almost like gel. And it doesnt smell nice, smells sourish.

unlike Japanese babyfoot, I find this make my feet feel uncomfortable and little itchy. now, it is the waiting time...usually it takes 3-4 days before the peeling started. My feet does feel a little dry but...don't moisturize your feet between socks application and peeling, as it will hinder the peeling process.

On me, the peeling process start 3-4 days after initial feet-soaking in the socks. I left trails of skin flakes when i walk barefoot on carpet and such! gross i know... To make the whole process faster, I usually massage my feet after shower to release the skin flakes. or if I have time, soak my feet for 10-15 minutes, then proceed massaging out the dead flakes. I strongly reccomend not to try peel the flakes when your feet are dry... it is hard, it is messy and it might cause cuts and nicks. no good.

I am enjoying this Baviphat's foot peeling, but I prefer the japanese one. as it doesnt smell as much and it doest itch during the soaking session.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Etude House SHINI STAR Clear BB Lotion SPF20/PA++:

ShiniStar is spring 2012 release from korean brand, Etude House. It is endorsed by a famous korean boy band, SHINee.Even though i am not familiar with SHINee...I am drawn by its cute packaging!


Aside from this BB cream, I also got myself the Clear Pact (compact powder) in 2 Lavender.

Clear BB Lotion promises moist, brightened yet neutral look, while cover excess sebum and control the skin to promote healthy tone. Like the Clear Pact, they claim to contain colostrum for moisturizing properties.

I do think this product suits its name... BB Lotion! It is more moisturizing than most BB cream I owned with lighter coverage. Feels more like tinted moisturizer than BB cream. Count me a little disappointed as it doesnt help with my oil control issue, but it feels comfortable to wear-not too overly oily.

Bottomline...
Even though it does nothing to control my sebum, I still like this product- as it is light and moisturizing. Suitable for our current weather (plenty of sun with rain here and there). THose with fair complexion will enjoy this, but those with deeper skin tone... might not get a perfect match here.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Tony Moly Eggpore Tightening Pack



I’ve seen many egg shaped and themed things directed to eradicate blackheads and pores! This one from Tony Moly is no exception. The Korean brand has various creams, soaps and masks to kick blackheads ass! Lets try this one.

Eggpore is a release consisting of 3 product: the blackhead oil gel, tightening pack and pore concealer. This time I got myself the tightening pack, which contains egg and clay. As usual, the promise is refined pores.
Despite the big egg shaped packaging, it only contain 30ml of product. The product has sourish smell-but it doesn’t bother me much. It is a thick cream in egg shell color. you should directly apply it on your pore problem area, then let it sit and dry for 10-15 minutes. Wash afterwards. 

During the drying process, nose area skin does feel a little tightened. Unfortunately this feeling is gone after I wash the dried up mask (or as Koreans like to say it, Pack). 

So far, I didn’t see any improvement in my pore size after using this. Just like any other pore shrinking stuff this is just gimmick… but hey… it sells! I always picked pore stuff when I see one! Haha!

Formula 10.0.6 Down To the Pore


The box of this one looks serious… so I hope this Down to the Pore will give me some serious result too. It promises to clear my pore with kaolin and tea tree. Count me surprised to see Australian brand to come up with pore banishing products like these… I am expecting Formula 10.0.6 to be brand coming from Asian countries. Formula 10.0.6 is famous for its cleanser, claiming to originate from 1933. 

Just like asian pore strips, these are easy to use. Just take one pouch and dampen your nose area. Dry your hand (important, else the strip will get stuck to your hands instead), then peel off the strip/tape – stick to your nose. Wait until you feel the water has evaporated and the strip feels stiff. Then peel fast…I know it will hurt a little, but peeling it slowly wont help taking off the blackheads!

I was hoping this will be more effective compared to my regular Biore strips. Apparently it is pretty much the same. I feel more blackheads are out with peel off type pore mask instead. Considering this is harder to find, and Biore is pretty reasonably priced too… I wont repurchase this.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Etude House Shini Star Clear Pact

 
I was so excited when these arrived in my doorsteps, I had to blog a short review about it. This spring 2012 release consist of the Clear Pact, BB lotion and 5 colored lip balms. All endorsed by Korean boy band, SHINee. 

The Clear Pact comes in 2 shades: 1 Peach and 2 Lavender. I picked lavender for sheer curiosity. They say this pact is moist pressed powder to subdue facial oil to promote soft, luminous skin. Also contains colostrum extract protects the skin from dehydration with no irritation and prevents the loss of moisture in the skin cell layer to maintain the health of skin.

Colostrum is pretty much first batch of milk produced by cow shortly after calf’s birth. Since I was a kid this colostrums has been hailed to have various property such as strengthen immune system and being nutritious. As far as I can remember, colostrum is to be eaten, not slathered on face…which makes this compact powder all more interesting.


First of all…the shade. It is really light lavender with soft shimmer!it pretty much doesn’t give any coverage, but still, I have to blend it properly if I don’t want to look ashy. I do think this is not for beauties with deeper skin tone. Overall, it gives my skin sheen, light glow. When sniffed closely, this compact has light floral fragrance- which goes undetectable when applied.

 I don’t see this powder providing me any oil control at all… my T zone goes only after 1-2 hours – that’s just like me only wearing light moisturizer. I cant really share much about its moisturizing property, as my skin is not dry.

bottomline...
nice cute compact if you want powder that give your skin light glow... but not if you expect oil control.

Etude House Nymph Aura Glam Nails

 Part of the ethereal looking Nymph Aura from 2011. I don’t usually wear nudes, but the Nymph Aura design called me too strongly…

Previously I tried the Nymph Aura Volumer

As usual, this polishes are sold as a set of three. 1 Skin Beige, 2 Pure Pink and 3 Aura Pearl. Etude suggests using either Skin Beige or Pure Pink as base color, and top up with Aura Peal to add glittery effect. 
Skin beige is…well, pale skin beige. Pure pink is warm baby pink. While Aura Pearl is clear polish with ultra fine pearly shimmer suspended in it. Skin Beige and Pure pink give crème-jelly finish. They dries nicely-not too long, not too fast as well. 
To my pleasant surprise, this is the first ever Etude nail polish I enjoy wearing. For simple reason: they last-and don’t chip as easily! My experience with Korean nail polish has been full with chipping on day two- even with proper base coat and top coat. These actually last 3-4 days without chipping.
The only problem is the streaks…it is sometime just hard to apply without streaking.
While Etude suggest layering single color and top coat, but I got another idea… I made this subtle ombre nails with this set (grrr… the streaksss!!). please ignore my dry cuticles and skin… from most left: 3 layers of skin beige, 2 skin beige and 1 pure pink on top, 1 skin beige topped with 2 layers of pure pink and 3 layers of pure pink. All topped with Aura Pearl then topcoat. 
Bottomline…
Calling all neutral lovers…this set is made for you! Be patient when applying though…those streaks can be stressfull.  

Etude House Wannabe Style Making Kit

This pretty palette is part of very cute winter 2011 release from etude house called Wannabe. All Wannabe products features illustration by Annika Wester.

Previously, I tried Wannabe's Lumiball highlighter, Lipsticks and Nail polish set.

This matte black plastic palette is surprisingly quite well by it. It feels substantial and it holds quite a lot of products too! And thie mirror...is big.... I love big mirrors! Unfortunately it couldn't open flat, making it hard to apply and hold the palette at the same time.

Upon opening, you will see the mirror and 8 eye shadows and 2 lip colors. The eye shadows are all glittery...chunky glitters that cause a bit of fall off. There's warm baby oink with golden glitter, dark lavender with silver glitter, army green with sublet golden glitter, cold brown with silver glitter, warm brown with dark golden glitter, sheer white crystal glitter, shimmery dark grey and cold baby pink with iridescent shimmer. To complete this side, Theres coral pink creme lip color and mauve pink lip color. The shadows are sooooo sheer.those fancy sheer glittery looks will love this. I don't really like the texture too.. Kinda rough and gritty. Doesnt last very long on my oily lids too...the colors faded easily. The lip colors are too sheer for my liking as well...and I don't think can get away using them as cheek color as these are creamy and my cheeks are oily...it just accentuate the oilyness... But I love the colors as cheek color!

The drawer like compartment below opens when pulled. Took me quite a while to master opening it up, as it is pretty thight. It comes with 4 double ended sponge applicator (which I will never use, I'm all about fingertip application), glittery champagne creme Highlighter, yellowish beige and pale baby pink concealers, brown and black cream liner. One of the best thing in this palette (beside that wonderful big mirror) is the cream Highlighter. It is shimmer packed and sheer, you really don't need much. It blends nicely and easily.
The concealers are very creamy and pigmented. Too bad it only suit those with fair skin. Eye liners featured here are rather sheer... Like my liners pigment packed...so this is certainy not my cup of tea.

Bottomline... If sheer glittery colors are your style, b all means this palette is a fun palette to own. For me personally, I like pigments, so this is not of high value for me. Plus the fall out is just too much for me.

Medusa’s Make Up Eye Dusts


I found Medusa’s Make Up thru musingsofamuse.com. It started as adoration to the brand’s simple yet pigmented blush, which lead to their website, medusasmakeup.com. I started browsing, with no expectation, as I know most brands don’t ship their stuff internationally. To my pleasant surprise, they ship international!!! 
With such lovely price proposition, USD 7 for eye dust and USD 10 for their lovely blushes, stuff in my cart started piling…

Eye dust is natural mineral powder eye shadow. It pretty much can be applied everywhere: eyes, face, lips… so versatile! It comes in 48 rainbow colors! How lovely! So far I got 13 of them… and currently seriously thinking to complete my collection! 

The formula across these colors I owned are heavely and consistent! They all packed serious pigments, some are borderline duochrome ! shimmer and silky…glides nicely and blended evenly. Add that wallet friendly price… this is pure joy!

Colors I got are vanilla latte, desert storm, blow, sahara, agent orange, pretty in pink, barbarella, liquid sky, atlantis, new wave, wasabe, counterfeit and comet. 

Vanilla latte is warm shimmery brown with a dash of mauve, blends nicely on my skin tone making it perfect crease color for natural shimmery look. 

Desert Storm is iridescent shimmery champagne –matches my skintone nicely, I sometime just wear this and eye liner on my lazy days.
Blow is simply shimmery white-seems pretty less useful in the beginning, but I find it nice to line inner corner or half lower lashline with it-just to make my eyes opened up a little
Sahara is iridescent shimmery sunflower yellow. I am not a yellow person, so I don’t use this as much as other color.
Agent orange is iridescent shimmery warm orange with a dash of coral… my favorite when used as accent color paired with brown on crease.
Pretty in pink is iridescent shimmery cold pink with a dash of lavender… this is one of the most duochrome of my collection. Sometimes it is pink, some times it is iridescent lavender. Very very lovely and unique.
Barbarella is shimmery lavender purple with slight metallic punch to it
Liquid sky is shimmery darkened sky blue
Atlantis is shimmery light navy blue
New Wave is shimmery blue with a dash of teal, my personal favorite of all three blues I owned
Wasabe is shimmery yellow-green with dash of certain neon quality in it. Another unique shade.
Counterfeit is lovely shimmery golden olive green-a color so easy to wear. The color almost blend on my skin.
Comet is shimmery pastel green 

I totally adore all colors, even though I tend to use some more than the others. All of them are shimmery and lovely. Swatches here was made by fingertip, light single swipe, without primer. 

One thing I’d like to change from these lovely dusts is the packaging. The tiny tubs arrived to me filled to the brim and with no sieve or some sorts on the top of the lid, it is just messy to open. The dusts got spilled a little when opening and closing the lid. 

Bottomline…
So worth it…im gonna grab some more colors for myself!

Coming soon: Etude House My Dear Blooming Lip Talk

I am so excited about this release, i have to blog about it!

after the Shini Star collection with the boyband SHINee as their model, now Etude added the cute Sandara Park in the mix! SHINee and Sandara will star for Etude House MY Dear Blooming Lip Talk lipstick. The lipstick series will have 24 different colors! whoa!

The product is heavily promoted with KISS NOTE mini clips featured in etude's korean website. each color range (2 oranges, pink, red, beige) has its own story, staring Sandara and one SHINee band member. i simply cant wait for my colors to arrive! yay!
Images taken from Etude House's Korean Website: http://www.etude.co.kr/product.do?method=view&prdCd=102003068