Product Review and Swatches: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick

*Warning: picture heavy post!!*

Here are swatches of the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick range that I received recently. The colours I received were:

109 Rosy Dream; 140 Juicy Bubblegum; 161 Juicy Pink; 255 Mauve Diamonds; 330 Sugar Plum; 445 Mango Diamonds; 550 Cherry Candy; 602 Beige Rose

715 Ice Tea; 760 Luminous Cocoa; 240 Barely Brown; 295 Bronzed; 300 Warm Latte; 310 Mochachino

I like to see full-face shots when I look for lipstick swatches online, so at the risk of annoying everyone for taking up all your bandwidth, here are the full-face shots.

109, 140

161, 255

330, 445

550, 602

715, 760

240, 295

300, 310

These lipsticks are quite sheer and easy to apply. They last about 1 1/2 hours or so, normal wear time for a lipstick.

My favourite colours are:

140 Juicy Bubblegum - a gorgeous Barbie-pink colour that, true to its name, looks as juicy as ever
255 Mauve Diamonds - a very natural looking colour, and I personally love mauve in makeup products!
550 Cherry Candy - this fiery red colour is brilliant! My favourite colour out of the entire collection!
310 Mochachino - this is my stepping stone towards wearing darker colours. This is the easier version of Tom Ford's Black Orchid (without the purple undertone). Because this colour is also quite sheer, it is more easy to apply and is a lot more forgiving if you happen to make any mistakes.

Have any of you tried these? What are your favourite colours?

This product was provided for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.

Makeup Faceoff: Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder vs. Tom Ford Illuminating Powder

Hi everyone! I haven't come across anything worth putting in this category for a really long time, but I finally found something very interesting to share with you guys! Today, I have a comparison between the Tom Ford Illuminating Powder and the Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder.

Both powders are designed to illuminate the skin whilst eliminating greasy shine.

Tom Ford Illuminating Powder: Diffuse imperfections and create radiant skin with this weightless and undetectable, micro-fine powder. Formulated with specially coated pigments, it creates a diaphanous veil of light on the face to achieve a silky, smooth-looking surface. Its ultra-gliding texture blends like a fluid on the skin, moisturising and redefining the complexion to ensure a natural, even and luminous finish. Custom applicator brush included. 

Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder: An illuminating pressed powder infused with mica to help reflect light creating luminous skin that looks fresh and bright. It provides a translucent finish to help minimize skin imperfections and contains SPF15 maximizing sun protection for ageless, timeless skin that simply glows.

Here's what they look like on the skin.

Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder

Tom Ford Illuminating Powder

And here's a swatch of both products.

Product
The Sleek powder has the upper hand in this regard - coming in a 4-shade variety. The Tom Ford product only comes in one colour. I chose the lightest colour from the Sleek powder, and it is slightly warmer and darker than the Tom Ford. On the skin, however, the difference in colour is hardly noticeable.

Performance
I tested both products to see how they looked on the skin as well as how well they controlled shine. Both these products eliminate and control shine very well, and last throughout the day.

The Tom Ford powder is very matte, and does not add luminosity at all. I find it very strange that the Tom Ford powder is called 'Illuminating', because it adds no shine whatsoever to the skin! The Sleek powder, however, imparts a soft gleam, and looks beautiful. The shimmer is very fine, so that it adds only a soft glow and not obvious shine, and can be used all over the face.

What I do like about Tom Ford is that it is fine enough so that it fills out pores and makes the skin look smooth and silky. Heavy-handedness with the powder also doesn't affect your makeup and skin much, though it does give a slightly 'finished' look (i.e. it makes you look like you're wearing makeup).

Packaging
Tom Ford, of course, is luxe, with a magnet closure. Sleek's packaging is, well, sleek, and has a snap closure. Despite Tom Ford being what it is, I don't actually find much of a difference in terms of the quality and feel of the packaging between both these powders. I think I find elaborate packaging (e.g. Jill Suart, Paul Joe, Anna Sui) more impressive than heavy, well-made packaging, so keep that in mind when reading this!

Price
Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder: £6.49
Tom Ford Illuminating Powder: $99

Overall
Tom Ford gives the skin a lovely finish if you like a matte, made up look. I was a little confused, given that the powder is called an 'Illuminating powder'. That being said, I like having the Tom Ford for times when I feel like making myself look a little more made up. I love having both these products in my beauty stash, so I can change my looks (however subtle those changes may be :)).

But say I had to pick, I would definitely choose the Sleek powder because it gives me the kind of luminous glow that I prefer with my makeup.

What about you? Which powder would you pick?

Nail Products I've Been Loving

Hi everyone! I hope you are all having fun on the second day of Chinese New Year, whether you're Chinese or not! :)

I have been up to absolutely nothing! Well I did go out with my sister today, but just to HarbourTown. I managed to score quite a few pretty items, which I will share on Twitter when I wear them :)

Today I'm just sharing a little review of a few nail products that have really caught my attention these past couple of months.

You may remember that I attended a Sally Hansen event a couple of months ago. There, I received two products that I really want to share with you today.

This first product is the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails hardener - Sally Hansen's star product.

Sally Hansen: Helps prevent chipping, splitting and cracking. Gives nails a hard, smooth, chip-resistant surface that helps strengthen and support nails. Nail edges are sealed for added protection.

Why I love this product: A week after I received this product, I moved house. I'm sure you can all imagine what that involved - moving big boxes, picking at cellophane tape, twisting and turning screwdrivers and all kinds of tools to put the furniture together, and basically subjecting my nails to all kinds of torture!

After the dust and debris settled, I ended up with shredded nails. They looked and felt horrible, and no matter how many times I grew them out, my nails would just get cracked and chipped all over again.

After using this product for just over a week now, I have only two cracks left to grow out in my nails. No other cracks have returned, and my nail polish is finally lasting the way it should. Definitely a star product, especially for those with weak nails who want their nail polish to last longer and stop chipping.

The next product is the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish. I have the colour Cafe Au Lait.

Sally Hansen: With patented Vita-Care Technology for advanced wear, more shine and nourishing care. Dare to compare to your favorite salon brand.

This is really good! I hate that with neutral coloured nail polish, you usually end up getting streaks and overly thick formula. I was convinced that I would experience the exact same thing with this nail polish, but I didn't! The formula was just the right consistency, and the colour came out smooth and even. No streaks.

This range comes in 23 gorgeous colours. I am really keen to try some darker colours. When I do, I will report back with the results!

These next few products are future releases, and will hit counters in March 2012. They are the Barbados range from Face of Australia, inspired by the colours of a beach holiday in the sunny island. This was also developed with some of Melbourne's most popular beauty bloggers, which I find particularly exciting!

In the above picture, I am wearing You Blue Me Away on three fingers, and Let's Go Scuba Diving on my ring finger as an accent.

I swatched these above nail polishes on my sister's fingers. *hehe* They are Bright Lights, Pink City, and Another Daquiri Please. Just looking at these gorgeous colours makes me dream of drinks under an umbrella by the beach, skin glowing, oversized sunnies on *sigh*.

These two reds are much more sheer compared to the blues above. All swatches were done with two coats. Watch out for these at selected pharmacies and stores in March 2012!

Finally, I have a trio from Kit Cosmetics to share with you. They are a nail strengthener, a top coat, and a cuticle oil. These came in a gift set, together with a gorgeous smelling hand cream and an emery board, but these products are definitely the stars of the gift set!

After I moved house, I then had to start working at a law firm where the air conds were too cold and there was almost no humidity in the air. Almost immediately, my cuticles started to shrink back (a painful experience), and bits of my skin would peel off as well. I immediately turned to this cuticle oil, which had my cuticles back in moisturised, healthy condition within a matter of days.

If you read my blog, you'll also know that I am a huge fan of the Skin Food top coat. The only problem that I have with that top coat is that it doesn't shine as much as I'd like it to. On the days when I want more oomph and shine, I turn to this top coat. It provides a gorgeous, high-shine finish. My nail polish doesn't last as long as it does with Skin Food, so I only turn to it when I want high shine instead of long-lasting nail polish.

So that sums up some of my favourite nail products at the moment! Do you have any nail products that I should try out? Will you be trying any of these?

Happy CNY again, everyone! x

Product Review: Bioderma Créaline H20

Hello everyone! Happy Chinese New Year! I am doing a simple review of an equally simple but amazingly effective product - the Bioderma Créaline H20.

I first heard about this product when I was watching Lisa Eldridge's YouTube video, where she mentioned that this was her favourite makeup remover.

Bioderma: At the cutting edge of innovation, BIODERMA has pioneered micellar solutions. Specially formulated for sensitive, normal to dry skins, the Créaline H2O micelle solution gently cleanses face and eyes. It removes water-resistant make-up.The micelles contained in its formula effectively micro-emulsify impurities while maintaining the skin’s balance (soap-free, physiological pH).

I have been trialling this product for over a month now, and I love it!

Packaging
From the product descriptions and from meeting with the lovely Emilie, PR for Bioderma, I have noticed that the brand prides itself on its simple, no-fuss packaging, preferring instead to focus on the product itself. This product comes in a 250ml bottle with a pop on and off cap. What's special about this product is that the cover is not removable - this is to prevent refilling by dishonest resellers online. The product dispenses easily through the hole on top, and I've thrown this around in my makeup bag for travel a couple of times without experiencing any leaking or cracking.

Product
The product is a perfume-less, odourless liquid, not at all dissimilar to water. It works a treat when it comes to cleansing makeup. I do find that you need quite a bit of product to remove the kind of eye makeup that I wear, though, which makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I always feel like I need to get the best (and most) possible use out of my product, and when a particular product is being used up too quickly, I can get a little nervous. But that is just me being paranoid - I've been using this almost everyday for about 6 weeks now and I have only really used up 1/5th of the product.

Performance
Bioderma delivers everything it promises with this product. It removes makeup (you need to go in twice with heavier eye makeup), cleanses the face, and is so gentle on the skin!

One reason why I love this product so much is this - if you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed me voicing my concern over the fact that I need to wash my face in the afternoons after I get back from work, but I also want to be able to wash my face at night before I go to bed, and this is unhealthy for the skin because cleansing 3 times a day is too harsh for the skin. This makes for the perfect solution! It is extremely gentle, and doesn't strip the skin at all! I have been using this together with my Ella Baché products, and they have worked extremely well for me so far!

I have also been using this as a cleanser for my brushes. I add a little bit of rubbing alcohol, and a little bit of hair conditioner, and I mix them all together in a little spray bottle. It's been working a treat on my brushes - I'm so glad I've found a quick solution to cleansing my brushes in between makeup tutorials!

I really love this product. I have also been trialling another Bioderma product that I might just review, because I am beginning to see really good results with it! Stay tuned :)

If the Bioderma Créaline H20 sounds like something that you might be interested in checking out, look out for at your local Priceline, and at selected pharmacies. You won't regret it!

This product was provided for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.

Video Makeup Tutorial: Smoky Black Eye Makeup based on Lea Michele's Golden Globes 2012 Look

Hi guys! I have finally filmed and uploaded my first ever YouTube vid! It's pretty crap, actually, but I'm learning as I go, so please bear with me :)

Here's the embedded video:

It's quite crap, I have to admit. I'm learning more about HD video formatting and I'm also going to film somewhere else so that the lighting is better. If you have any little tips about YT that you think I should know, please teach me!!

In the meantime, Happy Chinese New Year! I hope you're all spending Reunion Dinner with your loved ones xx

Product Review: Luview Gleam Full Long Lash Mascara and Luview Crystal Cover BB Cream

Hi guys! Today I'd like to introduce to you a Korean brand that I've recently become acquainted with - Luview. They are a brand new cosmetic brand focusing on base products, and I have up for review today their star product, the Crystal Cover BB Cream, and their Gleam Full Long Lash Mascara.

Crystal Cover BB Cream


The packaging is gorgeous! It comes in a cylinder with a pink pearl finish. The pump mechanism works beautifully and pumps out just the right amount for the face. I also love that this comes with SPF 30 - sun protection is a big thing for me. I never leave the house without at least an SPF 30 on.

According to Luview, this cream is infused with tiny crystal particles that give the skin a luminous glow. Here is a picture of me with the BB cream applied with a buffing brush. I find that a buffing brush or a stippling brush is the best way to apply this cream, because it really works the product in. I found that applying this with my hands caused the product to just sit on top of my skin in a really unnatural way.

Luview Crystal Cover BB Cream, with MAC Mineralise Blush in Gentle. No concealer.

I don't see any obvious glitter or shimmer with this cream, which I am really glad for. I was worried that the aforementioned crystal particles would be too large and make me look like I blasted myself with a glitter gun. If anything, there is a subtle glow, but nothing you wouldn't find with other BB creams on the market.

BB creams are famous for providing great coverage for acne-prone skin, so this was something I made sure to take note of with this BB cream. The cream offered medium coverage for my little acne scars. In the picture above, I am not using any concealer, and you can still see faint scars on my cheeks.

It also evened out my skintone very well. It sets semi-matte, and I didn't need any powder or blotting papers to keep my skin reasonably matte throughout the day.

Overall, this is a good BB cream, rivalling a lot of creams that I've tried before. If you're looking for a BB cream with really good coverage, then you might want to try Missha, Skin Food, or Elishacoy. If you only need medium coverage, then this is definitely a BB cream you should keep in mind!

Gleam Full Long Lash Mascara


As with most other mascaras in the Korean and Japanese market, this mascara is a fibre-coat mascara. It is very buildable, and the fibres in this mascara are quite large.

Without mascara.

With Luview Gleam Full Long Lash Mascara

This mascara extends, thickens, and defines my lashes beautifully. It is a little bit more buildable than my favourite Majolica Majorca mascara.

However, I don't use this mascara on its own, because I experienced some problems with it in my first few applications. Because the fibres on this mascara are so large and therefore kind of heavy, they tend to travel before the mascara finally sets. When they travel, they can end up in that flesh in between your lashes and your eye, and poke at and irritate your eye. It's nothing drastic, but it is very uncomfortable.
I have found that the way to avoid this is to coat your lashes (especially the base of your lashes) with a volumnizing (this is my personal preference; you can use any kind) mascara, and then layer this mascara on top of that one, staying away from the base of your lashes.

When this mascara sets, it does not budge! Much like the Majolica Majorca mascara, it withstands water and humidity, and can only be removed with a makeup remover.

These products are quite affordable, and can be purchased online at the Luview store. Luview is also offering free shipping with the code OPEN2012, so get on there quick if you are interested!

This product was provided for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.

'Like' My Facebook page!

Hi guys! I just wanted to do a little shameless self-promotion here, if you'll indulge me  :)

I have a Facebook page, as you can see liked in the sidebar, and I would really appreciate if you would 'Like' my page! I have had the page for a while now, but never really used it. I am planning on making it a much more interactive place, where I will post pictures of my beauty blogging as well as a few bits and pieces of my daily life.

One of the main reasons why I would really like for you all to do this is so I am able to interact with all of you more. Beauty blogging can be lonely when you don't interact with readers and other bloggers, so I hope to be able to do more of that!

I will also be posting product release information that won't be posted on this blog, so it will serve as a good resource for those of you who want to know the latest in makeup trends and releases.

Thank you in advance for liking my page, and I hope to communicate and interact more with you guys there! Much love to you all and thank you for reading this blog! xx

Product Review and Makeup Tutorial: Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Silvered Topaz

Tom Ford makeup. How do I even begin to describe Tom Ford makeup?

The luxe packaging. The attention to detail. The quality of the products. Everything about Tom Ford screams class and indulgence. This palette is no exception.

The eyeshadows are smooth and soft. The Silvered Topaz palette has a glitter shade, two shimmer colours, and one beautiful matte brown.

I find that Tom Ford eyeshadows are easy to apply, and blend beautifully. I would have preferred the two shimmer shades to be a bit darker and more pigmented, but the overall effect that they produce is still beautiful.

I figured the best way to show you how this palette works is with a tutorial - I hope you guys enjoy this!

Start with an eyelid primer. As mentioned above, I find that the shimmery shades are not as pigmented as I'd like, so this primer helps me pack on the eyeshadow more easily.

Using a brush similar to MAC's #239 brush, pat the greenish shimmery shade onto the inner corners of the lid, bringing it in towards the centre of the eyelids.

Then, pat the brown shimmery shade onto the outer corners of the lids.

Using a MAC #217 or equivalent, blend the brown shimmer shade up towards the crease and slightly outwards. If you don't have a visible crease, run the matte brown shade where your crease should be, to create dimension.

Line your lashline, winging the eyeliner out at the outer corners. I am using Clinique Brush On Cream Liner in True Black and a Skinfood Eyeliner Brush.

Using your finger, lightly pat the glitter eyeshadow on top of your eye makeup. You can obviously skip this if this look is for daytime.

Clean up underneath the eye with a concealer. I am using the equivalent of a MAC #219, and the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in #51. Then, lightly contour underneath your cheekbones. I am using a Real Techniques Stippling Brush and the contour in the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate duo.

Apply a blush. I am using Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface.

Pat an illuminator onto your browbones to lift and enlarge your eyes. I am using the highlighter in the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate duo.

Finally, powder your makeup to set and keep it in place.

And that's the finished look!

The lasting power on these eyeshadows is average, but they are unaffected by slightly oily lids, which is a big bonus for me as my eyeshadows can sometimes crease because of the oil on my lids. The beautiful, unique colours get a big plus from me, though I wish they were a little more pigmented. The packaging is luxe, as always, and feels very sturdy.

I may be biased because this palette seems to match and enhance my skintone perfectly, and I think that Tom Ford has a knack for doing exactly that. I always find that I have a certain glow about me when I use Tom Ford colours, and this is something about the collection that attracts me most.

The Tom Ford Eye Color Quad retails for AUD 100 at David Jones in Sydney and Melbourne city.

This product was provided for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.