Rimmel Lasting Finish in Pink Blush

I have been purchasing a few Rimmel London products lately. One of those is the Lasting Finish lipstick in Pink Champagne. I think its old name was Pink Blush.

PRICE: These lipsticks retail for about $6.99 in Canada, could vary depending on where you purchase.
COLOR: The color is a true pink I think. It's not blue based which I love! My swatch is just one swipe of the lipstick.

MOISTURIZING/FINISH: One thing I notice is this lipstick is not as moisturizing as the Moisture Renew line. I definitely will need to exfoliate if my lips have been dry before (excuse my flaking lips in the lip swatch ^^;). It emphasizes your dry lines. The lipstick finish is satin, a bit shiny, but no shimmer! I love the color in the tube but once on me, I'm not sure if I can pull it off. It is a bit too pink or maybe I'm not used to bright lipsticks?

PACKAGING: The packaging is kinda plain, nothing special. I wish they would make make it a bit more fancy.

SCENT: The smell is a bit chemical, but I don't really mind it. However if you are adverse to that scent, please take note.

VERDICT: If you like the color, it is definitely worth purchasing. Just make sure to wear lip balm underneath.

Also I heard this was a dupe for Mac Lady Gaga so it has been on my wishlist for a long while. For everyone who own Mac Lady Gaga, what do you think? Are they the same??

ELF Nail Polish in Champagne

I collect pretty much every single one of the ELF nail polishes since they are so good for their prices! However, I know that the swatches on the official ELF site are horrible. You can never really tell whether the color will turn out the way it is on the website. So I'm thinking of making an ELF Polish series to help ppl determine what colors they want.

This one is Champagne (I was doing my mom nails and thought I'd snap a photo haha). This is the nail polish on her hand with two coat, no top coat, and under bathroom lighting.

Champagne

Eventhough the name is Champagne, there is no beige or gold, it's more like a shimmery pink peach. Still a really pretty color imo, but definitely don't be misled by the name. The polish is pretty shiny by itself. I believe from my experience the polish should last without chipping for a week!

The price for each of these bottles is only $1, so pick them up if you have the chance!

Outfit Coordinate #1

Winter is here so it's pretty cold where I live. However I still love my shorts! Hence I compromised with tights and shorts =) This was the outfit I wore last week. I tried to keep it simple with red, white, and black as the three main colors.

Don't you love how useful tights are? This outfit has all of my favorite winter accessories: scarves, tights, and slouched beanies. I'm planning to expand my tights collection this winter. Hopefully in different colors!

Oh and don't mind the random stars. They are just there to hide my messy room haha.

Fruits Arrangement

This was the dessert I got at a sushi restaurant recently. I thought the fruit arrangement was so creative and pretty. I especially love how they insert the grapes within the cantaloupes!

Just want to share with you guys. Since this is the holiday season, it could help while you are having house parties =)

Loreal Happyderm Moisturizer

I got this moisturizer a couple months ago at Rexall drugmart. I'm guessing the other drugmarts also carry this one too. I think it was about $15 for the 50mL of product. The moisturizer is for normal to oily skin. It claims to give decent moisture for skin 24hr long.

My experience with this is it's a pretty lightweight moisturizer, does not leave my skin greasy. However it can be too lightweight for the winter. I found using it during the winter leaves my skin a bit dry. It was more suitable for the summer. 50mL of product last me about 3 months (as you can see very near the end of my bottle!). Hence, you get a good amount for the price. The smell is a bit like light peach but also fainlty chemical. I don't mind the smell but I know some ppl prefer their skin care to be not scented. Oh another plus is I love the peach color haha.

I do recommend this but only for the summer.

Verdict: only for summer, lightweight, affordable, but some ppl might not like the smell.

ELF Eyelid Primer From Regular Line

Do you guys have this? Like it or hate it?

This is from the Regular line. I have both this and the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer. In my opinion, this perform as well as the UD for a fraction of the price ($1 for ELF!). The eye primer dries clear, and maybe often the faintest hint of brightening. My eyeshadow appear to last throughout the day with no budging. There is only slight fading but this is the same with UD since my lids are pretty oily.

The only negative I can think of is if you are in Canada, it's impossible to get it in store. Zellers carry a few ELF products however I don't see this in stock anywhere. So you are forced to order online which means shipping and custom fee =/

I also have the eye primer from the Studio line but haven't tried it yet. Gonna do a comparison review on the primers from two lines once I tried them both.

Verdict: cheap, effective, but not quite accessible!

Flower Arrangement

I just want to share with you this incredibly pretty arrangement I saw the other day (I don't take credit for creating this arrangement).
The arrangement is simple, and super easy to do. My weakness is also pastel colors, especially pink, so I'm totally in love with this.
Hope this can give you some idea for your own flower arrangement =)

Heart Nail Design

Here is a design I did a while back. Sorry for the blurry picture. I took it using my phone camera.

You can pick any orange (or bright color nail polish) for the background. Then decorate on top with a heart nail sticker, and add some sparkle for shine. It is very simple and easy to do =)

Hopefully this could give you some idea to do your nails.

*The polish used was Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Sun Kissed

Burt's Bee Hand Salve

This is a small trial size (0.3oz). I got this in a Burt's Bee set along with the Pomegranate Lip Balm. A lot of ppl don't like the smell of this hand salve, but I love it! I think it's natural eucalyptus?

The tin however is a bit too small for getting product out. Though I don't think this will be a problem with the full sized product.

It makes a great over night treatment, since the product takes sometime to absorb. The next day I have smooth and soft hands! A little also goes a long way. I have it for about 3 months now?

Verdict: Highly recommend (if you don't mind the smell)

Balea Lip Balm in Marionberry and Honey

I just purchased this lip balm a couple days ago when Shopper Drugmart was having a sale. The normal retail price is $3 for 7.5g which I think is pretty affordable. Balea is a German company. They have a variety of products including shampoo, conditioners, body wash, lip balms, etc..

The smell of this lip balm is amazing (if you like honey, then you will definitely like this). The ingredient list is short consisting of a couple natural extract (coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa seed butter, ...) There are no preservatives so definitely a big plus.
The texture is quite solid, and not as creamy as I like so might be a task to get it on your lip. However once on your lips, it is very moisturizing and long lasting.

Verdict: Recommend if you don't mind the texture!

 

Rimmel London Glitter Eyeshadow Pencil in Star Kissed

I got this Rimmel glittering eyeshadow stick a long time ago. Really liked it, and somehow forgot about it. Recently I rediscovered it again while going through my makeup stash.

Star Kissed (006) is a pale shimmering pink. The eyeshadow is creamy and the color is gorgeous. It makes for a great highlighter on the inner corners of your eyes. However, it is not very long lasting, and would definitely require an eyeshadow base. Comparing to my Victoria Secret's in Glampagne, its lasting power is significantly less.

Verdict: purchase if you like the color, though I would recommend the Victoria Secret Chubby Eye Stick over these.

Victoria Secret's Body Butters

I've been using Victoria's Secret for the past 3 years or so. The retail price is usually $10.50 for 7oz but if you catch them during the sale, it could be 7 for $35 dollars.

All in all, the butter is very easy to absorb, leaving no greasy residual. It also does a good job in moisturizing and keeping my skin from flaking during the winter. There are a variety of scents to choose from. My top 2 favorites would be Strawberry Champagne, and Pure Seduction.

The only con I can think of is that it is not 'extremely' moisturizing so if your skin is extra dry, this butter might not be suitable for you. Also the ingredients are not all natural (containing paraben, silicone, and mineral oil).

Verdict: You should purchase these if your skin is not the extremely dry type.

I'm planning to try out the Body Shop body butters next since I heard very good thing about it!

Victoria Secret Chubby Eye Stick in Glampagne

Swatch on my hand

I love this eyeshadow stick! The shade is gorgeous, a bronzy shimmering beige neutral. The color is versatile in that you can use it by itself for everyday look, or layer on top of your night look. I got it during a sale so it was also very affordable (~$3 each). The eyeshadow is creamy, and glide on well.

The only annoying thing is that it is VERY hard to find a big enough pencil sharpener for this since it's bigger than the typical eyeshadow stick. I also have another in a shimmery lilac color. However have not broken the seal yet, will review when I use it.

Verdict: Repurchase! (in different colors since this one will still last me for a while)

Sephora Ultra Shine Gloss #20 (shiny perfect nude) Dupe

I just bought this Sephora ultra shine gloss #20 (Shiny Perfect Nude) this past summer. Then found out that the ELF studio minty lip gloss in Nashville is a perfect match for it.

I swatched the Sephora lip gloss on my upper lip, and the ELF lipgloss on my lower lip. They look virtually identical. Both glosses are sheer nude peach.
Sephora Ultra Shine Lipgloss #20 is described on the Sephora as "sheer neutral beige shine".

Eventhough the Sephora lip gloss has about 1.5x the volume, the ELF Nashville lipgloss is still at lower price ($3) compared to $14. However if you don't like minty flavoring, the Sephora might be for you since it has a sweet sugary like taste.

I love both! However since I like minty flavor better, I am more inclined to repurchase the ELF Studio Lip Gloss.

Face Washing Tips

I've collected these few tips over the internet about face washing tips. Hope these will help!
- Put a small dollop of face wash in your palm and make a rich lather instead of putting it directly on ur face. This will help to reduce tugging on ur skin which might cause skin wrinkle. Plus it help to reduce the amount of face wash use.
- Cleanse your face in small circular motions as if massaging your face.
- Make sure to clean your hairlines and neck area well. The product might get stuck there and cause acne.
- There are 2 types of toners: one is to remove residue (typically western ones), and one is to restore moisture (typically asian ones). Choose a toner that will suit your cleanser.

Hair Tips for Oily Hair

I have fine Asian hair. Plus my hair is the oily type so it is very easy for my hair to weigh down and lose volume =( Over the years, I've collected some tips hopefully these will help!

Wish my hair is as voluminous as that picture above (<3) but back to the tips.

- Apply a small amount of powder to ur root if you want to reduce shine and control oil after 1 or 2 days. I usually use baby powder since it gives a nice scent =)

-Never condition your root, only your ends, and wait for at least 5 minutes

- Use a leave in conditioner

- Use thickening mousse and tease your hair using paddle brush for added volume.

Product Recommendation: Grease Lightning

BEST spot treatment I have ever come across. Any time I notice a pimple or spot coming up, I just dab this one on, and usually the size will decrease the next morning.

The ingredients are also natural (main ones are green grape extracts and tea tree oil). The bottle itself is affordable ($11 for 45mL). I've used it for the past 5 months, and there are still some left since a little goes a long way.

Highly recommend this! The only problem I notice is when it dries, it leaves some residue so you might want to watch out for that.

Planning to go get another back up soon =)

Talking about Lipbalms

I have a serious addiction to lip products. It moved slowly from lip balms to lip glosses and now lip sticks! At anytime I must have at least 6-7 lip balms open (one in purse, bag, car, wallet, computer, bedside, etc..)

From my experience with lip balms, the following are my top favorite:
- Blistex DCT (daily conditioning): it is super moisturizing, and the yellow color cancels out my pigmented lips to give a lovely pink sheen. The only thing is don't like is how it's in a pot, usually i have to apply with lip brush. Plus thing is that it has SPF 20.

- Aquafina lip balms: I didn't know that a water company makes lip balm either until recently. It is also moisturizing tho not as much as Blistex DCT. The lip balm is pretty minty (and I love minty products!!!). Also it is super affordable. I found it in Dollarama, what a steal (~$1.25ish for 2 lip balms of 2g each).

- Aveeno Essential Moisture: almost as good as Blistex DCT, since it is also moisturizing and contains SPF 15. However the only problem with this is in extreme heat, the lip balm might melt. Mine did a bit after I left it in the car during summer =(

- Nivea Essentials: also very moisturizing, a nice basic lip balm.

- Burt's Bee in Pomegranate: at first I didn't like it so much but after a while I grew to like it. It added a nice rosy sheen to my lip and has a pretty sweet smell.

- ELF Studio Lip Balm: it's affordable, moisturizing, and has SPF 15. All in all a good package.

Other products I've tried and found to be so so:

- Chapstick in All Natural and Mint
- Soft Lips
- Labello in Pink Pearl (absolutely hate it. It is way too dry)
- Blistex in Raspberry Summer Lemonade (the scent is nice but way too waxy on my lips)
- Yes to Carrot lip butter in Carrot (not outstanding but I might repurchase in another flavor)
- Elf Theurapeutic Conditioning Balm (slightly waxy and somehow the tube doesn't twist down!)
- Kaloderma Lip Balm in Olive: it's alright, nothing special
- Mentholatum Lip Ice: has some really nice flavors but they don't seem particularly moisturizing

Nail Tutorial: Polka Dot Candy Colored Nails

Look cute with these candy colored nails =)

1. Start off with base coat

2. Color layer:
- pink: WetnWild in Flirty Rose Cream
- nude chocolate: ELF in Nude
- lavender: Sally Hansen in Fairy Nice
- peach: Revlon in Peach Nectar
- lime green: mix of Sinful Colors in Innocent and WetnWild in French White Creme
- white polka dots: any white nail pen (LA Colors Art Deco in All Unique)

      3. Seal in the color and add shine (Nicole by OPI in Top Coat plus)

Everything and Anything Orange

Lately I have a new-found affinity for orange toned makeup, leaning towards peachy and milky orange variety. Orange tone as I've discovered can be quite versatile and flattering on Asian skin tone (prob because orange and yellow compliment each other haha)

Orange Blushes
The only ones I've had so far are Lancome Pop n Cheeks (too pretty to be used~), and Elf Studio Blush in Peachykeen. Neither I've tried yet (....So many unopened cosmetics in my drawers >_<)

ELF Studio Blush in Peachy Keen

Lancome Pop n Cheeks Blush

On the wish list: Shu Uemura Glow On Peach blushes (amazing pay off I've heard), and Canmake (Japanese drugstore brand) Cream Cheek in Vitamin C (the packaging is uber cute <3). Actually I'm also interested in trying out Canmake Powder Cheek, Castle Dew (a korean cosmetic brand) Gradient blush, and Nars blush. 

Canmake Cream Cheek

Shu Umemura Glow On Blushes

Orange Lipsticks
- The only ones I have is Lancome L'Absolu Rouge in Peche (however this has more of a red tone, almost a coral lipstick).
 However, I don't have any milky orange lipsticks so those are definitely on my wish list! Still on the look out for more peachy/orange lipsticks.

Etude House LUCIDarling Rouge #6

Nars Barbarella (described on the Nars website as a sheer peach)