Tweet Monthly Favorites - March 2011

Top products this month!

Aww man, I'm always late at doing these monthly favorite posts! My bad! But here are my most used products for the month of march :)


Foundation Routine:
I've updated my foundation routine for spring! Took out my Revlon Photoready and replaced it with a tinted moisturizer for that more natural dewy look :)

Origins Vitazing Moisturizer

(review to come soon!)

I've been really liking this lately because it gives a nice sheer - medium coverage that barely feels like you have anything on! The ending result after you buff it in nicely, is a dewy natural finish :) Plus, it doubles as a moisturizer and skin booster, so your skin will be glowing from all the antioxidants! lovinggg this! <3

Sigma Miss Taylor Flat Top Retractable Kabuki

(full review here)

I can't say how much I LOVE this brush! It's exactly like my beloved F80 but better because it's bigger, retractable and therefore portable! <3 don't forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win one for yourself! (look at right sidebar for more information)

Blushes

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Boho Chic

(swatches and full review here)

Love love love this! Especially now that I am going back to a more natural "no makeup" look :) I pat this on my cheeks with my fingers and blend. Result? The most natural and gorgeous flush with a tad bit of shimmer! It looks like you are barely wearing any product on your face, but there is a slight muted pink glow with shimmers (if you look closely) :)

Mascara

L'oreal Voluminous in Brown Black

You all know im a HUGE fan of Covergirl's Lashblast Volume, (my HG mascara!) but this month, i've been testing out L'oreal Voluminous and im liking it as well! It definitely gives more volume and a more nautral soft look. Although the lasting power is not as strong as Covergirls (my lashes seem to droop down a bit throughout the day whereas with Covergirl, they stay curled all day long), this is a great alternative for the spring/summer days when you dont want that "overdone-falsie" look :). Im also loving the shade! black may seem too harsh, brown may seem too understated, but mix both and you get a nice balance :)

Lips

Revlon Colorburst in Mauve, NYX Round Lippies in Thalia and Tea Rose

Mauve, Thalia, Tea Rose

NYX Round Lipstick in Thalia and Tea Rose

(see review and swatches here)

Spring is finally here! and that means bright pink & mauve lips! <3 I really loveee my NYX lippies because they are creamy, extremely pigmented and inexpensive! They also have a pleasant sweet flowery scent that i dont mind at all :) Thalia (a mauvey shade) and Tea Rose (a bright warm pink) are my absolute fav shades. They add a nice pop of color without being too over-the-top. Loveee!

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Mauve
I loveeed the colorburst lipstick in Soft Nude, but now that its spring, it's time to bring out the colors! I have Carnation (bright pink) saved too for summer, but for this month, i've been using Mauve quite a bit :) Love the shade and texture of this lippie as well :) I think this one is kind of a mix of thalia and tea rose.. its got a pinky mauvey undertone :)

Accessories

Its all about the corals!

I've been mixing and matching my pastel bracelts with gold and corals alot :) It just creates such a simple yet elegant mix! The above bracelets are all bought from forever 21, but on different occassions. I love the bracelet sets from forever 21 because they usualy contain quite a few different textures and designs so you can mix and match your collection!

And thats it for this month! I'll be officially DONE school in about 2 weeks time *yay* and offically graduated in june! *bigger yay!*. afterwards, i will have a LOT more time to blog and make videos :) so stay tuned! I hope you all have a wonderful week! and dont forget to check out both of my giveaways! Information can be found in the right sidebar :)

Tweet Drugstore Blush RAVE - Loreal True Match

i cant believe i stopped using this!

Ive had this huge crush on this one blush - L'oreal's true match in Innocent Flush (n3-4) since... forever lol well actually, this is my second compact already so you can tell how much i loveeeeed it! but ever since i started hauling more, i've forgotten about this for the past little while :(


Anyways, i've been seeing alot of fellow bloggers post on "forgotten makeup products" or posts about "stopping their own stash" and totally got inspired to take a peek into mine :p looking back into what i have, i'm finding quite a few gems that really needs to come out of the drawer and into my makeup bag! :D


So, today's post is going to be this one blush that i absolutely adore but sadly, forgotten about until now :(

innocent flush n3-4

a gorgeous matte true peach.

comes with a mirror and a brush that is not TOO scratchy

finger swatch.. this is with ONE swipe!

this blush is SOOO soft and silky!

What They Say:

True Match Blush flawlessly complements your skin’s tone and texture. Coordinates perfectly with True Match Makeup, Powder and Concealer. True-to-life shades precisely match your skin tone and undertone, leaving you with the most natural flush of color imaginable.

A unique Opti-Match Technology formula provides a skin-true texture that blends smoothly, never looks chalky or cakey. Stays fresh and natural-looking for hours. Oil-free, vitamin-rich, and non-comedogenic.

Packaging - 4/5

This comes in your average compact case with a mirror and blush included for easy touchups on-the-go. There is a clear lid so you can see the shade inside and the overall compact isnt too bulky. 

I actually find the included brush to be a LOT better than any other i've tried. its reasonably soft and is also slightly angled! The only downside to the packaging (other than the cheap looking silver plastic) is that the brush touches the mirror slightly when the compact is closed causing the mirror to get blurry at times.

swatch & then blended out

swatch & then blended out

swatch & then blended out

blended lightly & then built up heavier

Product - 5/5

First off, this blush is a gorgeous matte true peach shade which gives off a very natural flush to the cheeks when applied. It is super soft and silky (the softest & silky-est blush i've ever felt!) and super blendable. The pigmentation is great and is easily picked up by any powder/blush brush. The color goes on lightly to give you a light flush, but can definitely be built up heavier to give more of a peachy rosy cheek.

Pros:

- super soft and silky

- super blendable

- gorgeous matte color

- great pigmentation

- brush and mirror included

- inexpensive 6g for $6-10

- available in drugstores

Cons:

- silver plastic packaging can look cheap

- brush in compact touches the mirror

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Overall

I absolutely love this blush and have heard it is a close dupe for MAC's peaches but i dont own that blush so i cant be certain. Looking at swatches, peaches seems to be slightly darker?

But, i can definitely say that if you have fair-medium skintone, this blush would look great! For the darker skinned beauties, i would probably recommend that you choose a different shade (loreal offers a wide range of these blushes) as innocent flush may be too light for you.

However, this line of blushes are definitely top notch and im surprised that they are not talked about more! great color, great texture and pigmentation & great price! What more do i need? :)

Tweet My Favourite Products of 2010

Hi everyone :)

Before i start reviewing and swatching all my new goodies :), i thought i should do a little post to wrap up my 2010! I know this is a bit late, but better late than never! :D so, here are my all time favourite products of 2010 :) I use most of these products on a daily basis, some i have even repurchased once or several times!


note: Since there are a TON of products i want to mention, i will try not to go into full details about each product unless it is one i have never reviewed on this blog. Otherwise, i will put links under the products i have previously reviewed that will direct you to the review post :)

Favourite Face/Skincare Products of 2010

1. Revlon Photoready Foundation in Nude
Im almost done my first bottle and i do plan on repurchasing once im done :) i know it does has some shimmer which some people might not like, but i dont think its too noticeable once applied. What i love about it is that is gives pretty good coverage, helps evens out my skintone and is very nice for photos :) i also LOVE the pump! its probably the best pump i've ever used as it allows you to pump out as much or little as you need <3

2. Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer
-review here-

3. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - translucent
Im already finishing my second compact, so you can really tell how much i love this lol i apply this daily with my ELF kabuki brush to set my foundation. What i love about it is that its easy to use (in pressed form so its not messy), does a great job of setting my makeup so i dont look shiny, keeps my oily tzone matte for the whole day, annnd its cheap to buy! I also use this with a small fluffy brush to set my concealer and it helps alot! :)

4. Clarisonic Classic in Pink
-review here-

5. Neutrogena Oil-Free Fresh Moisture
This is my all time favourite moisturizer!! I know im weird, but i dont like using creams or lotions on my face because it feels too heavy and oily for my already oily skin. so i tend to stick to only using gel moisturizers and this one is my HG. although its got a gel like consistency, it feels as moisturizing as any other cream lotions but absorbs much faster and leaves behind nice silky soft skin :)

i have repurchased this moisturizer so many times i have lost count and im almost done the tube i have now! so its about time i go repurchase another :) unfortunately, the last few times i went searching for this, i couldnt find it! i am SOO worried that its getting discontinued so next time i find one, im stocking up like no tomorrow!!

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Favourite Eye Products of 2010

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette
- review here -

 2. Wet n' Wild Coloricon Palettes
- review here -

3. Stila Smudgepot in Bronze
I dont normally venture outside drugstore products too often, but i am SO glad i did for this one! I love love love this product and have used up quite a big chunk of it lol (pretty much used it everyday since i got it!) i chose the shade bronze because black seems too heavy for day-to-day wear, but aside from color, the formula itself is amazing! super soft and creamy, but once its on, it stays on! i love it and will most definitely repurchase once im done!

4. Covergirl Lashblast Volume - waterproof
This has been my favourite mascara ever since i first started using it. Although it doesnt volumize as much as id like, it definitely lengths and darkens my lashes nicely. The best part about this, is that it holds my straight asian lashes in a curl for the whole freaking day! *yay* my lashes are so stubbornly straight that not alot of mascara can hold them up, but this one does and since its cheap & readily available, im not switching mascaras for awhile!

mascara runner-up : Loreal Voluminous in Black Brown
Sometimes when i want more volume in my lashes, i use this mascara first and then a layer of covergirl after. I really like this mascara as well because it really helps add volume and thickness to my lashes. I chose the shade in black brown so i could wear this on its own for lazymakeup days :) but overall, if covergirl never came out with their lashblast, this would be my mascara!

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Favourite Lip Products of 2010

1. Nivea Essential or A Kiss of Moisture
- review here -


2. Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine
Along with my nivea tubes, i also LOVE this stufff! It smells heavenly (like butterscotch *yumm*) and gives my lips just the perfect amount of moisture. I tend to use this in the morning after i wash and moisturize my face. then after im done applying makeup, my lips will be all ready and prepped up for any lipstick/gloss i plan on putting on for that day :) the only thing i dont like about this is the application method as it comes in a small jar.. so its not as sanitary as others. still, i love both the packaging and the product inside!

3. Maybelline Moisture Extreme in Nude Blush
- review here -


4. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipglosses - all shades
These lipglosses are the best lipglosses ever! Although i do have to say the pigmentation could be slightly better, and the color choices could be slightly wider, i absolutely love the formula! it is soo smooth and 100% not sticky! I know alot of people dont mind the stickness, but i for one cant stand it! So these lipglosses are perfect for me and currently, my favourite shade is Life's a Peach :)

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Favourite Blushes of 2010

1. Annabelle - Rapture
2. ELF - Candid Coral (swatch)
3. MAC MSF in Stereo Rose & Petticoat (swatch)

4. Hard Candy - Living Doll & Honeymoon (swatch living doll, swatch honeymoon, both applied)

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Favourite Nail Polishes of 2010

sparkling diamonds - LA colors

1. Sally Hansen - Silver Slightblade
2. Nailene french manicure - Petal Pusher
3. LA Colors - Mega Watt
4. Rimmel - Steel Grey (Swatch)
5. Revlon - Minted (swatch)
6. Nicole by OPI - Black to the future (swatch)
7. Sally Hansen - Gray by Gray (swatch)
8. LA Colors - Sparkling Diamonds (Swatch)

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Favourite Brushes of 2010

1. ELF Studio Powder Brush (review)
2. ELF Studio Kabuki Face Brush
3. ELF Studio Small Angled Brush
4. Ecotools Bronzer Brush (review)
5. Ecotools Crease Brush
6. Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush (review)
7. Sigma E30 Pencil Brush (review)
8. Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush (review)

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Favourite Skin Boosters & Serums of 2010

1. The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost
Great as a primer and a skin boost! This not only smells sooo good! (think oranges!) but also has a silky texture that is great for prepping your skin for makeup :) Plus, its supposed to make your skin less dull and i think its done a great job!


2. Loreal Lash Serum

i lovee this stuff! you apply it day and night on your lashes and its supposed to make them thicker, longer and healthier! although i dont have crazy results, i do notice that my lashes are alot healthier now in that less fall off during makeup removal. Plus, i do notice slight thickening and lengthing and i am soo excited :D <3

3. My Beauty Diary Masks - Natto & Aloe Vera
- review here - 

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and i think that about sums it up :) theres probably  a ton of other products i wish i could mention and it took me a long while to narrow it down to the list i have above lol. but overall, im happy with the ones i chose :) Starting with next post, there will be a TON of new swatches and reviews :) i hope you're all as excited as i am! take care!