An itsy bitsy haul featuring 2 items I had picked up over the last month or so.

I believe it could have a been a little over a month but truthfully this was almost all the amount of makeup I had hauled over this period. I still have a extra belated In the Groove MAC haul coming up but I am waiting till I have everything on hand before I post that one - one more item and we're good to go!

Back to this haul. As I've mentioned, I have been pretty disciplined with makeup hauling of late. Maybe receiving goodies from companies gives me new stuff to play with and that in turn satisfies some of my need to go shopping? Either that or because I haven't been stressed lately, hence no impulse need to go shopping. Once I start working, I can't say otherwise!

So, from way back, I picked up the rather talked about Simple eye makeup remover.

I have heard positive reviews about this product and was intrigued by it. While it does feel nice and soothing to the skin, leaving absolutely no trace of oil or any sticky after-feeling, I find it does not pass the test of Majolica Majorca's mascaras. It even takes a bit of work to remove my MAC powerpoint liner with this product.

I guess I shall have to revert to using Neutrogena's Eye Makeup remover and save this for removing foundation because I like the cooling sensation it provides. Can't remember how much this was, I threw it into the basket when I was at Watsons with my mom. *hides*

The second, and also last item, in this haul is a Sleek palette I picked up from a spree Kas (cocomotion) held a while back.

The limited edition Sleek Circus palette! I got a text from Kas saying she had opened her Sleek spree and I rushed (no exaggeration here) to make an order. Due to Sleek's policies, Kas could only order 4 of each palette per transaction.

I can't wait to use this, but at the same time with such bold colors I wonder when or under what occasion I would use them!

Last I checked (today, 29th August) this palette is still available on the Sleek website here so grab it while you can.

A big thank you to Kas for organizing the spree! I have in mind to get my hands on the Sleek Acid palette next, but it's yet another bright colored, 'have no idea when I'll use it' palette. I probably just want it cause it's pretty to look at..

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Lastly! I do have a quick question for my lovely readers.

I tend to post brief introduction entries in cases where companies provide me with a couple of products to review/sample or if it is a goodie bag from an event - mainly entries titled 'Goodies'. I normally do those to introduce the products/brand, keep track of stuff I have to review and also give a brief idea of what's to come (in terms of review). I was wondering if you all minded that, since it's not a haul and does feature stuff that had been provided.

I am asking primarily because I had received a couple of packages from companies lately and haven't posted them all up for fear of putting too many back-to-back entries featuring stuff that were provided. I did not want you all to think I am going commercial or anything like that! Do let me know if you mind entries as such or would rather I not do intros and just the reviews.

Though it's my blog, I do ask for your opinions since you all are the ones reading it (:
And thanks again for reading!

Hello everyone!

I had mentioned this piece of news on my youtube but I know not everyone here might watch my youtube channel so I am announcing it here too!

The big news is that...
I have found a full-time job! Yes, I am starting work 1st September. It's the typical 9am-6pm job that operates 5 days a week though in my case I work alternate saturdays too. My job position is a Graphic Designer.

Though it's not huge news in general it would probably affect my youtube/blogging activities. No more attending of events on working days in the afternoon and I'll have to adjust to working and finding time to manage my youtube/blog. It would be quite a transition but there are bloggers that work full time and still manage to update frequently. Off the top of my head I think of Sophia (retailtherapy) and Iris (RougeDeluxe). Kudos to them and they shall be my inspiration for this! Haha.

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On the sidenote, my new workplace has a smart casual dresscode.

That is completely not my normal style so I would need to go shopping. Any good store recommendations or links to outfits that fit that bill. I'll have to learn how to style myself a whole different way and the only store I can think to frequent now is Zara? Since it is quite corporate but not too cliche with it, and the clothes are still rather chic.

Oh well, I'll have to figure something out.
Thank you for reading this text-filled post (:

As far as fashion goes, accessories are probably one of my favorite items ever - even more so then clothes!

Sometime ago I was introduced to an online handmade accessories store owned by Ann & Mich, two lovely and friendly twin sisters. You can check out their etsy store right here. Their products all have a very whimsical, antique and yet cutesy style. They do rings, necklaces, bracelets and all that. I highly suggest you at least browse their catalogue because it really is eye candy!

So Mich had offered to send me a couple of their products, which was so amazing. While I don't often use accessories in this style, their accessories are just too pretty to resist! Afterall, it's not a crime to have accessories in different styles, just in case you need it... right? (:

Aside from just including the accessories, they had thrown in some extras too.

A hand-sewn pouch included courtesy of the twin, Ann! It's so adorable and big enough to slide in an iPhone.

Ann also owns a seperate online store called Crafting With Love that sells hand-sewn products as such. You can check out her catalogue on here! There are some really adorable iPhone cases available - like this one!

And they also threw in LOADS (and I really mean loads) of Korean cosmetics samples!

Since I am embarking on mini reviews for sample satchets of korean beauty products, I might as well do it for these samples too. They were generous enough to provide me with duplicates of a single type so I will be able to use them a little more.

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But that's the side stuff, now on to the main focus, the accessories!

The entire store has this very whimsical, handmade vibe to it and they even took the effort to translate that across with their packaging contents as well. That, is what I am most impressed with. It is not necessary since most of the time people just look forward to receiving their item, but incorporating a look and feel in the packing enforces the 'brand image'. That says a lot about the effort they put in!

In that handcrafted wrapping is a little box.

Aside from that well decorated print of the blog address, they included an adorable origami paper crane too! i was ooh-ing and ahh-ing as I opened the package and I haven't even gotten to the accessories yet.

Ann & Mich had included a total of 4 different accessories from necklaces, bracelets and rings. Most of their products come in a limited quantity - often a one piece design so I shall not link each item to it's individual webpage because I am not certain if they still have stock of it. I suppose you can request if you see a piece you like but I am not sure how that works out.

Also, Ann & Mich's webstore ships INTERNATIONALLY. On their website it is priced in USD to facilitate international customers. Judging from their shipping policy, it's best to email them your order if you are local (in Singapore). I tried finding an email add, but it seems to contact them you need to have an etsy account. Else, they do have a twitter which you can probably contact them at.

But anyway, here are the products I received!

(not sure of the name!)

Mich noticed that I rarely wear rings, because I don't own many so she thought to send this to me. It's a cute and girly ring, not something that I would wear with my normal dressing style but it would be great for when I do wear dresses.

Victorian Filigree Base bracelet Ivory White

I liked how simple yet intricate this bracelet was. Super victorian looking and elegant at the same time!

Dream Chunky bracelet

Now this bracelet I practically fell in love at first sight with. I love the look of chunky bracelets or just chunky accessories and this one is loaded with precious whimsical charms. As odd as it seems, I'm one of those who prefers gold over silver. Of course if it comes to thin necklaces and classic mature jewelery, I think silver is still the way to go.

One thing I like about this is the way you 'lock' the bracelet. It's not your typical hook, yet it's very secure at the same time.

That 'bar' through the heart is actually the hook, incase you're wondering!

A 360 degree shot of how it looks when worn, just because there are charms all around it.

Last but not least is a simple yet sweet-looking necklace.

Ringo Locket Necklace

This is not just a necklace, it's actually a locket as well!

To open it, you first have to push the 'leaf' aside (as shown in the inset photo) first. The leaf acts as a 'lock' so it doesn't just open, though it does snap shut quite firmly. I don't think I'll put anything in there just yet, but the idea of a locket is so old-school that it's interesting to own one.

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So that's a rough idea of some items featured on Ann & Mich's site, they have more girly and cutesy stuff if that is what you like! As mentioned in the title all their products are handmade. The price does seem a little more expensive but their products have detail, intricacy and you can tell that it just stands out and is different.

Check out their site here: http://yurapockylover.etsy.com/

Thanks for reading and also thanks to Ann & Mich for the lovely package!

 

Disclaimer:
Products featured were provided by Ann & Mich.
I am not affiliated to them, all opinions expressed are my own.

Remember Magical Tannsu?

I had mentioned this blogshop loads from before because it was the very first beauty blogshop I had bought things from. I think a good amount of basic items such as brushes, palettes etc were acquired from there be it through instocks or sprees.

I haven't browsed it very much lately because I have sort of been putting myself on a makeup ban. If you do notice, I haven't actually posted a makeup haul entry in a considerable while!

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But anyway, the lovely owner of Magical Tannsu, Weiduo, had offered to send me the 88 Metal Mania Palette. Within the package, she also threw in a couple of brushes. I am sure she understands my weakness for brushes after all my purchases.

All nicely bubble wrapped.
Seriously the thing about Magical Tannsu from the day I started buying till now is that everything is always wrapped up well in prevention of any accidents at the post.

Here's the 88 Metal Mania palette and the main point about it would be the colors, as the name suggests, have a slight metallic tone to them.

Pictured with the palette is an eyeshadow brush because with every purchase of the 88 Metal Mania Palette, you receive this sable eyeshadow brush (worth S$7) - limited time offer.

The brush is about a medium-sized eyeshadow brush. Slightly larger then the ELF shadow brushes (normal range) and smaller then the MAC 227. It's very fluffy so it's great for putting and blending eyeshadow over the entire lid or for browbone highlighting.

I should have done a size comparison to something else... I'll probably pop that photo in a future slightly relevant entry. But anyway, back to the 88 Metal Mania palette.

I picked out some random colors from the palette to swatch and this is how it is without a base.

The colors have all have a slight metallic sheen to it. They are surely not chrome-metal styled and are not glittery. Turns out despite the slight apprehension of the term 'metal mania', the eyeshadow finishes in this palette is quite wearable. I wonder if these will appear more metallic if swatched wet - can they be swatched wet in the first place? I'll have to try to see.

I have used some medium browns from this palette and I like how they seem to appear like asian cosmetic's eyeshadows, such that the shadows have a lovely sheen and provide great dimension.

This palette is available for S$39.90 at Magical Tannsu (shipping only within Singapore).

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Another item Weiduo had included in my package is a product that has not been released on her blogshop yet.

This is a kabuki face brush from Australian cosmetics company, Inika. The brush is 100% vegan and the bristles are made out of synthetic fibre.

From this link you can preview the brush on Inika's website. You may notice that it seems to look different because the brush was repackaged sometime at end of last year, the one on Inika's website is the newer packaging. Due to that, Magical Tannsu is able to get their hands on this brush and bring it over. The Inika brush had won the 'Must Have Brush' title at the Natural Beauty Awards in 2008 and you can check out what others think of it here.

I personally find most synthetic bristle brushes to be very soft to the touch, this was no exception. To compare the softness, density and resistance of the bristles, I would say it is very similar to the Everyday Minerals kabuki brushes.

I use this for dusting on setting powder because it's a good size and picks up a good amount of product. The thickness of the handle makes the brush easy to grip and maneuver around the face. Since it's synthetic you can use this for liquid foundation or even cream products (like blush). I have not tried it that way since it feels a bit big for that purpose, though I might try it just for kicks.

Once Weiduo puts this kabuki brush up on her site I'll be sure to let you guys know either via blog or twitter (:

And that is all for this post!

I have a rather important update to mention but I'll save announcing that till slightly later.
Thank you all so much for reading.

 

Disclaimer:
Product featured was provided by Magical Tannsu.
I am not affiliated to them, all opinions expressed are my own.

I had just remembered that Cathy (cookieyuri) had included some polishes with the swap package she sent over. I haven't yet tried them out since I got it because I wanted to go through the other polishes I had hauled eariler first. Can you believe I haven't tried all the polishes I got from the China Glaze Up & Away collection yet? Yes I do get distracted quite easily.

Such as the situation right now - I thought to give these polishes a try and chose to use the Smoky Dark Violet. The label spells it as 'Smoky'.

Smoky Dark Violet by Glossyblossom

I have personally never heard of this brand before and I am pretty sure we don't have here it in Singapore. So far I have only swatched this color and it is actually very promising! One coat is good enough but just to finish it off I have on two coats in the above photo.

The color is just a dark dark violet shade littered with tons of blue, pink and green shimmer.

And here's an out-of-focus shot that captures the shimmers really well.

I was randomly googling Glossyblossom and found out it is a korean brand that mainly sells nail products - polishes, tools, nail art etc. You can check out their website here, however it is entirely in Korean/hangul. Before I searched it up I thought it was an Australian brand, guess I was wrong!

For those interested in Glossyblossom's color range, the nail polish page is here - all in Korean too but pictures communicate through all languages (:

I'm definitely interested to swatch the rest of the colors Cathy had given me. Knowing me I'll probably side-track to other polishes in the meantime.

Thank you for reading!

Another lipbalm available in the Rohto-Mentholatum family is the Mogitate Kajitsu lipbalm. The name Mogitate Kajitsu literally translates to "Fresh Fruits", implying that this lipbalm houses natural fruity goodness.

From what I know, there are five different fruit flavors available and I was provided (by TheSampleStore) three of them to try out.

L-R: Mogitate Strawberry, Mogitate Orange & Mango, Mojitate Lemon & Lime.

The other two flavors available are Mogitate Grape & Berry and Mogitate White Peach.
*Mogitate means 'fresh'

The Mogitate Kajitsu Lipbalsm, very much like it's sibling product Deep Moist Lipbalm, both boast the title of being under the #1 Best Selling Lipbalm Brand in Japan. The Mogitate Kajitsu Lipbalms have been around for a much longer time, being released in Japan in 2003. It has recently reached our shores as well and is available at Watsons going for the price of S$5.90.

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The term "Fresh" in this product's name is not solely there to entice you. These Lipbalms are actually infused with Natural Fruit Juice amongst other goodness:

• Natural Fruit Juice - contains essential minerals and vitamins that nourishes the lips
• Honey - a familiar product that heals and renews
• Grape Seed Oil - helps to repair skin on the lips so you get softer lips
• Vitamin A & E - these are antioxidants that prevent lip-aging and gives your lips a healthy shine

 

Lip aging is often an issue that is overlooked and forgotten by all of us. When it comes to caring about aging we worry about our skin first and often forget that our lips do show signs of aging as well. What's more, the surface of our lips is much thinner and more sensitive then our skin so we should pay attention to it all the more.

With such a fruity appearance and appeal, I anticipated the product to be tinted - even if it was done so lightly it's almost transparent - but these are completely clear.

Mogitate Strawberry

Mogitate Orange & Mango

Mogitate Lemon & Lime

Regardless of the rather lacking visual appeal, they are noticeably scented (will describe scent in a bit). The minute you pop open the cap the smell does creep out. As far as tastes go, it seems to taste like how it smells? You know that description where you taste something and it seems to be the same as smelling it? It does not taste sweet or like candy or whichever fruit it proclaims to be. The taste is not very strong either.

Packaging-wise, it is typical to that of lipbalms, housed in a cylindrical tube that twists upwards. The bottom rotatory device feels stable enough that it will be able to recline the product, unlike some that refuse to recline with the rotatory device after awhile.

I don't think much of the design, don't hate it nor do I love it. In the sense it's not something I would pick up for the packaging,

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My thoughts (of Mogitate Kajitsu in general)

These tend to glide on very easily straight out of the tube and they are creamier compared to the Deep Moist lipbalm. The texture of these is similar to a decent layer of Vaseline/Carmex, something you can feel an obvious coat of on. The scent of the products linger for a while after applying but fades off fairly quick, along with the taste. This moisturizes pretty well too, it is sufficient I would say but not as much as the Deep Moist. After the Mogitate Kajitsu wears off, your lips feel supple but after about an hour or so, you feel the need to re-apply to moisturize.

This is a great product purely for the fun of using lipbalm with the scent and taste etc. If you need a lipcare product the Deep Moist Lipbalm is something you should look into. If you are just seeking a normal day-to-day lipbalm with an extra touch, this isn't too bad to try out.

 

Scent of Mogitate Strawberry
This has a strong strawberry candy scent actually; It is slightly sweet but not sickeningly sweet. Even though I am typically not a strawberry person, this is probably my favorite scent out of the three.

Scent of Mogitate Orange & Mango
Although the name states orange and mango, I seem to detect the orange a lot more then the mango. Try as I might, I really can't notice the mango very much. The first thing that came to mind upon smelling this was the kids orange flavored toothpaste. It smells very similar to that!

Scent of Mogitate Lemon & Lime
This has an obvious citrus note to it. Not to make it sound bad, but the first thing that came to mind with this scent was mosquito repellent. Not the stinky aspect of mosquito repellent but the citrus note that most have. It's quite a refreshing scent though, probably my second favorite.

 

Overall Rating: Fail / Pass / Merit / Distinction / High Distinction
(I feel a bit silly for the overall rating of lipbalm since as long as it moisturizes and doesn't taste funny, it scores with me.)

Moisturizing Quality: 4.5/5
Packaging: 4/5

Would I re-purchase this? Maybe... If I do it might either be to try the White Peach or re-purchase Strawberry. Not the first thing that would come to mind, but it's quite cheap so... oh well.

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And here is the contest info once more.
I was informed of a contest hosted by TheSampleStore you can take part in (for those residing in Singapore only - sorry International peeps!)

"Try the Mojitate Kiajitsu and Deep Moist lipbalms today too and share your experience story to stand to win attractive prizes! Available at any Watsons outlets near you!”

All you have to do is purchase the lipbalm from Watsons, try it and post your reviews on TheSampleStore's Facebook page. There will be 3 winners and the contest is running from the 16th of August to the 17th of October (2010).

Do note: I am not hosting or in-charge of this contest, I am simply passing on the message. (:

Thank you for reading!

 

Disclaimer:
Product featured was provided by TheSampleStore for reviewing purposes - I am not affiliated to them.
All opinions expressed are my own. I am not getting paid for this.

It's about time for a tutorial!

This is one for the Selena Gomez series, but like I always say you don't have to be a fan of hers to watch this tutorial.

The reason why I chose this photo to make a tutorial of would be to sync it with a current makeup phase I am going through. I have been loving the crisp, clean and sharp line look that you typically achieve with liquid liner or gel liner. This look so happens to encompass that so voila~ Enjoy!

 

Here's my rendition of the photo above:

Products Used:
EYES
Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer
MAC Eyeshadow in Brule
Za Eyeshadow Trio in E2
88 Color Palette
K-Palette Liquid Eyeliner (Non-waterproof)
MAC Powerpoint Liner in Engraved
Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour NEO Mascara
K-Palette Real Lasting Volume Mascara

CHEEKS
MAC's Blush in Eversun

LIPS
Canmake Lipstick in 22

 

Click the link below to watch the tutorial:

YOUTUBE// Tutorial: Natural Peaches (Selena Gomez Inspired)

 

This video tutorial is in partnership* with Selenastyle.com
* = By partnership I am simply providing distributor rights.
I am not getting paid or sponsored for anything in this video

Rohto-Mentholatum, a company known for putting out brands such as Hada Labo and more, had recently launched an ultra hydrating lipbalm that comes equipped with Hyaluronic Acid. It seems like this new magical ingredient is making it's rounds with products of the same distributing group, not that I mind it!

I had been sponsored the Deep Moist Lip balm range by TheSampleStore (previously known as fr3b) to try out and share my thoughts on.

There are two variants or types of lip balms in this collection, the Deep Moist Natural (left) and Deep Moist Menthol (right).

Deep Moist had been launched in 2008 in Japan and had claimed a great amount of sales. It was listed as the #1 Top Selling Lip Balm brand in Japan (2006-2009).Having reached Singapore's shores on the 12th of July, it is exclusively available at Watsons for S$7.90.

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I'll first provide some information about the product ingredients etc before I go into my personal thoughts about it.

Deep Moist is a lipcare focused lipbalm and it contains premium hydrating ingredients coupled with a rather unique design. They key ingredients in this product are:

• Hyaluronic Acid - Something a lot of us are familiar with because of the Hada Labo love going around.
• Shea Butter - A product known for it's great moisturizing and soothing properties
• Jojoba Oil - Another product that needs no self-introduction, a great moisturizing agent.

 

Although not specifically mentioned in the press release, this Lipbalm range also contains Avocado Oil and Vitamin E

Don't worry it does not taste of Avocado, to either the relief or dismay of some.

 

The packaging is rather no-nonsense, "I'm here to do my job" like since it is focused on being a lipcare item - a simple clean emerald green design with the trademark logo. The shape of the product though was quite interesting.

This oval-shaped design is meant to make application much easier. I am not sure about you but there have been times where I had accidentally grazed lipbalms or chapsticks on my teeth trying to get to the corners of the mouth. Well because of unique shape to this, that isn't an issue with this product.

Ignore my ulcer - bit myself :(

And just because I thought it was quite amusing, the rotatory-device (for lack of better words) is pretty cool.

 

As mentioned, this comes in two different varations, a natural and a menthol. No prizes for guessing what the main difference is between either. Yes, the Deep Moist Menthol comes infused with menthol and the Deep Moist Natural is perfect for those who like it fragrance-free and taste-free.

Deep Moist Natural

Deep Moist Menthol

Aside from the color difference, the packaging is rather similar and most of it is in Japanese so do check which one you are getting before buying!

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My thoughts (of Deep Moist in general)

I don't normally have or get chapped lips so I can't test out how powerfully moisturizing this actually is but it moisturized well enough for me. It leaves the lips moisturized and supple even after wearing out/being absorbed and that's always a plus.

I find it gets absorbed easily and that might be due to the thin texture it has. When applying, the balm itself feels quite sturdy, it does not go on super creamy. Once on the lips (or in contact with heat I suppose), it feels like a very light thin film, almost oil-balm like and it's not sticky or thick. If you use Carmex, it has a thinner consistency on as compared to that.

In that scenario it's perfect for guys since they typically hate the feeling of having something on, but they are human and should use lipbalms too. Not saying girls can't use this, but I am definitely making the boyfriend use one of these.

The packaging design is an added bonus as it does make application much easier.

 

Thoughts on Deep Moist Menthol
This has a distinct menthol scent, not to be confused with a minty scent! When applied it does make your lips feel nice and cool temporarily. I am personally not a big menthol fan but this was quite bearable, the scent and slight taste do fade rather fast though I have to admit the cooling feeling is quite nice.

Thoughts on Deep Moist Natural
There isn't much to say about this except that it is fragrance-free, taste-free, color-free (well both are) and basically perfect for the sole purpose of being a lipbalm without other 'distractions'. I did prefer this just because I am not a menthol fan, but to each their own!

 

Overall Rating: Fail / Pass / Merit / Distinction / High Distinction
(I feel a bit silly for the overall rating of lipbalm since as long as it moisturizes and doesn't taste funny, it scores with me.)

Moisturizing Quality: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5

Would I re-purchase this? Yes, most probably. I might not pick it up straight away since lipbalms are fun to rotate but I know I can depend on this for moisture!

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Before I leave you guys, I was informed of a contest hosted by TheSampleStore you can take part in (for those residing in Singapore only - sorry International peeps!)

"Try the Mojitate Kiajitsu and Deep Moist lipbalms today too and share your experience story to stand to win attractive prizes! Available at any Watsons outlets near you!”

All you have to do is purchase the lipbalm from Watsons, try it and post your reviews on TheSampleStore's Facebook page. There will be 3 winners and the contest is running from the 16th of August to the 17th of October (2010).

Do note: I am not hosting or in-charge of this contest, I am simply passing on the message. (:

 

As predicted, I have received the Mojitate Kiajitsu lipbalms as well and would most probably be posting that review up tomorrow.
Thank you for reading!

 

Disclaimer:
Product featured was provided by TheSampleStore for reviewing purposes - I am not affiliated to them.
All opinions expressed are my own. I am not getting paid for this.

As blogged about in an earlier entry, I had attended the Anna Sui Autumn/Winter 2010 Collection 1 preview. The event was a simple tea gathering with several other bloggers and some representatives from SinKid and Anna Sui. To read more about that along with the introduction of Anna Sui's Autumn/Winter 2010 Collection, do check out this post if you haven't.

This entry is a Part 2 to that and will feature the products included in the Goodie Bag we were handed. Again, I'm splitting this up because both parts ended up being fairly picture heavy. I think I took more shots then I normally do (per product) just because I was so intrigued with capturing certain elements of the products. You'll know what I mean!

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As expected of Anna Sui, their Goodie Bags itself always always look super pretty.

Let's talk about the eyeshadows first, and who could deny a packaging showcase. I felt I just had to take a shot like this.

Included in the Goodie Bag were 2 Eye Color Duos and 3 Eye Colors (Single eyeshadow).

Something random to note would be, with each eyeshadow be it duo or singles, the box comes with a foam piece to secure it in place so the shadows don't bounce around in the box.

The shades provided were rather universal across all Goodie Bags.

Here are the 3 single shadows:

The swatch for shade #800 looks barely there because it is rather close to my skintone, in a way... Not that I am an olive green or anything.

I was not quite satisfied with the above photos since they did not capture the essence of these products, I decided to go trigger happy with closeup shots of the eyeshadows. Most of these shadows have a lovely shimmer to them and that is kind of the key point.

(click to full view for pretty shimmer)

Eye Color #200 - Pale lavender pink littered with pink, blue, yellow and green shimmer

Eye Color #302 - Medium red-pink with silver shimmer

Eye Color #800 - Golden olive with gold and silver shimmer. This is probably the most shimmery of the 3.

Now, the 2 Duo Eye Colors:

At first glance the top two colors look almost the same, though in person they are definitely different. Here's a close up shot of the two top colors.

Following the single shadows, here's a closeup of the Duos.

Eye Color Duo in #06

Eye Color Duo in #04

I didn't do swatches of these as I intend to post up Eye of the Day shots using the blending method recommended. I'll probably get to that as soon as I can! I can't wait to try them out, that's for sure.

Aside from eyeshadows, we were also given products for the lips. Yes you guessed it, the Mini Rouge!

Mini Rouge V in 03

It looks like an interesting shade to try out with the blue and pink reflects. Iris (rougedeluxe) had done a look using some of these products, including this mini rouge, which you can check out here.

Covering the spectrum of face makeup, we were also provided with the Spot Concealer. I had not been able to take a photo of this at the tea gathering, so here's a shot of it now.

Spot Concealer in 02

02 again was the universal shade included and thankfully for me it fits my skintone just right. This concealer comes in 3 different shades, one lighter then this and one darker. I am a MAC NC25-30 for reference. One thing I have noticed about their concealer is that it tends to lean yellow through all 3 colors, so if you have a strong pink-tone then this might not show up right.

Last but not least the final item included in the Goodie Bag is a.....

Nail polish!

Nail Color in #209

There were 5 shades available and the blue polish seemed like a hot favorite amongst the bloggers present - a favorite with me too! Though I guess it's fate I got the purple one. I seem to have 9012389 purple polishes in my stash and that must say something about my nail color choices.

I shall swatch this in another entry too when I get experimental with nail stuff and layer this over random shades, or something like that.

Alrighty, so till the next entry thank you all so much for reading!

 

Disclaimer:
The pretty Goodie Bag was sponsored by Anna Sui.
I am not affilaited to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

As we are approaching the Fall season (sadly it's constantly 'summer' in Singapore), Anna Sui had pulled out a new Autumn/Winter 1 2010 collection primarily featuring new delights for the eyes. I don't just mean eye candy in terms of colors and packaging but most of their Autumn/Winter 1 (2010) launch features eye products - namely eyeshadows.

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Last week I had attended the Anna Sui Tea Gathering to preview said collection. The gathering was held at The Marmalade Pantry (Orchard ION). The minute we arrived Lawrence took out the Anna Sui products for us to play with and that resulted in us only ordering our food and drinks close to 20 minutes after settling in. Tsk, the distraction of makeup...

The first thing that caught my eye about this collection was of course, the packaging. The box and the product casing itself carries the same theme. It is said that Anna Sui was inspired by a design on her furniture which brought about this stained-glass-esque design across the eye products for this collection.

A quick info about this collection before I dive into product swatches etc. The Autumn/Winter 1 (2010) collection carries 25 single eyeshadows, 7 Duo eyeshadows, 5 Nail Colors, 3 Mini Rouge, 1 Eye Brightener and a Spot Concealer (which I believe is in the permanent line, just promoted with).

I will feature most of these products throughout the entry but first, this collection is titled Autumn/Winter 1 is because there is bound to be a Autumn/WInter 2 collection. However, the second collection primarily focuses on skincare and if I'm not wrong some hair care products as well and will be out slightly later; Autumn/Winter 1 is available at Anna Sui counters.

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So first, lets talk about the eyeshadows in this collection.

The eyeshadow duo compacts are of course larger in size compared to the single shadows.

Left to Right: Duo Eyeshadow, Single Shadow

Isn't that opalescent sheen to the packaging just lovely?

 

Eye Color Duo

These duos come with two eyeshadow shades and an applicator. The applicator does not show up well in the photos but it's inbetween the two shades. There are 7 colors in total (all featured later) but I only swatched a couple at the event.

These duos are not your typical '2 color in one compact' deal. The colors are recommended to be used together in a layering format. The color on the bottom is coated with silicon to ensure that eyeshadows adhere to it better and that it adheres to your skin well, like a base. The eyeshadow color on the top is meant to be layered over the bottom color to create a nice blended fusion.

Case in point...

From the swatches, the color on the top is typically pearlized and a lighter shade. The lower one is darker and ranges from a pearl finish to a matte/satin. The texture of the bottom color is very smooth and almost cream-product like but it is completely powder. The shadows blend very easily and are nicely pigmented.

To prove how much the base adheres to your skin, this was how my hand looked after I wiped off the duo eyeshadow swatches with a dry tissue. Not a wet wipe or anything, just plain ole restaurant serviettes.

It probably would go off with a makeup remover or some water, but it shows how the bottom color has adhering properties compared to the top color.

 

Eye Color (Singles)

As for the single shadows there were just too many to go through since there are 25 shades available. Lawrence did not bring them all to the swatch-fest but from those available I managed to pick out three shades I really liked.

Totally boring shades if you know my style. These shadows also come with an eyeshadow applicator each.

I totally forgot to take note of the numbers of these shadows but they shouldn't be hard to pick out at the counter. The A/W collection actually comprises of a lot more colors and rather bold colors too (as you will see later), so fret not if you are a color person.

Here's one rather interesting color I sifted out from the pack. It's one of those 'hard-to-photograph-right' shades.

Pretty pigmented stuff! I forgot to note the color number too but if I'm not wrong it should be #203 - Quartz Purple.

The textures for these were soft and smooth as well. I like how there was a rose motif engraved on each single shadow. It almost makes me not want to use the shadows from the centre for fear of distorting it. I did not remember to smell the shadows but Kas (cocomotion) noted that these were softly scented with the signature Anna Sui rose scent.

 

Eye Brightener

The eye brightener and spot concealer come in a similar packaging. I did not manage to get a shot of the spot concealer at the event, but this is how the eye brightener looks:

It functions like a normal highlighter and is not reserved to purely highlighting the eye area. You can use this on your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, whatever you fancy.

The consistency of this is rather liquid and easy to blend out. The amount you see on my hand is probably sufficient to blend out the higher points of your cheeks. In the smaller photo you can't see the sheen very well unless you view the image in full size. I find the highlight to be very subtle. I guess it might not show up very much on fairer skintones, either that or you'll have to layer it on.

This product reminds me of L'oreal's Touche Magique, which in turn reminds everyone of YSL's Touche Éclat.

 

So far everything mentioned is going to be (or already is) in the permanent line. This batch of eyeshadows will replace the older batch of shadows Anna Sui had, so they will be around for awhile. The next few items though are limited edition, so snatch these up while you still can!

 

Mini Rouges - Limited Edition

A limited edition item in this collection, these Mini Rouges are available in the permanent line...

-cue past photo-

(photo from first Anna Sui Blogger event)

BUT the limited edition ones come in a fun limited packaging and shade.

It comes in one more shade, a lighter pink not featured here.

I had talked about these before so simply said, it's lipgloss in a pot with an adorable rose design. Though if I were being honest I did like the black ones more since the chain is a blackened silver. That's probably just the OCD judgement of mine, wouldn't it be adorable if the chains were tinted the shade of the gloss packaging too?

 

The last limited edition item would be the nail polishes and Lawrence did not bring it to the tea party so these were shots taken at their roadshow set up.

Nail Color - Limited Edition

There are 5 shades being launched with this collection.

Kas was very hardworking and had swatched the polishes on a piece of plastic. I conveniently shot the swatches after she was done. heh.. Thanks Kas *hides*

Extreme left color (black) is in the permanent line, not promoted with this collection.

Rounding up this collection, here is the pricelist for everything mentioned and some photos of the Roadshow setup they had at Wisma Atria over the weekend.

Eye Color Duo - SGD51
Eye Color (Singles) - SGD35
Eye Brightener - SGD37
Spot Concealer - SGD37
Nail Color - SGD24
Mini Rouge - SGD33

Eyeshadow galore! All 25 eyeshadows and 7 duos (at the far right)

Close up shot of the 7 duos available.

While browsing the eyeshadows, one shade caught my eye. I don't remember this shade being present at the swatch-fest (at Marmalade Pantry) but it's such a gorgeous black. Almost reminds me of NARS's Night Flight but with silver and pink sparkles too.

Eye color in 004.

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And here are some group shots at the events, photos are courtesy of Iris (rougedeluxe).

Mag, me, Chantana

Photo op in progress! Models being the nail polish,

And a final group shot with our Goodie Bags.

I'll blog about what we had gotten in the goodie bag in a seperate post since this one has gone on for long enough.

Thank you for reading!

 

Disclaimer:
I am not affiliated to Anna Sui.
All thoughts expressed are my own and I am not being paid for this.