23 December 2014

SLEEK MATTE ME LIP CREAM : Fandango purple

Being a girl who has always felt more comfortable with nudey pink and coral lipsticks most of her life, It is suprising that recently I have been loving alot of the darker and more vibrant colours. Having been overwhelmed by my love of the matte red lipstick MAC Rubywoo, I have been on the hunt for a shade that leans towards a more pinky/purple colour. The liquid lipstick craze I have bought on and with so many choices to choose from, I was a bit overwhelmed. Originally, I was tempted by the hourglass version, but the price really did make me reconsider again. Finally, I settled for this Sleek version because I was just amazed by the in-store swatch on my hand - Loved the colour and texture of it so straight to the tills



Sleek Matte me - Fandango purple.

Not a big fan of the name as it doesn't really sound that classy or sophisticated in my honest opinion. The formulation of this is wonderful as it is a light creamy texture upon application and dries almost instantly into a nice matte stain on the lips. The consitency is quite liquidy to start with so I find that using a synthetic brush to apply this is much more manageable than the applicator. The product was comfortable on the lips and non drying which I expected it to be. This lasted a good 4-5 hours throughout the day without hardly any transfers and when you do finally decide to remove it, it left a nice stain. Overall, I have been impressed with this product and I am planning to go out and purchase more. The price is very reasonable and recommend everyone to give bold lips a try whilst its the festive season. 

♥ Love Ying x

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14 December 2014

L'OREAL MOUSSE ABSOLUE || DARKER HAIR COLOUR


So I thought it was getting a bit colder and it is definitley time for a change in hair colour for me. I opted for a slightly darker colour as my hair was getting a bit too light for my fancy after the summer months. I usually use the Clairol Foam hair dye (reviewed here) but this time I saw this new one on the shelf and I thought that I would give it a go. 


L'OREAL MOUSSE ABSOLUE - 300 natural darkest brunette

So this box contains the standard pair of gloves x2 , Foam canisters x2 with a nozzel ,  a set of instructions and a tube of conditioner for aftercare. Looked pretty cool and I liked the premixed idea as you do not need to faff around mixing the liquids together and changing lids. So the concept of this hair dye, is that it allows for multiple uses depending on the length and volume of your hair. It was no suprise that this only allowed me for one use seeing that my hair is quite long.

 

The foam itself is alot more rich and foamy which I find was easier to lather up and apply to the hair compared with my clairol one. The scent of this was just as strong though so I had to have my bathroom windows wide open. The colour came out exactly like how I wanted which deserved a big thumbs up. 

 

However, After using this hair dye I instantly found my hair to be extremely knotty and just felt really damaged and straw-like. I have used the conditioner provided as indicated by the instructions and even upon using it weekly and finishing the tube, my hair was still in a damaged state and continuously tangly and knotts everywhere. I am very dissapointed with this product as I found it to be very damaging compared with my previous hairdyes i have tried. I usually love L'oreal products, but this one is a no no and I really regret buying this and should have stuck with the Clairol option.

 

♥ Love Ying x

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12 December 2014

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick

This is my first lipstick purchase from Charlotte Tilbury after finally taking the plunge and parted with my money. I did buy the sculpting brush which was quite disappointing (review here) but I knew that the make-up was better in quality and looked a bit more promising. I was debating between another shade 'Sexy Sienna' which was also a pretty everyday colour but leaning more towards a coral shade but in the end I chose this one because my boyfriend preferred this colour when I swatched them on my hand.

 

The price of these lipsticks are quite steep which is why I have been put off buying Charlotte Tilbury products for a while so I really did have high expectations for this. The unique shape of the lipstick made application really easy and I found that the product just glides onto my lips effortlessly. The matte finish it gave was just perfect and it wasn't drying at all considering my lips tend to be very dry and chapped. The opacity was great and I found that one swipe was enough to achieve my desired colour. The colour really compliments my skintone very well and instantly makes me look more awake. However, I did find that the lasting power of this lipstick was a bit poor considering it started to wear off after 1-2 hours but using a lipliner underneath definitley helped with the longevity.

 

Overall, a great lipstick and definitley a luxury splurge considering there are many other similar colours and formulations within the drugstore if you searched hard enough. I really adore the rose gold packaging of Charlotte Tilbury products and I think that price reflects the quality of the product therefore hopefully I will be adding more CT products in my collection soon.

♥ Love Ying x

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15 November 2014

PRODUCT FAIL : THE FRAGRANCE LIBRARY

THE LIBRARY OF FRAGRANCE

 

I have to confess that these were totally impulse purchases from boots and I really regret picking these up. Firstly, the packaging is so lovely and with a stash of them all laid out nicely on the shelf I couldn't resist. There were a large range of difference scents that were very unique and interesting in my opinion such as 'sunshine' and 'four leaf clover', which is the reason why I was captivated by it and took them to the checkouts.

 

Firstly, I am aware that I picked up two fragrances that are both alcoholic beverages. Secondly, these smell exactly like how they ought to be smelling, hence drawing me to buy them. So, although they smell like what they are meant to smell like, I was horrified by how strong and potent the actual product was. I am a big fan of perfumes and I am an avid collector with an evergrowing collection therefore my reaction to these were quite shocking. These were making me cough and my eyes water. I can only describe it as when you get those really strong smelling deodorants or hairsprays that makes you uncomfortable to breathe. These were sold at 2 for £25 but in hindsight, I really was not prepared to part with my money if I knew. 

 

Apart from the potent product that leads to slight suffocation in my case, these really do not last for a long time. I would say a maximum of 2-3 hours which is quite dissapointing but equating to £12.50 for a 30ml bottle, I cannot really complain too much and kind of prepared myself for the worst. The packaging is nice and looks great on the vanity, but I did hope that the product was able to deliver to be used. Such a dissapointment and definitley the fail of the year for me product wise. 

 

♥ Love Ying x

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28 October 2014

MAC x RIHANNA PLEASUREBOMB

 

MAC x PLEASURE BOMB LIPSTICK

Being a lipstick hoarder and slowly building up a huge collection of lip products that can probably last me for many lifetimes, I just had to get this gorgeous limited edition lipstick by MAC knowing fully well that I probably have a similar shade in my stash somewhere.This lipstick is suprisingly very easy to wear and moisturising despite of its vibrant colour.


The rose goldness of this lipstick just really drew me into buying it. I didn't manage to get my hands on the infamous rirwoo lipstick so i was happy with pleasurebomb. This lipstick stayed on my lips quite well leaving a slight tint to them after. It wore off quite nicely without looking too patchy or horrible like some intense lipsticks do. As a MAC lipstick, I really cannot say any more about this lipstick apart from the fact I am sad that it is a limited edition item. I am pretty sure that you can purchase a very similar shade to this one but I really don't think that it can look as pretty as this rihanna packaging ;) Loving my dark lips at the moment with the autumn transition. I rend to wear MACs ririwoo on nights out where I want to look a bit more sophisticated and madeup (review here)


What is your favourite MAC lipstick shade?
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10 October 2014

PRODUCTS I REGRET BUYING


These products are not necessarily bad in any way shape or form, but it just didn't really meet my high expectations for them. I admit that I do get lured into buying products after reading rave reviews online and a bit of pushy selling by the sales assistants therefore I always give into temptation. These few specific product I have wanted for a while and I finally come to terms with myself and purchased them impulsely on random shopping trips out. However, although these products are okay they are not amazing like I hoped for due to the high price tag that comes with them.


CHARLOTTE TILBERRY POWDER & SCULPT BRUSH

There was a big rave on this brush and it is meant to be the best-selling brush out of the range. I agree that the shape of the brush is very ideal for contouring and I love using it with my bronzer to hollow out my cheeks a bit. The downside to this is that I find the bristles to be not as soft as I wanted. It even felt a little bit scratchy at times and I am awfully disappointed by such a beautiful brush but poor quality bristles! The brush itself is well designed in a sense that it doesn't go rolling off my vanity because of its innovative flat sides on the handle - but for the price, I feel that the bristles could have improved a bit in quality in my opinion.


BARE MINERALS SETTING POWDER

I first saw this product on Fleur de Force's channel and I was intrigued by the whole design of it as touching up on the go is a bit of a hassle sometimes. This swish new product allows you to touch up on the go with ease as it has an inbuilt brush that self dispenses the powder. At first, the thought of this was amazing for me and I thought it would be lovely for my handbag to touch up on the go. When I put this product into action, I found that the brush felt like it was too dense to evenly apply product onto my face and the product was totally non-existent. Furthermore, it was more challenging to use as I imagined it to be and it was difficult to gauge how much product goes onto the brush leaving my face either 'still greasy looking' or just 'caked on powdery'! I haven't touched it after a few uses and I really do regret buying this and dissapointed for the price I paid for it.


NARS MATTE MULTIPLE

This product I wasn't sure whether it was such a dissapointment or not. I recently reviewed this on my blog [here] and I explained how I disliked the application of it. I should have prepared myself when I bought this as the wide diameter of this product obviously wouldnt be that precise in application. Since then, I have used a small buffing brush to apply the product rather than applying it straight onto my face.

Do you have any products you regret buying?
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10 September 2014

MAC LIPSTICK - SNOB

 

A cool-toned pink lipstick with a Satin finish. In my opinion, 'Snob' by MAC cosmetics is a true barbie pink colour and it has been on my wishlist of MAC lipsticks for quite some time. I finally caved and purchased this lipstick full priced at the makeup counter on a random shopping day out in which purchasing a lipstick was definitley not on the agender at all seeing that I have a hoard of lipstick back at home already.


I have always been a huge fan of pink lipsticks anyway so it wasn't difficult for this one to slip into my collection accidently. This is my first Satin finish lipstick by mac so the formulation was a bit on the unfamiliar territory for me. It is pigmented and easy to apply although it can be a little drying and cling onto any existing dry patches you may have, so I advise you to exfoliate your lips well before using this lippie. When I swatched it on my hand, it was an amazing pretty pink colour but I never realised it was so barbie pink on my lips. The wear was comfortable and it didnt feather or fade that quickly nor did it dry out my lips like some lipsticks do.


However, one thing that you have to be aware of, is that it does have a tendancy to make your teeth appear yellow-toned so if you have an issue with that, then maybe this shade isn't right for it. I also found that it made my skintone look more dull and yellow which I am suprised myself as to how much difference a liptick shade could make. 


What is your favourite MAC lipstick?
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7 September 2014

MY WEDDING GUEST MAKEUP LOOK

+ FACE +
Giorgio Armarni Luminous silk foundation - Shade 4 [Full review]
Chanel Blush - Rose Initial [Full review]
NARS matte multiple - Altai [Full review]
Rimmel stay matte pressed powder
Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer - Shade 1 fair
MAC prep + Prime highlighter - Lightboost

+ EYES +
NARSISSIST eyehadow palette 
L'oreal super liner - Black
Rimmel Scandaleyes waterproof eyeliner  - 001 Black and 012 bronze [Full review]
Shu uemura eyelash Curlers

+ LIPS +
Revlon colorstay moisture stain - 010 LA exclusive [Full review]

 I apologise for the poor quality of the picture of my face shot. I actually forgotten my camera for the day so I had to resort to using my iPhone 5 but hope you guys can see the look that I was going for. I opted for a subtle smokey eye using my Narsissist palette which I thought was perfect for that muted eye look that looks both classy and wedding guest appropriate. The shadows were also very easy to blend and complimented my skintone nicely. The contoured look worked wonders for the professionl photos taken as it emphasised on my facial features making it more multi-dimentional. I didn't bother with lashes and it was quite hot and humid and I didn't want to worry about my lashes lifting or coming off. I did choose to use a convenient lipstain which was great as there were alot of drinking and eatting involved so matte lips were a definite no no. My make-up lasted throughout the day and night thanks to my rimmel stay matte powder and I really had a great time. 


What kind of look do you usually go for when being a wedding guest?
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26 August 2014

NARS MATTE MULTIPLE : ALTAI

"The Matte Multiple features a creamy, lightweight formula that delivers buildable, long-lasting, hydrating colour for lips and cheeks. This innovative formula can be applied dry for a soft yet vibrant matte effect or wet for a rich and vivid finish that melts into skin"

The NARS matte multiple launch did make me all excited and giddy about them and I knew that I would pink one up sooner or later. Being a big fan of NARS cosmetics for many years, the multiple sticks are products which I really love as I have been putting into good use my limited edition multiple tints a few years back.

The stick formular really enticed me to try it as I don't think there are any other stick formation matte products out there apart from the cheek stick blushers which are starting to emerge across the make up brands. The packaging as always is beautiful with the rubberised black signiture look. The price is a little bit eye-watering but I just think that you get plenty of product that can probably last you for ages so it is worth the cost. The formulation of this is very creamy and blends beautifully into the skin. As the name suggests, it doesn't have any forms of shimmer which makes it ideal for contouring purposes. It does come out initially quite scary, but once blended it will give u a nice subtle contour.
 
As a stick format, I originally thought that it would make it very easy and quick to apply to the face. However, I was actually wrong because the stick i found to be a little too thick for applying straight onto the face therefore I find that using a smaller tapered brush worked better. I do think that it would have been a little bit more ideal for purpose if it wasn't so chunky in size so I can precisely apply to the areas that I wanted. 

Overall I am loving this product but as I said, I was a little bit dissapointed about the ease of application and the fact that using a brush as an alternative reminds me that I have been loving the less expensive version which is the Bourjois bronzing mousse prior to discovering this by NARS. Great product if you have the expenses to spend on it but I feel that it is not a must have.

NARS matte multiple in Altai is available at Spacenk : Link

Have you tried any NARS products?
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18 August 2014

REVLON COLORSTAY MOISTURE STAIN || REVIEW

I was awaiting the launch of these from Revlon eversince seeing some blog posts and youtube videos on them. The packaging of these are just so lovely and I feel that the quality of the product deserves a thumbs up overall too. Although I am pretty aware of the fact that there are plenty of other brands highend or drugstore that do similar items to this, I remained loyal to my beloved Revlon brand lip product as I was anticipating the release of these.


Firstly, the packaging is lightweight and petite in size which makes it ideal to store inside makeup bags for travelling on the go. The colour range is amazing and it was so hard for me to decide which ones to pick. I opted for 010 LA exclusive and 050 London posh because they were the more user friendly colours compared to the much more vibrant colours. These have a doe foot applicator which makes it very comfortable and easy to apply due to the tapered shape of it. On application, it does go on quite streaky and patchy at first but it manages to even out very easily when you blend it out. This may be due to its highly pigmented nature. It leaves a lovely glossy finish whilst still moisturising your lips which is a big bonus for me as I always have a tendancy to have dry chapped lips. This product didnt emphasise of my dry patches nor make them peel like crazy like some lipglosses do.


For the price of these, the non-sticky formula makes it effortless to wear and perfect for days where you do not want to mess around with lipsticks and liners. It does leave a stain on the lips which is great for long days out where reapplying lipstick is a hassle to do so. I think I will be purchasing more of the different shades, they are just too good to miss out on and I urge all makeup junkies to go out and try these when you can. Such a steal for the price and I much prefer these over some other moisturising lipsticks. 


Revlon moisture stain - £7.99 available from boots. Now on offer 2 for £10  + Link +

Have you tried any products from Revlon?
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xxx

11 August 2014

PRODUCT RAVE: THE BODY SHOP VITAMINE E AQUA BOOST SORBET

I have been using this product for over a month now. My skin has been quite temperamental these days as it has switched from being oily-combination to dry and dehydrated. I found that my current moisturiser (L'oreal skin perfection day moisturiser) wasn't enough to hydrate my skin therefore I was drawn to this new moisturiser which not only smelt great, it also felt really good on the skin too.


The texture was quite unique and like the name suggests, it really emulated the sorbet texture. It starts off quite gritty but as you rub it in, it turns into tiny water droplets like it melts into your skin. The feeling is very strange and you can definitley feel your skin feeling more hydrated and plumper instantly without it leaving a greasy residue. The reason as to why I love this moisturiser so much is that it is very gentle and seem to work very well for my sensitive skin without aggravating it. Also, it is very inexpensive considering that The body shop always does offers and voucher codes which makes it so much more worth it.

 

I really urge you girlies out there to give this a go and see how much of a difference this makes to the condition of your skin. I really was suprised and amazed by this little pot of wonder :)

What is your favourite product from The Body Shop?

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5 August 2014

CHANEL BLUSH : ROSE INITIAL

 Chanel joues contrast powder blush - £31

This blusher has been on my wishlist for a couple of years now. Every time I get my makeup done at a Chanel counter, the makeup artist would always choose to use this shade on me and I think it just really suits my skintone very well and really flattering. I never caved in to purchasing this though due to the expensive price tag this came with and I always vow to try and find an alternative shade that is similar to this one.


This blush has tiny shimmery particles and the colour is quite multidimentional. I would describe the colouring of this to be quite similar to the infamous NARS orgasm shade but a bit more on the pinkier side. The blush itself is very finely milled and applies so nicely. I don't use the brush provided as I find it to be a little bit too small and fiddly to apply with therefore I choose to use the Real techniques blush brush to apply to get a nice finish. The product is easy to work with and I find that the pigmentation is just right as some heavily pigmented products are quite hard to use and blend out to create a nice finish.


I was quite suprised to say that this blush did last quite a long time on my skin despite my skin being combination oily and I have to blot throughout the day. The colour just seems to work very well with my other face products and I think that it is definitley worth the money. This has got to be an expensive splurge for me but I just can't believe how much I loved it and put off from buying this for all this time. This blush is now in my everyday make-up bag and taken the place of my truley loved NARS orgasm :)


What is your favourite blusher colour?
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25 July 2014

THE BODY SHOP PRODUCTS - LIKED!

Sometimes, The Body Shop does a 40% all products promotion which does entice me into checking their products out even though I may not need anything. Well, I have been good and only picked up a few of their products in the store. Firstly, they have recently released a new line of 'sorbet' products which has a very unique formulation which I do find it quite difficult to describe as I haven't felt anything like this before. I have used these products for a few weeks now so I thought I would summarise my thoughts so far for these products.

 

BODY SORBET (Moringa & Strawberry)

This products is definitely really light and fast absorbing compared with any other moisturisers I have been using. The formulation is much like sorbet as suggested by the name, but as you rub the product in, it melts effortlessy onto the skin giving a kind of matte yet hydrated finish. Really difficult to describe the feeling for this, therefore I urge you to go into the body shop and feel it for yourself. This non-sticky formula and easy application has made me grab this on a more regular basis. It smells great and moisturises well, a summer must have in my opinion


VITAMIN-E AQUA BOOST SORBET

Didn't need a new moisturiser to be very honest but I was obsessed with the texture of the sorbet range. It was so light to apply which I really loved since I have combination to oily skin therefore alot of heavy products are avoided. It melts into the skin giving the most lovely moisturised feeling. For me, I feel that it decreased my dry patches when i apply my foundation and my skin is much more plump and hydrated. For your reference, the cream i was using peviously was the L'oreal perfection day moisturiser for the day and Boots botanics night cream at night. This sorbet moisturiser has replaced both and have noticed a difference in the appearance of my skin overall.

 

TEA TREE PORE MINIMISER

I am primer obsessed when it comes to make-up. Due to my combination oily skin, I strive to find the perfect base that make my make-up more long lasting. Not only does this product promise to mattify and minimise the pores, it also contains tea tree extract which helps combat blemishes which is just what I need for this summer. I have used it for a few weeks now and i have been loving the smell of the product as it is so refreshing in the morning prior to my makeup application. However, I do feel that it didn't really do much to prolong my foundation because I still need to powder throughout the day like I usually do without using it. It does smooth out the face though and make pores less noticeable which is great for when I want to do a no make-up day when i am off work. Overall a good product, but I wouldn't say that it is the best primer though.

 
Do you have any products you enjoy using from The body shop? 
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8 July 2014

GIORGIO ARMARNI : LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION | Review


I have been wanting to try out this foundation since forever now and last month i finally got my hands on this. For starters, I really adore the design of the bottle. The foundation is housed in a gorgeous matte glass bottle in a unique oval shape. There is a pump which is great news because I have been put off by purchasing the NARS foundations because they do not include a pump and I just find it quite annoying.


First things first, I have oily-combination skin therefore you can use that as a reference if you have skin similar to mine. My major concerns are my pores and becoming oily looking throughout the day therefore I need a foundation which works with with that. I am aware that Luminous silk is not a mattifying foundation nor is it a heavy coverage foundation, but I do know that it gives the most amazing finish and is buildable. Longevity wise, this wears 3-4 hours and I need to start blotting as this foundation is marketed as a luminous finish therefore mattifying powers are lower compared with my other foundations.


On application, this foundation is easily blended and feels quite lightweight and provides a sheer to medium coverage. I find that it is very similar to the L'oreal true match foundation in texture and coverage. I tend to use one layer for everyday use and build it up to two layers if I desire a more flawless look. The finish it gives really is as it describes - definitely luminous but not over the top shiny. I like using my fingers or my real techniques buffing brush to apply this foundation, both works well in my opinion but using fingers mean less product wastage.


As you may or may not know, this foundation does not contain any SPF. This can be beneficial for when you are on a night out and flash photography is involved as it would not give you the ghostly flashbacks if you were to have applied SPF products on the face. However, the downfall is when you want to wear this foundation during the daytime because no SPF means that your skin would not be protected against the rays of the sun therefore an extra step in the skincare may be needed. 


Overall, I really like this high end foundation and I believe that it is worth the money. However, I do think that alot of drugstore foundations are just as good as this without the heavy price tag. The finish it gives is lovely and it really does deserve a big thumbs up. Perfect for nights out and if you haven't tried it, I urge you to pop to your Giorgio armarni makeup counter and give it a go.


What is your favourite foundation right now?
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21 May 2014

BOURJOIS CC CREAM || REVIEW

 

I was intrigued by CC cream ever since the craze all started and I was thrilled that my favourite drugstore foundation brand Bourjois has launched one. My holy grail drugstore foundation is the Bourjois healthy mix serum (Review here if interested) therefore I had high expectations of this CC cream.


Recently, my skin has been a little dry and patchy maybe due to my skin type changing or the weather taking its toll so I wanted to try a more moisturising formulation to not only help keep my skin hydrated, but to give it a more natural lightweight finish ready for the summer. I swatched this product on the back of my hand and although the consistency was watery and thin, the coverage was pretty good and easy to blend. 


The CC cream smells like all the other Bourjois foundations; a light florally scent, which I'm not too bothered about and I even quite like it to be honest. The tube is plastic and so easy to carry around when travelling and it doesn't take up much space. As a nursing student, it is so important to have a foundation that stays put throughout the day as I do not usually have time to touch up or powder and i must say that this foundation really does stay put and doesn't melt off my face as quickly as i thought. Obviously with my oily skin, i did need to use a finishing powder on top of it and touched up every 5-6 hours when my shine came through, but I really did like the look that it gave my skin.


The coverage is not only good, it also looks really natural and dewy which i think is perfect for summer. Using this has helped with my dry patches on my face as it does promise 24 hours hyrdation, although i don't have this on my face for that period of time to actually know whether it does or not. For under £10, I cannot fault this product and i have been using this non stop for the past several weeks as i have been waking up early and this product is a life saver for getting ready quick in the morning.


Have you tried any CC creams?
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