Thursday 27 March 2014

Burberry Makeup



I caved, finally.  Never say never is what I learnt again and again.  I thought I would not try any makeup by Burberry as I was a little sceptical about them despite hearing mainly good reviews about them.  Yes I was impressed by B's nail polish but the rest of the makeup range.......?

The motivation came from Lily Pebbles talked about her favourite One Wash Wonder eyeshadows, I was intrigued by how amazing it is her pick on Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Mulberry looked on her eyelids.  The other day, I made it a mission to make my way down, to I believe the only Burberry beauty shop in Hong Kong (in Pacific Place).


I asked to have a swatch of the mulberry shade.  It looks exactly like how Lily described a chocolate burgundy shimmer.  However a tester was not available so I couldn't test it properly and when comparing Mulberry to other shades available, I found it a little too dark shade to my liking.  These days I'm all about natural makeup, a little goes a long way kind of eye colours.  Suddenly I spotted Antique Rose (No. 10).


It looks a little shimmery on the pan itself but when swatted on fingers, it's rather matte and it gives out a sheer finish rather than all glittery.  I would describe it as a muted darker pink.  A definitely one wash wonder for me.  The eyeshadow quality is fantastic, it feels rather buttery and very easy to blend.


My scepticism has been completely dispelled and the quality of it reminds me of Bobbi Brown's eyeshadows!  If you haven't tried any beauty products from Burberry, I'd strongly recommend you to go and play with it a little bit at the counter to try it out for yourself.

Whilst the very nice makeup lady at the counter helped me with testing the eyshadows, she also applied some Velvet Foundation in No. 203 (available in 8 shades) on me.  It felt really good - coverage is a light to medium, and gives a matte finish which is something not of my usual choice as I would have opted for a more dewy finish.  Hence I tried out Sheer Foundation (available in 13 shades) n the past but was freaked out by how thick the texture of.

The lady explained to me further, Velvet Foundation is more of a watery texture, even though it gives a matte finish, it is suitable for all skin types.  If you want a more dewy and glowy finish, you can apply a Fresh Glow Fluid Base (available in 2 shades) which I also tried and really it gave a refreshed look to your face, and the glow that you need.  Whilst the Sheer Foundation, even though it gives a sheer finish as opposed to matte, it suits dry skin but it is more for mature skin and offers a heavier coverage, hence the thicker and slightly more creamier finish than the Velvet Foundation.


That's such a fantastic learning at the Burberry Beauty shop!  I was given a sheer foundation to give it a good try!

Are you tempted to try some Burberry makeup bits?




Tuesday 25 March 2014

March Favourites


This month is a bit of a weird month for me, makeup wise I'm all over the place, skincare wise I'm just trying to use up what I have in the stash, although still keeping everything in the hydration side of things seeing my skin is still pretty dehydrated, and with the ongoing issues of blemishes....

Whilst I want to cover things up, I don't want to go all fake and things.  A little cover up goes a long way, as long as I look presentable, dewy and fresh then I'm all happy.  So this month, makeup wise I ditch my beloved eyeliners and on most days I forget about eyeshadows, its 'll about the natural rosy cheeks, and glowy finish.

Revlon Powder Blush in #002 Haute Pink Rose Classe It does look pretty bright and pink on the pan but if you try to swatch it on the back of your hands, it's actually a rather soft muted rosy pink colour.  When swept on the cheeks, it creates that rosy cheeks finish which definitely gives an illusion of a natural flush on the face.  It's perfect if you want just one thing applied on the face to make a difference, this is the product you want to consider!

The sun is coming out a lot more and a little stronger these days in Hong Kong, despite having a few gloomy days.  I quickly turned my thoughts on sun protection.  My good old Kiko City Filter Sunscreen Primer in SPF 50 provides a perfect filter for my skin from the damaging but lovely sunlight.  When squeezed out from the dispenser, it's a yellow liquid form cream but don't be freaked out by it as it sets transparent, and very hydrating and extremely light in texture, too.  It doesn't feel as if you have put a sunscreen in SPF 50, not tacky and not-blocking-pores feel!  I know it's a little difficult to get anything that is higher than an SPF 50 in the UK so perhaps this would be your next high thing when it comes to sun protection!


Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer It's a perfect conealing threesome.  It's got two shades, one for under the eye areas, another for covering those blemishes; and a transparent powder to set things in place.  I don't normally use the powder but the two concealer shades have been my best friends.  They are light, not cakey at all; and very creamy which makes blending a dream!

I want to thank Kate lash maximiser in White saved my short and non naturally curly lashes!  After curling them, I applied 2 coats on each side of my eyelashes, it gives my lashes a bit of a push up bra effect, a good base to be ready for mascaras to be coat on better and more effective.  Together with the Maybelline Great Lash which I got in a giveaway by Julie, you can see her in depth review of the mascara here.  I know so many people are absolute fans of Maybelline mascaras and I have now tried quite a few but sadly me and them just don't get on.  When I received this in the giveaway, I was actually really excited to try them on and wanted to love them but once again it proved me right that we aren't friends in the mascara department.  However, an Eureka moment dawned on me, since I have very sparse and tiny bottom lashes, I thought why not try this on my bottom lashes!  It worked amazingly well on them.  The tiny mascara brush, appeared an almost heart shape with a rather pointed end made it perfect for me to direct the wand onto my lower lashes.  I don't need drama on my bottom lashes so this serves me just right, that it gives them a little definition that the lashes needed!  So, perhaps next time if any mascaras don't work on your upper lashes, how about look downwards and give them a try?


Applying mascaras can be a messy act if you are not careful, so my Sephora targeted eye remover swabs are very handy makeup tools to clear up those mistakes around the eye areas.  You break the end with a blue line that runs around one end of the cotton buds, then the blue liquid inside the tube would flow onto the other end which then soaked up all the products, you can then use that end to clear up any imperfection on the face, very handy and tidy indeed!


I have to say when it comes to skincare, I can be a little lazy and I don't want to put 10 products on my face every day and night.  So when my sister (@forksandbrushes) recommended me highly of Kiehl's Midnight Recover Concentrate I was intrigued by it.  I have used the eye cream from the same line and was very fond of it.  Now that I have been using this good stuff for over 2 months and I feel like I want to repurchase it already but I'm not even 1/10 of using up this product yet.  You only need 2 droplets of this after your evening routine of cleansing and toning your face.  Then you rub this in between the palm of your hands to generate a bit of heat, you then press your hands against your whole face when applying.  It feels very soothing and somewhat repairing.  It's a serum and a slightly oily one but it isn't greasy at all and absorbed really quickly by the skin.  The next day, you get to meet a rather refreshed and glowy self.  Sounds like magic but you feel that this stuff is doing something overnight to your skin!

It feels a bit of a ramble this March Favourites but I hope that you have enjoyed reading this!  So, what have you liked using in March?

Sunday 23 March 2014

DIY Gift Idea for Mother's Day


Another year, another Mother's Day!  This year Mothering Sunday will fall on 30 March in the UK.  I have a feeling it's on a different day in Hong Kong, possibly the second Sunday in April; if you know please let me know!

Each year, I have to be honest; my sister (@forksandbrushes) and I always struggle to find something special to give to our moms.  However, ideas always kind of flush into our minds a couple of weeks away from the M-Day.

This year, I'm not able to celebrate the day with her physically as I'm in Hong Kong whilst she's in London.  My sister and I have prepared a little present for her already but I thought I might do something special and give her a little surprise all the way from Hong Kong.

Shopping around to get ideas, I stumbled across a blank puzzle board in Muji.  (unfortunately after searching high and low on Muji's website I cannot find the link to the product itself but if you click on the link provided above, you can find a picture of it featuring the puzzle board).

My creative side of me suddenly jumped out of me and thought, this would be a perfect DIY little project!  I can draw (nice) pictures on it then disintegrate the pieces and send it off to my mom; then when she receives it; she'll have the fun to reassemble them together to find out what her lovely daughter has sent her as a surprise!


The puzzle board comes in two sizes, the one I got is 210mm x 210mm; and the other one is a slightly bigger one.  My one cost me HK$35, so roughly around £3.

You will need (colour) pens/ pencils which are 'slide resistant' because of the material that the puzzle board is made of, so I used some permeant marker pens to draw on it.  I had so much fun completing this little project and I hope my mom will like it!

I mean even if you can't get hold of one of these blank puzzle cardboard, I think you can take DIY a step further.  Buy a piece of cardboard from any stationery shops, draw some lines and grid of puzzle shapes, have them cut out so that they can actually become puzzle pieces for assembling and reassembling later on; then draw on them.  I think the result would not be any different to what I have generated here!

Have you any ideas already what to give to your mom on Mother's Day, which is only a week away!  Hopefully I have given you a nice and easy DIY idea!

Friday 21 March 2014

The Greats but I have to let them go...


It's such a fantastic feeling when you come across products that you have enjoyed using so much that either you have already repurchased them, or that they now sit on your repurchase list.  They have definitely served right in your beauty book.

However, as my beauty collection grows (out of hand), I take particular attention to products that are a little more vulnerable to their use-by dates than others which I can pretend they would last longer than they should.  Any liquid/ cream products, specifically base products that actually go on my skin straight after my moisturising step, I am very attentive to these and would clear them out when the time is up.  Therefore sadly, I'm going to have to let the following products go even they are unfinished......

Becca Resurfacing Primer - I have done a rather detailed review of this good stuff you can check it here.  This stuff is brilliant, it does what it says on the tube, resurface any uneven skin tone and leaving my face feeling and looking much more refreshed.  It's a great preparation for the skin!

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua An absolutely all time favourite which has been well documented and enjoyed thoroughly here , here and here.  This is the first high end foundation product that I own and have since left me a completely biased view of only high end base products are worth the hype.  It's rather difficult to find something as impressive as this (it's possible but one one satisfied me, read on to find out what this is).  It's on my repurchase list but I'm going to hold forte right now as I'm trying to finish up a few other base products that are approaching their use-by dates in the next few months.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation - There's something about the French, they seem to know how to deliver when it comes to lifestyle and beauty.  Bourjois is my favourite drugstore brand, and only their foundation products impress me and makes me think that they are on par with high end foundations.  This is perhaps one of their most well known foundation product and are often perceived as a dupe of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua.  They are rather similar, the only difference is that Chanel's one is of a more watery texture whilst Bourjois' Healthy Mix Serum Foundation is a slightly thicker texture, whether it is a gel foundation I can't tell but both brands are equally hydrating and excellent for dry skin.  Both are great to give a healthy and glowing finish!  I have moved on to try other Bourjois base products and they continued to be loved, and very well loved!


Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer - I bought this based from a complete sense of curiosity and was attracted by the packaging.  In terms of keeping things hygiene it isn't the most ideal because of the sponge applicator.  However it is also because of the mini sponge applicator design that makes me think, ' Oh my god this is so cute!'.  It's a great product that you can (may be not ideal) apply it under the eye areas straight from the sponge applicator.  The minute you apply this on areas you need, you definitely would feel that the areas in question have been 'erased', funny feeling, eh?  It's such a creamy formula that it blends so well and easily with just fingers or using a brush if you want everything blended in perfectly.  It's also an all round concealer - for everywhere from under the eyes, round the nose areas, blemishes and any other areas that need a bit of coverage.

bareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment - This is possibly one of the most groundbreaking skincare item that I tried.  It's a powder that you brush all over the face as part of your evening skincare routine, after the serum/ moisturiser step.  It aims at reduce pores and increase luminosity.  It really does what it claims.  I found that my skin had definitely improved during the period of time when I used this.  However I drifted away from it and went onto trying out other things..... There is a ton of product in this that it will be more than enough to last a good 12 months however I'm going to have to let it go now that it's well beyond the 12 months mark....

Are you like me who would keep a strict pair of eyes on those expiry date on beauty products?  What have you had to say goodbyes to in the past?

Sunday 16 March 2014

The Orange Struggle


Alright, I get it!  From the cat walk shows, beauty advertisements, to celebrities on TV and magazines, bloggers on youtube and at beauty counters; it seems like orange lips is the way to go Spring/ Summer.  Sadly, me and orange have drifted apart from each other.

A year and a bit ago I started to venture out into coral/ orange and have thoroughly enjoyed wearing them.  Recently I'm more into the nude, natural, 'my lips but better' colours..... Orange is a bit too loud, and too out there for me.  As much as I probably won't be wearing these shades religiously, but I still want to share with you 4 orange shades that have passed my comfort zones and you might want to give them a little whirl to see if they suit!

I found that orange/ coral shades can be a bit tricky for olive/ yellow undertone skin despite having a pale overall skin tone; as they might not be the most flattering for this kind of complexion.

The first one in the stash to ease you into coral is by Chanel, Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer LipShine in #46 Liberte.  They are a bit of a cheat in the orange bold lips department.  It looks, as you can see, rather like a nude, my lips but better shades but trust me when wear on the lips, somehow it appears as a light shade of coral; it pops!  I love how hydrating this lipstick is on my very dry lips and I can definitely wear this without having to wear a lip balm underneath.  A very easy lipstick and colour to wear.

From a cheat-orange shade, let's jump onto a proper orange/ corally lipgloss, this one by Jill Stuart Lip Jewel in shade #19.  I was totally attracted by its packaging, the pink jewel on top of the dover applicator makes it like a lipgloss that a princess should own and would wear.

I remembered how obsessed I was with this lipgloss I was applying this on almost on an half an hourly basis.  Okay, it might suggest that this lipgloss doesn't wear well, it gives a very sheer finish that it is buildable and appears very glossy.  It passed my lipgloss test, too that it isn't sticky that it catches my hair!   If you are a glossy kind of gal this one would be for you.  Also as you build the colour up you can have total control of how intense the coral shade you want.  All in all, a good quality lipgloss that I would recommend.


Topshop makeup just never disappoints!  This little Topshop number in shade CHARMED is a beautiful neon coral/ orange shade but when worn on the lips, it doesn't appear too bold and overwhelming, yet it's bright enough to make a statement that you are a stylish person that is keeping up to the orange lips trend.


If you are still not convinced about orange lips, how about choosing something of a hybrid of coral and peach with a pink tone runs through it?  Chanel Livres Scintillantes Glossimer in shade #165 might satisfy your curiosity and comfort zone.  The colour pay off is sheer and almost complements with every makeup look you carry.

Are you rocking the orange lips already?  Hopefully I have given you a little bit of an idea to wear orange on your lips!

Thursday 13 March 2014

Statement Necklaces Haul

This amazingly vibrant little accessorise stall called Oh Jem in the hustling and bustling of Wan Chai Market



What happened to makeup and beautyorbread? I seem to be hauling on my statement necklaces more often than makeup these days?

My current necklaces collection is definitely growing, oh yes!


Recently I visited two places, a local market in Wan Chai; and the Mong Kok area which is famous for its many thousands independent boutiques there, selling fashion items from Japan, Korea, and London or other European cities.   Visit Oh Jem in Wan Chai market to discover more yourself!

If you ever get a chance to visit Hong Kong, I strongly recommend you to go as you would definitely manage to find some hidden gems with a fraction of the price compare with major department stores. However a word of warning though, Mong Kok area is probably one of the most densely occupied areas when it comes to shopping destination, so... Be very prepared!

Here's a few pictures of how I've absolutely enjoyed wearing these statement necklaces!

On a causal Sunday Afternoon, about to head to have tea with a couple of girl friends

Wearing this sparkly new necklace on Chinese New Year Day!  Especially liked the orange and red clash of colours!


Going back to my comfort zone: black top with statement necklace, can never go wrong!

Finding the Hawaian vibe with this pastel colour floral necklace




Are you into statement necklaces like me?  What have you picked up recently?

Oh Jem Accessories Store can be found at the following address:

Tuesday 11 March 2014

A Few Drugstore Must Haves


Who doesn't like to indulge in a full range of high end makeup?  However it can be a bit of an expensive habit to get into though!  I don't overlook what the high street/ drugstores have got to offer because you can often find gems hidden right in the middle of all the exciting drugstore brands, and they often have a long history behind them which just goes to show their positions in the beauty market!

I do own quite a bit of makeup from the drugstore, thanks to Boots/ Superdrug's regular promotion of 3 for 2 Offer, back in the days when I lived in London.  Now that I'm in Hong Kong, I can only admire across the Pacific Oceans of these delicious offer because in Hong Kong, the story doesn't quite go the same.... there doesn't seem to be such amazing offer available in our local drugstores here.

Nonetheless, I want to share with you my Top 6 Drugstore picks, and this by no means is the complete list, it was rather difficult to narrow it down to just six!


Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in shade No. 50 Porcelain (£11.99) - Bourjois has got to be my favourite drugstore brand of all times.  Their foundation range are the best quality in my very humble opinion, the only downside about this foundation which is shared by other drugstore brands' foundations is the lacking of shades available.  This foundation is light, hydrating and long lasting.  It has a light to medium coverage which you can wear dab it around the area you need or cover the whole face and build it up to the coverage you desire.  The good thing about this foundation for dry skin is that it doesn't cling onto dry patches.  I also like the pump dispenser which makes things very hygienic.  This would be great for a day out as well as an evening out, too and photographs very well, and no need to worry about any flashback as it doesn't contain any SPFs in.  Because of the light and slightly liquify formula, you can absolutely use your fingers to apply this but I also found that using a beauty sponge to apply which enhances a flawless finish.  If you are a drugstore foundation virgin, I would strongly recommend Bourjois base products to you.

Sleek Lace Blush by 3 (£9.99)  Sleek is such a best kept secret drugstore brand.  Beauty Insiders are absolutely in love with their products, and its blushers are probably one of the best well known products.  There are so many colours in the range, from cream to powder forms.  The blushers are highly pigmented which reminds me so much for Nars' but with only a fraction of the price.  This one I own is a trio of blusher, the one in the middle called Guipure has some finely milled shimmer runs through the golden bronzy corally shade which is absolutely beautiful - if you are also a fan of Nars it would certainly ring a bell with you of Nars' most famous blusher, Orgasm.  


Rimmel London Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in shade 03 (£5.49) - I miss Rimmel products as they are not found in Hong Kong - if you know where to get Rimmel products in Hong Kong, please let me know!  I feel that Rimmel Kate's lipstick doesn't get talked about as much as it should be.  They are absolutely fantastic lipsticks.  Sometimes I find lipstick a little too drying on my lips but this one isn't at all.  It is very hydrating on the lips and I can get away with applying this onto my lips straight from the bullets without having to prep my lips with lip balm.  I love this nude shade as it doesn't have that 'wash away' my complexion finish.  The shade suits both when I wear a heavy eye makeup look or on days when I want something just very subtle on my face.  The lipstick is slightly on the scented side of things but it's not a pungent scent and doesn't sting onto the lips once applied.  It's not the most long lasting lip colour of all compare to other lipsticks but it doesn't bother me as I like applying this any time during the day if I wear it.


L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in shade 021 Sahara Treasure (£6.99) - I must have raved about this eyeshadow for a ton of the times, because it is THAT good.  What's more exciting is that it is well known in the bloggersphere that it is a dupe for the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow which costs a whooping £26.50; they are actually identical in the department of colour pay off, formulation, design and packaging!  I love how convenience the eyeshadow is - you can just use your index fingers to sweep this all over the eyelids, or use a fluffy blending brush; both methods are very easily achieved.  The colour finish makes people the impression as if you have taken ages to apply your eye makeup as it gives quite a few different dimension to the finish look; but in fact it's probably only taken you 2 mins to do!  Tempted?

Topshop Kohl Pencil in Sable (£4) - I know my favourite eyeliner pencil which I have said it for so many a times, is the Kiko Eye Pencil but let me address a different one to you, a one that is slightly easier to get hold of.  Topshop Kohl Pencil is such a god-send eyeliner pencil, especially for eyeliner beginners.  The creamy and soft formula makes drawing those precise eyeliners a dream and you would feel like a pro once you have this pencil on hands.  I love this dark brown colour as it's a little softer than your average black ones.  It costs only £4 and has never gone wrong on me, and in every way; this outperforms other more expensive kohl pencils.

Kate Lash Extension Mascara in BK-1 (HK$95/  £7.3) - One of the recent beauty discoveries since moving to Hong Kong.  Kate is part of a Japanese beauty brand called Kanebo, and are available in Watson's, Sasa; so they are fairly easy to get hold of if you live here.  I didn't quite know what to expect when first purchased.  It's quite a dainty wand compare to other European brands which seems to suit Asian eyes (that means, my lashes) a little better.  It's a slight curled wand which aims to lengthen those much needed short lashes, it also contains some flaky fibre bits which I believe is the key to extension of lashes, and more importantly it WORKS!  I'lll definitely try out more of Kate's products!

I hope you like my picks!  What would be your drugstore picks?  

Saturday 8 March 2014

My morning and evening facial cleansers


I am no expert in skincare but I expect to use a different form of facial cleanser day and morning.  Today I just want to focus on facial cleansers.

In the morning, I just need something that is refreshing and to wash off any possible oil (not often found) that has formed on my face overnight.  Since relocating to Hong Kong, the climate is clearly a lot more different to London, I found myself opting for a lighter form of facial cleanser for the morning.  I used to slap on cream form facial cleanser in the morning but now I've opted for something more of a lighter and foamy form.  This L'Oreal Hydra Fresh Hydrating Refreshing Creamy Foam.  As I have quite dehydrated skin, whilst a foamy form facial cleanser could be a little drying, I like this a hybrid between a cream and foam; it cleanses and at the same time doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped.

The other tricky part of my skin sensitive, despite I understand the importance of exfoliating (anti-ageing and hydrating!), I generally find any manual exfoliator too harsh, or those exfoliator in a toner form a little bit too erosive for my face.  I'm glad I found this one by dermalogica, it's a daily microexfoliant which I use every other morning. I'm not gonna lie but this good stuff is a little bit of a pricey number however it's lasted me for a good 10 months and I feel that the product inside is still going strong, and more importantly it suits my skin and gives a real brightening effect, especially when my skin feels a bit dull and distressed.  I was actually prescribed this powder during a skin mapping analysis session at the Dermalogica counter, you can check out here for the details.

You might find it surprised to hear that I actually avoid using an oil form of facial cleanser despite my dehydrated skin as I have fear of the oil blocking my pores..... However ever since I became hooked on using facial cleansing balm, I feel more adventurous so I found my way back to cleansing oil.  I remember using the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil in my early 20s but later on being advised it might be too heavy on my skin.  10 years passed, my skin has definitely evolved (meaning: aged!) to say the least; and that now I wear makeup almost everyday; I do need a good and thorough cleanse in the evening, also something a little more hydrating and soothing to my skin.   So instead of using a creamy foam cleanser, in the evening I have now switched from using a cleansing balm to the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (which I've been wanting to try for absolutely ages!).  As I haven't used this long enough to give a more detailed review, all I can share is that even though it's an oil, it doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy or oily at all.  It doesn't sting my eyes so I feel comfortable rubbing it in circular motion especially around my eyes to get rid of any last bits of makeup which wasn't removed by my makeup remover.  After washing my face using clean water, I feel that my skin feels really refreshed and clean, and almost have a brightening effect which is quite lasting to the following morning.  So far, so good!

Do you use different forms of facial cleanser morning and evening?  What do you look for in a facial cleanser?

Tuesday 4 March 2014

A few things I learnt from allure (March Edition)


It's not often I pick up an allure magazine on a regularly basis. Reason being it's not the easiest-to-reach magazine in shops. However there's no excuse from now on! As I know exactly where to get hold of one in Hong Kong, albeit I have to travel for 7 underground stops to buy one. I'm going to make a monthly trip to do this though! 
To mark my new beauty resolution, I wanted to make a debut blogpost on what I've learnt from allure, starting from the March 2014 edition. 

As I flicked through the pages in allure, one thing that really struck a chord with me is the rich colour on almost every page.  It's colourful, from pastel pink, yellow, green to some darker shades of purple and glittery grey.


How about trying to go out of your comfort zone by wearing brighter lips?



Orange, pink and purple, they might sound a little difference to your usual nude/ beige, 'my lips but better' shades; they would certainly help injecting some colours to your routine daily makeup look to give people a fresher spring look!


If you want to keep your lips neutral, perhaps you can do something different to your eyes?  The Beauty Reporter from allure recommends some pink shadows, how about that?  I know a lot of people shy away from pink because they think it's not the most flattering shade for your eyes but for a colourful spring season to come, it's time to switch it up?


Radiant Orchid (purple) has been selected as Pantone Colour of the Year 2014.  Purple is my favourite colour and I'm definitely going to try some of these out.  L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow is a great product, not only they are pretty and of good quality, they are completely affordable and the colour pay off is extremely good with a very easy to blend quality!

With this season, one of the the major trends is to rock some winged eyeliner, this daring look will be great for those not-very-girly girls!

I'm glad that the makeup world is once again embracing the quintessential Classic Smoky Eyes look. A few tips I picked up from allure is that you need some good concealer for a clean under eye area, a good eyeliner pencil for a sharp eyeliner to frame those eyelids, some great eye shadow brushes for blending those much needed darker shades of eyeshadow.  A good mascara to add some volume to those eyelashes to really open up those eyes.


If you think an intense smoky eye look isn't quite the thing for you, you might want to take tips from the variations on a class smoky eye from allure to still be rocking the trend!



Things on the fashion side of things isn't quiet either, floral, monochrome, stripey tops and bottoms, accessories and some big statement necklaces are also great ways to make your own personal fashion statements when you are strutting down the street.


If you like to be the quieter girl who is less keen to make that of a statement, perhaps a water colour, soft pastel shades are the ones for you!



Time to go shopping for Spring?

You can pick up March's edition of allure from great food hall, Hong Kong.

Sunday 2 March 2014

Drugstore (Watson's) Haul


Feeling particularly spendy and itchy to try some new bits to embrace the Spring season, I decided to make a trip to my local drugstore (Watson's) and ended up doing a little damage to my purse.  I think I'm pretty pleased about what I have bought and wanted to share with you all.

If you've read my February favourites you would know I'm rocking some simple and natural makeup recently.   The Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Light Weight Primer has got a lot of attention in the bloggersphere, however my eyeballs were drawn to this Maybelline Baby Skin Bright Pink Fair Skin with 24h Hydration Instant Pink Transfer with SPF 35/ PA+++  (HK$89/ £6.89 - please note the £ conversion should only be taken as a guide only as all these products were purchased in Hong Kong, RRP could be different elsewhere) , which was placed next to the primer.  I've never seen this or heard about this and I believe this is not yet available in the UK.  To be honest, I don't like the packaging of the Baby Skin line as I found it a little bit on the childish side.  However as I squeezed the product out of the tube in the shop, I found the texture pleasing and gave me the urge to give it a proper try.  The SPF35 element contained in this primer is also a bonus point which hopefully will work as a natural base for my face on days when I want to wear minimal makeup.

Whilst I was lurking in front of the Maybelline stand, I spotted this beautiful set of Eye Studio Hyper Diamonds Ready-To-Wear Eye Color Palette in the shade BR-1 (HK$99/ UK £7.6).  I wanted to explore more into eye shadow palette so for under a tenner, I don't think it can go wrong.  Also the colour combinations remind me of my Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow quad in Dolci Vita.  I'm very excited to give this a whirl!


I've got a few chubby sticks look alike makeup bits under my belt but I never felt too crazy about it like others.  However I was in an adventurous mode and decided to go out of my comfort zone a little bit more.  I swatches a few of the Revlon ColourBurst Lacquer Balm (HK$98/ sold at £7.99 in the UK).  I fell in love instantly with the colour #105 Demur, it's a glossy pale baby pink with some very fine glitter.  I think it would go with either a smokey eye look or a natural makeup look.


Whilst keeping the overall of my face makeup natural, I still wanted my eyes to look awake, nice and big.  Recently I've come up to an eyelash routine that I am happy about.  However I wanted to give new mascaras a try so I bought the following:


  • Kate Lash Extension Mascara in BK-1 (HK$95/  £7.3)  Kate is part of a Japanese brand called Kanebo.  They offer a whole range of makeup and I've never tried anything from Kate until recently I bought its Kate Lash Maximiser (in a white tube) it works as an eyelash primer which kind of changed how my lashes look!  I decided to give Kate another try of her mascara.  Keeping my fingers crossed for some good results!
  • Majolica Majorca Ultra Curl Mascara (HK$138/ £10.65).  Majolica Majorca is part of Shiseido brand.  It's very well known for their mascaras.  I must say I was not a fan of one of the mascaras I've tried.  The reason why I wanted to give it another try because of the comb lookalike brush.  I tried something similar in my Shiseido Makeup Workshop and was pretty impressed by it.  This one I picked up is half of the price of the Shiseido so I'm hoping that this will work equally well then it will save me some money in the long run.
  • Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Curl Mascara (HK$88 'on offer but original price is HK$118/ sold at £7.99 in the UK; it's a bit cheaper in the UK).  I love makeup by Bourjois but have never tried mascaras from Bourjois.  Now that I get the hang of the shape of the brushes of mascaras that suit me, I picked this one to see if this really works for me!
So.... this is the end of my haul - I'm very excited to give all the products a whirl, and would definitely report back!