FOTD using The Body Shop Eyeshadow Palette

Just a quick look I pulled together..

This look was done using my new eyeshadow palette from the body shop "Brush with Fashion" collection which i recently reviewed. I used all four colors from the palette.. taking the shimmery pink all over the lid, the shimmery white in inner corners and to highlight, the silver in the crease and the matte black in the outer corners. I also smudged the matte black shade onto my lashline instead of using an eyeliner, this gives a less defined look.

I kind of like the ending result! it isnt your everyday eye look type since most of the shades are very shimmery, but for a special date or fun occasion, this would definitely be nice :) and of course, keep the palette in your purse and then all you need to do with amp up the corners with the silver and black and you can easily transform your day look into a night look :)

 

btw... please excuse my heavy bags.... this is what 4 years of university did to me haha 

i hope you liked it as much as i did! this is probably what i'll be wearing during some parts of my grad trip! :D for a look more suitable for daily wearing, i like to use just the shimmery pink and white shades.. just to brighten up my eyes :) that will probably be what i wear most, i'll get you guys a picture of that look when i come back :) until then, have a wonderful summer!

Ooh La Rouge! Too Faced Duo Blushes

Just some quick swatches today!

Sorry, this is another schedule post i wrote prior to leaving for my grad trip, and well... let me put it this way, theres only a few hours left before my flight and i am here... frantically writing blog posts so i have something to post while im gone haha oh dear..

well, i originally intended to do a full review on these blushes, but im afraid that will have to wait until i come back.. because i really need to finish packing but i wont let myself until i finish writing blog posts lol. so todays post will just be some photos and swatches of Too Faced's Duo Blushes :) enjoy!

 

creme brulee and avant garde

Creme Brulee

Color: Toasted Almond

Avant Garde

Color: Golden Rose

and the swatches :)

creme brulee (separate and then mixed), avant garde (separte and then mixed)

creme brulee (separate and then mixed)

avant garde (separate and then mixed)

avant garde blended out, creme brulee blended out

avant garde blended out, creme brulee blended out

Quick review:

Both of these blushes are very smooth and blend very well. The pigmentation isnt as strong as other brands, but i find it quite nice for a natural flush. Plus, these last quite a long time when applied in layers, so definitely a nice blush for spring & summer!

Avant Garde is a goregous shade that really just looks like your blushing from within. On the other hand, Creme brulee is more of a bronzer for me and has more shimmer than avant garde giving a really pretty summer glow. 

Overall, i am definitely liking these! just in time for spring and summer :)

MAC Mineralize Blushes - Daft Pink & Fad-Dabulous

Oh how i love blushes!

A little while back, Tiffany from WillWorkForMakeup was having a blog sale and i luckily snatched up two of her limited edition Mac Mineralize Blushes! one in Daft Pink and one in Fad-Dabulous! I dont normally like to do late posts on limited edition products since they arent available anymore, but these are just so gorgeous i had to share!

Note: if you're not following Tiffany already, please check her out! she is an amazing blogger and i love each and every single one of her posts! Im sure you will too so go visit her blog when you can! <3

Arent they absolutely gorgeous! Both Daft Pink and Fad-dabulous came out with MAC's Colour Craft Collection and since I was huge on MAC products back then, I missed out. Thanks to Tiffany though, i now have two more gorgeous blushes to add to my collection! <3

Daft Pink

Deep blue pink with light white yellow veining

Fad-dabulous
 Dirty Burnt coral with yellow gold veining

and of course, the swatches :)

daft pink, fad-dabulous; both swatched once on left and then blended on right

daft pink, fad-dabulous; both swatched once on left and then blended on right

daft pink up close

fad-dabulous up close

 

daft pink, fad-dabulous; both swatched once

 

daft pink, fad-dabulous; both blended out

arent they pretty? hehe i seriously cant get enough of blushes, and if only MAC blushes werent so pricey, (or if i won the lottery and became super rich) i'd probably go buy every single one they have! i am seriously addicted to blushes haha.. but im sure im not the only one! ;)

The Body Shop Eyeshadow Palette

Makeup from The Body Shop!

To be honest, I dont often browse the makeup from the body shop, as i originally felt that they were overpriced for what they were, a brand kind of in between drugstores and high end. But, looking at this makeup palette.. even though it does have a heavier price tag ($24 CAD) , I think im starting to like the body shop more and more! :)

This is one of the two eyeshadow palettes that came out with the "brush with fashion" collection, made by a collaboration between the body shop and the university of the arts london. i am SOO loving the design of the palette! its simple but so chic at the same time <3

Close up of each shade..

 

minimalist white: a shimmery white

 

pret-a-pink: a shimmery pink

 

futuristic silver: a shimmery silver gunmetal

 

little black dress: a matte 'black'

 

also comes with an eyeshadow brush and a black eyeliner

 

in comparison to my iphone :)

and of course, swatches!

 

no flash, artificial lighting

 

flash, artificial lighting

 

no flash, natural lighting

First the good...

The palette itself is very well packaged in a nice sturdy compact. The mirror inside is huge, making it a very good travel mirror as well. The shimmery shadows are impressive! very pigmented and buttery smooth with fine shimmers (not gritty glitters). As well, i am liking the color choices in this palette. It not your everyday neutral palette, but it could definitely create a variety of looks!

i was also very impressed with the eyeshadow brush! Usually, palettes come with a little sponge tip applicator which is okay to use once in awhile, but this brush blew me away! It works well to pat on the shadows and blend and the bristles are very soft! 

and then the bad...

the black matte shade was a tad disappointing.. it lacks in pigmentation and smoothness when compared to the shimmery shades. however, it can be built up to heavier intensity so i guess its okay lol. Also, the eyeliner that comes with the palette seems to be a bit hard, making it a tad too rough on the eyes, and we're not even thinking about waterline! of course, since this is something extra that is bundled with the eyeshadows, im not complaining as it does seem to last on my eyes surprisingly longer than other eyeliners i've tried.

-------------------------------------------

Overall:

Im definitely liking this palette alot and im glad i decided to give the body shop makeup a try! :) and if you havent noticed already, i took this with me on my grad trip! :D i plan on using the pink and white shades for daytime looks and taking it up a notch at night with the silver and black :) i'll let you know how it turns out when i get back! :)

have a good week everyone!

New Sigma Dry'n Shape System!

Just a quick post today...

letting you know that Sigma Makeup has a brand new product available on their website! This is their dry'n shape system which helps your brushes dry faster and retain their original shape as they dry! :D

Below is some further information taken from their website:

Tired of waiting for your brushes to dry after washing them? Wait no more! Introducing the revolutionary Sigma Beauty Dry’n Shape system! The Dry’n Shape was designed to completely dry and shape your most dense brushes within 4 to 6 hours, guaranteed.


The Dry’n Shape provides the necessary pressure to bristles to quickly and efficiently remove water from every fibre. The fabric used to shape the bristles was specially engineered to accelerate water evaporation, resulting in a faster drying time for your brushes.


The Dry’n Shape is an easy, quick, and effective way to quickly dry and shape your makeup brushes. Follow these three easy steps for best results:


STEP 1:
Wash your brushes using a mild shampoo or brush cleanser.


STEP 2:
Gently press the bristles to remove any excess water. Place the clean, damp brushes into the Dry’n Shape using the smallest band the brush will fit into. Make sure that all bristles are firmly compressed.

STEP 3:
Wait 4 to 6 hours and your brushes will be completely dry and ready to use! In addition to being completely dry, the bristles will be reshaped to their original form. Your brushes will be perfect for your makeup application!
You now have a convenient option to wash and use your brushes as often as you’d like!


sounds pretty ineresting! i have yet to try one but i would totally love to buy one once i get back from hk ! :D for those who didnt know, i am currently on a grad trip in hong kong right now.. i'd love to share pictures and all, but i am just borrowing my cousin's cpu for a quick few minutes right now so i have no means of uploading my pictures. i will for sure post those when i return home though! :D i am having an amazing time here in hk and i hope you are all having a wonderful summer too! take care!

The Body Shop Mini Haul

Just picking up my fav body polish..

or at least i thought i was... until i realized that The Body Shop was having an amazing "buy 2 get 1 free" deal in store PLUS an even more amazing "get $45 worth for $20" deal on dealfind. So combining the two, i went to pick up some more goodies to test out :)

So first, i had to get more of my all time favorite body polish.. the Satsuma body polish! It smells HEAVENLY! i seriously love it so much! haha its very citrus-y and orange-y but its very very refreshing and wakes you up :)

I then went on to pick up a tube of their famous Camomile Makeup Remover. I initially wanted the gentle makeup remover bottle since that is the one that is always raved about. But since i use Covergirl's lashblast mascara (waterproof) on a daily basis, I ended up going with the formula specifically targeted to remove waterproof makeup as well. I hope its just as good as the normal one!

Looking into their makeup section, i wasnt sure where to start. Lucky for me, the Body Shop just released a new collection with the University of the Arts London - London College of Fashion! and so i ended up getting one of the eyeshadow palettes. The packaging is just lovely and there is a HUGE mirror inside <3 it comes with 3 shimmery shades and 1 matte shade, as well as one mini brush and a mini eyeliner. from first impressions, the  shimmery shades seem very buttery and pigmented and the brush is pretty darn good too! full review to come!

So after choosing the above 3, i went to the counter to pay. Getting the makeup remover absolutely free (as part of their deal), my total was only $42... since i had the $45 coupon deal (which doesnt allow for cash back), i ended up getting a Satsuma bar soap as well to bring my total up :D

and the lovely SA also threw in a sample of their deep sleep dreamy pillow & body mist! Sounds interesting!! :) especially for those sleepless nights :)

I will be doing a full review with more photos and swatches for the eyeshadow palette. As well, i will also be reviewing the makeup remover (but most likely AFTER i come back from my trip, so that will have to wait a little bit). Let me know if you guys are interested in reviews for the satsuma stuff too! <3 have a great week everyone!

Grad Trip Makeup Essentials

What I'm Bringing With Me!

Im sure you're wondering what makeup i took with me for my grad trip.. To be honest, i really didnt bring much! I would love to tell you its because i can do without makeup, but that would just be a big plain ol lie lol. im actually planning to pick up some (read: lots) asian branded makeup during my trip, so yeah.. gotta make some room for when i come back :D

ELF eyebrow kit in dark
ELF blush in candid coral (LOVE this shade!)
The body shop eyeshadow palette (review to come!)
Shu Uemura eyelash curler
MAC MSF Natural in Medium Plus
Maybelline moisture extreme in Nude Blush
Revlon colorburst in Mauve
Origins Vitazing Moisturizer with spf
Sigma Makeup Miss Taylor Kabuki
Covergirl Lashblast Volume Waterproof
Stila Smudgepot in bronze
*missing in picture* maybelline mineral power concealer

Close up of the two lippes :)

Maybelline nude blush, revlon mauve

my travel brushes! most from my Sigma Makeup nice in pink travel kit <3

also added my Sigma F80, my ecotools crease brush (for concealer) and my sedona lace angled brush

and a pair of falsies! just in case :) since we're planning to party lots in hk anyways hehe ;)

these are ardell's babies, my all time favorite style! i dont wear falsies often, but when i do, i go with these because they look very very natural but accentuate and lengthen my lashes <3

yup thats it! I seriously am proud of myself for not bringing too much.. although to some, this may be alot already haha. i just stuck to the essentials and well, the rest i'll end up buying hehe :) i hope you enjoyed this post! have a great summer everyone :D