Demi Lovato on cover. Not a fan of hers... but she looks good here.

I found a little something in the November issue of Seventeen magazine.
Under the section where people are able to mail in and submit their stories or something, I saw this:

p.s. Bel I see you! haha.

I wonder who Mary-Anne is, but regardless thank you very much for writing this in (and seventeen for publishing).
It definitely made my homework-filled day (:

Though it's in the mail-in section where people don't usually read, it's still awesome. Or maybe I just get excited over little things, but this means quite a lot to me!

Who knows? Maybe seventeen might take from that letter and feature us in future articles.
Probably a long shot, but a girl can dream, right?

Thanks again Mary-Anne!!
And of course everyone who bothers reading and watching my stuff. (:

Much Love!

I twittered about being at the Singapore Metro Sale at Expo, so I thought I would share what I had purchased.

Since today was the last day of the sale, needless to say, there weren't that many items left.
I wasn't too impressed with the articles of clothing available so I didn't get that much. In terms of makeup, there really wasn't much either. The brands available were ELF (regular line), Kanebo, Coleur Inc (sp?) and some other random brands.
Nothing interesting, totally passed on it all.

Here are the items I had manage to scavenge from what was left.

A scarf!

I know, super unflattering shot of it.
No particular reason in getting this. I wanted a scarf, this was available and kind of cute so why not?
Plus, it's not crazy thermal that you feel you'll just melt in it with Singapore's weather.

Just to prove this isn't a pile of blah, here are some shots of the scarf on me.
I threw it over what I was already wearing, no meticulous style planning here.

But yes, enough of the scarf.
I had also managed to find a rather cute dress.
I'm not a big floral dress person and I feel a good compromise to wearing tube-like dresses are these:

I like how it can be worn to a dinner event such as a wedding etc with heels, and yet when paired with sneakers or pumps, you can totally hit the streets with it.
So that is actually it for most of my haul, I did pick up something else. It is sort of an intimate wear set, yet also a bikini set in a way.
I thought for awhile on whether I should post this up, mainly because it is intimate wear. I finally decided that a good way to do it without being so obvious would be a crop-off shot. I could just skip on posting this, but I thought it was too cute.

I say that this can be a swim wear too because it has a water-resistant feel to the material.
Maybe not wearing the bottoms alone, but the top paired with some navy beach shorts would be great for a sunny day on the sand and seas.
Though how often do I go to the beach right? Not much at all, for those wondering.
Regardless, I think this is really cute and though it might not be a Monday to Friday entry, I think it's nice to have anyway.

On a sidenote,
my parents had gone to this computing appliance sort-of store called Challenger and got me a new USB fan!

I don't talk about gadgets and such on here often, but I thought this was too cute to not give a mention. Plus it's so old-school and vintage feeling.
For those wondering why i would need a USB fan, macbook (especially macbook pro) users might understand why.
It is because the macbooks seem to heat up super fast and easily, especially macbook pros (mainly the older models since they are all 'metal' and such). So I use a USB fan to cool my laptop since laptop fan trays just don't seem to do the trick.
I find that my laptop is able to function faster when cooled and I don't get all worried that I'm frying the motherboard.

So this wraps up my little haul entry. Nothing much, but I hope it was a good read nonetheless!
<33

This blog entry was actually spawned from a twit that I had posted while I was doing my makeup for this dinner function I was going to attend.

With that twit, I had been requested to post pictures of my lashes up, so I figured why not do a blog entry instead! That way I can explain a little on what I define false lash-esque and I get to post a couple more pictures up.

While I do love a more dramatic lash effect,
I am personally a noob when it comes to applying false eyelashes.
On top of that I always procrastinate practicing it and when the time comes to use it, I tend to not bother. After all, I wouldn't want a loose false lash at a formal function, that would be a disastor!
So that is a bit of a vicious cycle and while I do intend to practice false eyelash application eventually, for now I try to create a similar effect it with mascaras.

Today, while doing my makeup I decided to pair L'ancome's Fatale Mascara with a primer, which is something I never thought of doing before.
The only primer I have on hand and sort of swear by is the Majolica Majorca Lash Bone primer.

I do know that everyone has a different definition of the false lash effect, but to not mislead anyone with this, no I don't mean those wacky humongous lash effect. It is more of as if you're wearing a pair of natural false lashes.
But again, I do know many people can achieve this effect with normal mascara with the length of their lashes. So just for a comparison, here are my lashes as is.
Not curled or anything (so it might tend to look longer from this shot, since it's not curled upwards)

I did try to take the shots of my lashes as best as I can, but apparently I can't seem to make it as true to how it looks in person. It does seem longer and a tad more dramatic, but regardless...
Here's how my lashes looked with the combination.

But I guess I don't want to relate this too much to the whole false lash ideal.
It is generally a combination that makes my lashes look the way I have always wanted them to look (without falsies) and I will continue using this for days when I want that oomph in my lashes.

And just for the fun of it, here's a full-face shot I took after I got home.
Excuse the fact that I don't have lip products on and I look stunned. I hate using flash on portrait shots at night.

I love how from this distance you can still see that I have lashes.
The problem I usually face is from afar, my lashes aren't too obvious like such:

Covergirl Lashblast

That is my quick random update.
I will have individual reviews of these mascaras in future, so don't worry about that!

Whoa, now that's one long title!

Lumiere Cosmetics is a mineral makeup company and they do carry the whole range of mineral items such as foundation, base, finishing powders and mineralized lip products. In this entry, I'll just be reviewing their eye pigments.
For those who aren't sure, I was sent these products a while ago (see: Lumiere Cosmetics blog entry)
With this I also wish to emphasize that though companies send me products, I do not feel like I am going to push aside any other review I have scheduled just because I was sent something. I am still doing reviews based on whether I have gathered enough information and whichever I feel I am ready to talk about, not based on priority etc. Yes a bit of a disclaimer there, but getting back to the proper review.

Lumiere Cosmetics carries various finishes in their eye pigments, ranging from matte ones to those with a slight sheen and of course the ultra shimmery ones.
I would say that these different finishes do result in different textures in the eyeshadow. I will be providing swatches of the colors that I was sent but I feel I should briefly explain how I feel about the texture and blendability of each finish and anything else I find.
Needless to say, their eye pigments are definitely pigmented and the following swatches are done without an eye base and with one dip into the product. Which means that I did not re-dip to pick up more pigment or anything.

Click on the link of the eyeshadow name link below the image to view it on the Lumiere Cosmetics site - opens in a new window
(photos were watermarked awhile back, so that's why it's still the older watermark)

Here's a breakdown of an individual color review, after which I would talk about what I felt about the textures and finishes.

L-R: Lime (shimmery), Turquoise (shimmery), Mysterious (shimmery)
Lime isn't as intense as the name sounds, it's more of a lighter green with shimmer, takes a bit of work for the color to show up.
Turquoise does match up to the color in the container, though maybe building it up once more would give a more intense look.
Mysterious is like a loose powder, mineral shadow form of MAC's Club eyeshadow with the brown and green duo-chrome. Maybe not as reddish as Club is, but the duo-chrome is there.

L-R: Taupe (very shimmery), Champagne (shimmery), Special Dark (matte-slight sheen)
Taupe kind of disappointed me. It is a pretty dark gray-brown, but it's a pity the purple sheen that seems stronger in the jar doesn't translate.
Champagne is super pretty for an all over lid color for a neutral look with a punch of shimmer.
Special Dark is honestly almost matte if not for a very slight hint of a sheen in it. Very unique color as I hardly see matte eye pigments.

L-R: Silver Shimmer (very shimmery), Gold Sparkle (very shimmery), Starry Night (sheen-shimmer)
Silver Shimmer and Gold Sparkle are pretty shimmery shades, for those who love that 'bling'.
Starry Night almost reminds me of the night sky, black with silver sparkles, very pretty but the shimmers don't show up a lot unless you really pack it.

The following swatches are of their Summer 2009 Collection which are limited edition.
I have just checked and these are still available for purchase, what's more it is stated that with each set purchased, you get a FREE Parfum Rollie in coordinating scents. I didn't receive the scents so I don't know how it is like, but imagine a Root Beer scented perfume, how interesting!

Cherries Jubilee
L-R: Flambe (shimmery), Dark Sweet Cherry (sheen-shimmer), Vanilla Creme (very shimmery)
I have also done a tutorial using this collection.

Root Beer Float
L-R: French Vanilla (very shimmery), Whipped Cream (shimmery), Root Beer Pop (sheen-shimmer)

For the Summer 2009 Collection, I do love both sets that I was sent. I don't have much to input in terms of individual shadow shade reviews, I love how in each set the colors co-ordinate with one another and you can create a multitude of looks with it, from simple ones to more dramatic ones.
They have sets available in other combinations like greens and blues which you can check out here.

Finishes/Textures

I have labelled some of the shades with my own definition of finishes. The website itself does not seem to state the finish of it clearly, just in the brief description of the color. Though it's not like MAC where they have a distinct names. So here I am going to discuss the different finishes and what I think about them in terms of textures etc.

Matte - Definitely goes on a little chalky at first and might take some work to even out. Seems to provide the least amount of fall out (of course, tap that excess off!).

Sheen-Shimmer - This finish is quite unique. The 'base' color of it is almost a sheen/matte finish while there are bits of glitter popping up in the shadow. In terms of texture, these are like the matte a little chalky at first but blends out fine. Though I feel that it does not apply to all sheen-shimmers. Root Beer Pop is a perfect sheen-shimmer shade that goes on pretty smoothly.

Shimmery - As it suggests, these are shades that contain distinct shimmer in them. Fall out is likely if you do not pack the color on firmly before blending it out. The shadows go on fine and are not chalky at all. Not gritty either, quite smooth.

Very Shimmery - Now this is for the glitter lovers. These shadows are very shimmery indeed. Like-wise with the shimmer category, careful packing on is required before blending the color out, even so, minor fall outs can occur. These tend to feel a tiny bit 'sandy' though that does not affect how smoothly it blends out.

One thing I noticed with the shimmery/very shimmery eyeshadows is that you can't just pick up whatever product is stuck on the cap, you have to dip your brush in the loose powder and tap off the excess. I feel that just by getting in whatever is on the cap, you're picking up the glitter, instead of the color pigment.

That was a pretty lengthy review, but I did try to be as detailed as I can.
I do love the colors available, my ultimate favorites being Flambe, Mysterious, Root Beer Pop and Champagne.
It is worth browsing the store, just to see what catches your eye, though if I were being honest, I wish they had slightly cheaper rates for the samples.

Overall rating: 3/5 (if not for the price and slight inconsistency in textures of different finishes)

Thanks for sticking through this lengthy entry!

So I've recently been into getting second-hand makeup.
And for those who are wondering, I define second-makeup as makeup that is being re-sold by someone, not a company or whatever. Most of the time, these items have been used and priced according to the usage (not all the time though! Be warned of that). There are also instances where the items are completely brand new, but still priced lower just because the seller wants to get rid of it? I don't know, but we don't have to think about that so much.
In a way, it's basically like all the blog sales you see youtube gurus/beauty bloggers are doing now.

But that is it for explaning the term, now I'll get on to my haul!

First, as pictured above, I was given a little freebie with my purchase:

Black Pearl Mask from some random Japanese brand. Sounds interesting, can't wait to use it!

And now, on to the fun stuff!
The first thing I picked up was this MAC Holiday Eye Palette. I seem to have a tendency to pick up past Holiday palettes.
Maybe it's because I am not super big into eyeshadows since I do have a decent stash available. While MAC shadows are great, I can't justify purchasing the individual shadows as easily as purchasing something like blush or bronzer.
Maybe I'm just weird like that, but regardless, here is the palette I picked up:

Though I am not 100% sure, I think this is the Trendmaker 6 Cool Eyes palette?
Correct me if I'm wrong, I can't seem to find a lot of information about it.

L-R: Look See, Crystal, Jewel Blue, Li'Lilly, Idol Eyes, Black Tied
(I finally got my hands on Black Tied!)

Aside from that, I also managed to get my hands on this next item.
And I know this goes against anything I have ever said... but I just couldn't resist.
The next item is a NARS item:

It's a blush....
In the shade?

Yes, in the infamous shade, Orgasm.

I say that it goes against anything that I have ever said because I have always firmly believed that Orgasm would not show up or show up well on my skintone.
My shade at MAC is an NC30, and I do prefer blushes that are a little bit more intense and all (for example MAC Intenso). So when people raved about Orgasm, I didn't get it and I guess I didn't want to be bothered with it and jump on the hype.
But I succumbed eventually because this was going for a pretty low price, and why not, right?

I've only used it twice, and my verdict? Sad to say, I do love it.
I understand the hype, but at the same time I wouldn't say I'm going to add to it. I love this, it's a gorgeous shade, but not necessarily insanely unique. It's a good blush to have, but not something everyone needs to own? I don't know. I'm so fickle about my preferences that I might rave about it in future, we'll see.
Funny thing is, it looks quite pink in the pan, but when I apply it on my cheeks, it becomes a peachy-pinkish shade. The peach seems to show up better on skin.

Enough rambling, that's the little haul I wanted to share with you guys.
Thanks for reading!

Edit: Sidenote on used makeup, I personally think powdered products are fine to get second-hand. Occasionally cream products, e.g. cream blush etc. But I would say not to get second-hand used mascaras or lipglosses. If they are brand new second-hands it's fine, you know what I mean? haha.

I was tagged by jorelle (aka thmunchkin) to do this. Thanks for tagging!
The rules are simple and that is to answer all the questions and not skip out on any.

10 questions:

1. Dramatic eye looks or Natural Eye looks?
Hm, I would have to say Natural. I love them both but I seem to wear natural eye looks more often these days.

2. Matte or Shimmer Shadows?
Matte. I don't mind shimmer once in awhile, but not all the time.

3. Purple Pinks or Blue Greens?
I love purple, but not paired with pink so I'll say Blue Greens.

4. Lips with gloss or without gloss?
With gloss. Though I face the same problem as jorelle and that is hair magnet! But I still like how gloss makes the lips look so pretty.

5. Contour Or Bronzer?
This is tough... I love them both but if I had to choose, I'd say contour.

6. Nude lippies Or Pink Lippies?
Nude lips, for sure.

7. Coral or Pink Blush?
Coral.

8. Drugstore or Departmental Store Makeup?
Can I say both? I like to indulge in departmental store makeup, but sometimes I find drugstore makeup more practical, bank-friendly and accessible.

9. Sponge or Brush for LIQUID foundation?
Brush. I've never gotten the hang of sponges.

10.  TAG or Tutorials?
I like both, I can't choose. haha.

So now the people I am tagging are:

retail_therapy
lxflickr
EGheartsSSC
Weiduo (magical tannsu)

and of course anyone else who wishes to do it!

For my viewers who are residing in Singapore, I Nuovi is holding a public sale this Thursday thru Sunday (15th-18th October). - click on image below to enlarge

Their blush in the shade D36 Dolly was the one I was sent to try out and though I will be doing a proper review, I would suggest you to go check it out. Especially since it is on sale at S$9.90. It is a product that I truly enjoy using and might be featuring in my favorites this month! But with that said, don't forget to check out the other stuff on sale.
Just thought I'd let you guys know of this (:

After much wait, here is my Hong Kong haul!
I'll be posting everything that I had gotten from clothes, to makeup etc. So it's not going to be a makeup-only haul entry.

Going to Hong Kong, I guess I didn't have an idea of what to expect. I did have a list of things I wanted to look into such as boots, (faux) leather jackets, makeup brands not available in Singapore and all that. I was pretty certain I wasn't going to buy a lot of clothes, just because I didn't think they'll have what I like. But apparently the fall trend seems to be working in my favor. I ended up liking a number of things and bought more clothes then I had intended too.
Though I have to say, compared to hardcore shoppers, I probably didn't do as much damage as I should in Hong Kong.

If you haven't watched the haul video, I'd suggest to watch it first. Mainly because it shows the clothes in slightly better light and angles.
YOUTUBE// Hong Kong Haul!

Most of the photos were taken in the hotel room back in Hong Kong and some were taken when I got home, it's pretty obvious (I think) which are which.

First, lets start with the clothing items!

Random assortment of leggings and a tube (just cause I needed one and it was 9HKD! - tube).
From a mall in Argyle Street

Next, from the same place, not the same store, I picked up this really cute tunic.
I initially thought it would make a nice dress but it was a little shorter then I had expected. Not too bad a thing though since it does look cute with leggings.

Next, I picked up some things from a random store in CTMA.
The store I bought these from sells a lot of super cool items that I liked, sadly majority of their dresses and tops were a little too big on me.

Flannel (lumber-jack) top. Super great for layering for that casual and punkish vibe.

This photo doesn't do this dress justice. But it's a super cute dress with a faux scarf.
I thought it was quite unique and saves me the trouble of sprucing it up with an actual scarf.

From another store in CTMA, I managed to pick up this two-piece set.
They were being sold together, though they can be worn seperately.

It's a vest-styled cardigan outer wear and a slightly translucent tunic.
I would definitely have to layer a tank underneath since the tunic is a little see-through, but I love casual and fall-ish this look.
My mom would love the t-shirt design. ;)

From Tsim Tsa Shui, I managed to pick up one item.

Crop cardigan from Cotton On.
Exactly what I have been looking for for ages! Not sure if Singapore's Cotton On has this but I haven't dropped by the Singapore branch in awhile.

Since we are on the page of more known brands instead of random shops, here's something I picked up from Uniqlo.

Jeggings! (Jean-designed leggings).
Not the most unique thing to get, but I just wanted it.

And from Esprit, I managed to pick up a top.
If you ask me, Esprit is a good place to visit in Hong Kong mainly because the clothes seem to be cheaper there (as compared to buying Esprit from Singapore)

Moving on from clothes, I had also bought a new wallet.
If you had seen my recent What's In My Bag video, I mentioned that my Guess wallet was quite trashed and I needed a new one.
I wasn't expecting on picking one up in Hong Kong but when I set eyes on this Vans wallet, I knew I had to get it.

I really like Vans shoes and didn't know they came out with wallets too.
And such pretty wallets at that!

Now, on to something that had made a guest appearance during the entry about my trip to Hong Kong, LUSH!

I didn't pick up very much from LUSH for myself, mainly because I think LUSH isn't exactly cheap. It's nice to own some of it, but I'm not going crazy and buying 6 months worth of soap or whatever.
Regardless, here's what I got

Sweet Soap Stack. Contains: Honey I Washed the Kids, Rockstar and Milky Bar.
I gave Honey I Washed the Kids and Rockstar to my mom and boyfriend's mom. I kept Milky Bar for myself.

Honey I Washed the Kids solid perfume.
After watching Makeupbytiffanyd rave about it, I knew I had to have it.
My first impression was that it was a little too sweet-smelling, but after having it on for awhile, it becomes this super nice scent. Right now I've grown accustomed to it and like to use it alone or as a base to spice up other perfumes I have.

Finally, here are the makeup items I picked up.
I visited their drugstores and all and they seem to be slightly ahead of us in terms of collections. I saw some sort of mineralized bronzer/pressed powder thing from Revlon (not the already released one, it's a bigger disc). But I didn't pick up anything from the drugstore or anywhere else, mainly because I was saving up.
Whatever for?

Well.... NARS!

I picked up my NARS items from two different places. The reason being is that I knew I wanted to pick up a bronzer, be it Laguna or Casino. Since Sephora didn't have every single thing (and I wanted to visit a NARS counter), I held back on getting more until I actually visited a NARS counter.

Sephora at Tsim Tsa Shui

NARS Bronzer in Casino.
I ended up getting Casino instead because Laguna was a little ashy on me, and it didn't show up very much. I like how Casino is a little warmer.

NARS counter at FACES, Causeway Bay

Left: NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Cheyenne
Right: NARS Powder Blush in Exhibit A

There's no particular backstory behind getting these products. I totally bought them without any pre-planning. I know it's odd why I didn't pick up the NARS Orgasm blush since it is so raved. Well, it looks alot more pink in person and I don't know... I don't feel ready to jump on that hype just yet. I had a couple of blush colors that I wanted to get such as Sin and Mounia, but I guess I picked up Exhibit A because I didn't have a blush color that resembles it. Plus it is so gorgeously bright.

So that is all that I had bought from Hong Kong!
Not a lot, like I had said, but I think I might be holding back on any sort of hauling for awhile.
We'll see how that goes... I normally never stick to statements like that. Though I do know better then to splurge massively now that I have 'seen the light'.
In fact, I haven't visited a MAC store since Dsquared and Style Black came out. Good self control much? Ha, kidding.

Thanks for reading! <3

I was tagged by the lovely Diana (adorebeauty) to do the 5 guilty confessions tag.
It's definitely something different. Took awhile to come up some, but I hope they are entertaining enough.

1. Similar to Diana and Sophia, I have this habit of being too lazy to wash my (makeup) brushes. There are instances where I don't wash some of them for up to 2 months! Gosh! I'm definitely working on that. (I think this is a confession most of us have! haha)
2. I do know animal testing is a sad thing, and if I find a product that doesn't test on animals, yay. But I know L'oreal and some other brands tests on animals, yet I still use their products... I'm sorry ):
3. I seem to buy makeup to 'collect'. Especially brushes! Meaning, I buy them, but I never use them. I have some brushes that I have never ever used though I've had them for months (e.g. MAC 129SH).
4. I don't drink very much water. I'd rather grab a can of coke, green tea, coffee,
   anything but water.
5. I don't have my meals regularly. Not something I choose to do, but I guess it just happens? I always have breakfast, but I'll not eat lunch and then have dinner and supper. I don't skip meals to keep thin or anything, because I am the biggest glutton I know. I am hungry all the time it's ridiculous. Which is probably 2 confessions in one point, I'm a glutton and I don't
   eat regularly. Lol.

Those are my 5 guilty confessions.
Since diana has already listed almost everyone in her tag, I'll just do the usual
"I TAG EVERYONE READING!"
stunt. (:

So yes, you are tagged!