I am moving!!!

Hi Loves!

I want to announce that I'm moving my blog to another website. I will not delete my blog on Blogger but there will be no new posts published on Blogger starting from today. You can still read my posts on or before March 23, 2016 and can still contact me from Blogger blog.


Enjoy my new website! (Click the image below to go to the new website!)

Review: [Lancôme] BI-FACIL - Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover

(Photo from lancome-usa.com)

Lancôme BI-FACIL - Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover is one of the most popular eye makeup removers despite its high price. I had the chance to try it myself when Sephora had their annual VIB 20% Off discount.

It is separated so you need to shake it before use.

Rating kisses (out of 5): 

(Sometimes people minus 1 point when rating this product because of the price, but I think rating should be quality-based only and price is irrelevant. You usually get what you pay for.)

This eye makeup remover is gentle and effective; I just need to make sure I pour out enough product onto the cotton pads so that the pads won't be too dry and hurt the skin around my eyes. What is so great about it is that it doesn't only help me wipe off my stubborn waterproof mascara and eyeliner easily but also actually dissolves the makeup. Why is it so important? You might know how much I love my Skinfood Rose Shake Point Makeup Remover. I still do except the fact that I have to be very careful or the mascara/eyeliner flakes will get into my eyes and irritate them for the whole night! With Lancôme BI-FACIL I don't have to worry about that any more.

I haven't tried other eye makeup removers which are more reasonably priced such as the ones from Neutrogena or Clinique. I'm very curious about how cheaper products remove my makeup. Will they be like a normal oil-based remover or they will work like Lancôme BI-FACIL? If there is a very good dupe of Lancôme BI-FACIL, I'll definitely go for it because, you know, $39 for 6.7 oz makeup remover is a very steep price, although I do think it's worth all of the hype.

Review: [Burberry] Lip Velvet Lipstick and [YSL] Rouge Pur Couture the Mats Lipstick

My matte-lipstick madness has continued with these two beautiful babies from Burberry and YSL. The two are in different shades of red because I felt that if I wanted to invest in a luxurious lipstick, it had to be a bold color that I would normally like to wear to a special party/event. To me these lipsticks are perfect in their own way so there will be no con but I will discuss how to use them to get the best performance.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture the Mats Lipstick in #202 Rose Crazy

• Packaging: Of course this famous lipstick has a pretty packaging: very luxurious with gold all over! 
• Pigmentation: good pigmentation and very beautiful shade. Described as a cranberry red, this shade looks more fuchsia than a typical cool red since it has quite a bit of pink in it. I love, love this color! 
• Finish: Although the name suggests it is a matte lipstick but it isn’t. I would say it has a semi-matte finish. 
• Texture: Very creamy but … okay, this is the tricky part. I almost hated it at first because it got all over my face and hands whenever I tried to apply it; it just never set! Also, because it left a stain wherever it touched, I had so much trouble erasing lipstick marks on my face and hands (and teeth, lol). I’m not someone who is so inexperience with lipsticks that I apply a lipstick like a little child! Then I found out that it was the creamy texture of the lipstick not going so well with my EOS lip balm, which is so weird because EOS lip balm is not slippery and has been the only thing I can wear underneath a lipstick. This lipstick must be used on its own, no lip balm whatsoever! However, I think you should still have a lip balm on to keep your lips in the best condition and wipe it off just right before applying this lipstick. It’s also better to put a tissue paper on your lips afterwards so that the excess product can be taken away and won’t make a mess on your face. It can feel a little thick if you accidentally apply too much because of its creamy texture. 
• Longevity: Decent. After a greasy meal the lipstick will be gone but the stain will stay. In an unrealistic situation when you can’t find food or drink (so you don’t eat/drink), the lipstick will stay on forever.

Burberry Lip Velvet in #433 Poppy Red

• Packaging: Also pretty packaging with Burberry’s signature pattern; however, this lipstick has magnetic closure. I absolutely love this type of packaging and prefer it to the type that has a snap closure. 
• Pigmentation: Very pigmented. This red shade is a little toned down compared to the normal bright red so it’s very wearable. I had a hard time deciding between Poppy Red and Military Red because they look so similar and Military Red is more popular. Then I decided to get the Poppy Red which looked a little darker on the pictures online. 
• Finish: This is definitely a matte lipstick but it is not too matte that it makes my lips look “flat”. Instead, it is a very soft and velvety matte. All I can say is the finish looks very flattering. 
• Texture: Creamy, not too much but just enough so that I can apply a thin layer on my lips smoothly. I can put it on top of my lip balm with no problem. Although it is matte, it is not drying at all and makes my lips feel very comfortable. I haven’t tried it without a lip balm but I always prefer putting a lip balm on first anyways so it doesn’t really matter. 
• Longevity: Incredible! I used this lipstick at my company’s formal holiday party and it survived through a meal! I also snacked and drank water countless time during the party and my lip color still looked very good. I didn’t have to reapply at all, which is crazy! I have to say this is the most long-wearing lipstick I’ve ever had and I’m thinking about getting another color. 

Top: YSL, Bottom: Burberry

I hope you enjoy the review. I know YSL lipsticks are very popular and I like them too, but if you want a good matte lipstick, I will definitely recommend the Burberry Lip Velvet lipsticks because they are the best matte lipsticks I've ever used!

Review: [3 Concept Eyes] Lipsticks and Matte Lip Crayons

This is a lip-swatch/review post following the 3CE Haul I posted 2 weeks ago. This time I bought 4 lipsticks - 3 dangerous matte and 1 matte and 4 lip crayons, all of which are in matte formula.

Review

Lipsticks: The dangerous matte ones pull my lips a little because of the drier formula; however, with a layer of lip balm underneath they don't dry out my lips at all. 3CE matte formula has never a dry formula to me.

• #809 Tell The Truth (dangerous matte): cute baby pink, not too bright not too neutral.
• # 806 Dusty Coral (dangerous matte): bright coral that has more orange than red.
• #807 Hypnotic (dangerous matte): this color is stunning! I've never had a color similar to this one in my collection. It doesn't have too much purple or red, a vibrant raspberry shade!
• #803 Classic Rosy (matte): I bought this shade because of the "dried-rose" lip color trend of this Fall. As the name suggested, it is a dark version of a rosy shade.

Lip crayons: These matte crayons are not drying but also not as pigmented as the lipsticks. I need 2 swipes to completely cover my natural lip color.

• #Blushed: I absolutely love this rose color which is perfect for everyday use; again, I haven't had this color before.
• #Airy Red: I already have a few red lip products but I couldn't resist this bright red when I saw the model wearing it, she looks just like Snow White! 
• #Rum: I'd like to borrow 3CE's description of this color - a raspberry burgundy. It is like a toned-down version of Hypnotic.

Lip Swatches

#809 Tell The Truth (dangerous matte)

# 806 Dusty Coral (dangerous matte)

#807 Hypnotic (dangerous matte)

#803 Classic Rosy (matte)

#Blushed

#Airy Red

#Rum

I know that Sephora stores in Singapore and Malaysia have recently carried 3 Concept Eyes. I'm so jealous!!! I've been waiting for 3 years for Sephora here to carry the brand so I really really really hope that 3CE will come to the states soon.

Haul: [3 Concept Eyes] Lippies, Eye Products, and Style Nanda Accessories (October 2015)

I can't remember the last time I ordered from Stylenanda.com (Style Nanda is the company that 3CE makeup line belongs to). I hate paying for the expensive shipping cost ($10 - $20) so my order is usually worth more than $200 and that's the reason I don't buy that often. Nevertheless, 3CE is still my number 1 brand when it comes to lipsticks so you can expect to see more 3CE reviews from this blog. As usual, the products mentioned in this haul will mostly be lip products.


Lipsticks ($20 each)

As you might know how I think about 3CE lip products, they have a lighweight and non-drying formula with great pigmentation and lasting power. However, what makes 3CE my no.1 brand to buy lipsticks from is their large collection of shades, just like how people love MAC lipsticks so much.

Beside the one with pink packaging from their "Pink Rumor" edition, the others also have a different packaging: it is now matte! I think they've changed to matte packaging for matte and dangerous matte lipstick since the dangerous matte finish came out. So now their lipsticks (not include other lips products) have glass (sheer), creamy, regular (satin), matte, and dangerous matte finishes.

Dangerous matte finish

Dangerous matte finish

Dangerous matte finish

Matte finish

MATTE Lip Crayons ($17 each)

While their regular lip crayons are just ok to me, I've been so excited about these new matte lip crayons. They also have matte packaging and the best thing is that all 3CE lip crayons are now retractable!

This photo shows you how much product you actually get; not that much huh?

Eye and Brow Products:

Gel eyeliner in #Glitter Red Bean ($14)

I already own the shades All Black and Brown (which is an ashy brown). Below is a comparison:

Slim Eyebrow Pencil in Reddish Brown ($14)

I bought Chestnut Brown before and love it so much that I have to buy another one but in Reddish Brown:

Eyebrow Mascara in Red Brown ($13)

Others

Sunglasses ($18 each)

Who could resist these cute sunglasses when they are shown on the model like this?

Oil Remover Towel

It was included in the package as a gift from Style Nanda. I think the name is confusing since at first I thought these wipes are to remove oil, but no, they're makeup remover wipes that contain some types of oil in it so you do need to wash your face afterwards with your normal cleanser.


I'm so excited to try these products out and tell you how much I love them. Well, I can already tell you now that I love all of the lip products here. Stay tuned! Swatches and reviews will come soon!

Review: [Japonesque] Velvet Touch Foundation and Velvet Touch Concealer

Because I love Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder so so much, I might as well get other products with the name "Velvet Touch". A few weeks ago I reviewed the Velvet Touch Primer and today I will continue with the foundation and concealer, both are in shade #2 which is the second lightest shade of both products.

Velvet Touch Foundation

Rating kisses (out of 5): 

Pros:

- Velvet texture that is so easy to blend with a BRUSH.
- Beautiful matte finish that looks very smooth
- It feels as light as air! This is probably the most lightweight foundation I've ever tried.
- Pleasant scent
- Not accentuate dry patches or fine lines.

Cons:

- Light coverage
- Get shiny after 5-6 hours
- Jar packaging isn't ideal for travel.

I was so tempted to go back to Ulta to get another jar because I love the soft smooth finish and how it feels on my skin so much, but then stopped myself from doing so remembering that I normally require my foundations to be at least medium coverage. Nevertheless, I have been enjoying this foundation a lot.

Velvet Touch Concealer

Rating kisses: 

Pros:

- Creamy
- Very full coverage. A light dab can cover my red blemish completely!
- Long lasting
- Pretty packaging

Cons: None

This is such a beautiful concealer, from the packaging to the actual product! Note that this is a thick concealer so if you want to use it for under-eye areas, avoid applying too much product and remember to blend and set it very well.