Dramatic look featuring Urban Decay Products

Products you'll need to re-create this look:

- matte black eye shadow
- matte brown eye shadow (one close to your skin tone, and one 2-3 shades darker) - The brown shadows will help fade the harsh black that we'll be applying into the crease. 
- your favourite gold eye shadow
- white/champagne shadow for highlight
- a super dark black liner
- mascara (TONS)

1. As always, be sure to prime your lids with an eye primer to prevent your shadows from fading or creasing. Here I used Urban Decay Primer Potion (original).

2. Next, I took 'Naked' from the Urban Decay 'NAKED' palette and gently blended it into my crease using a fluffy eye shadow brush, fading it up to the brow bone.

3. I then took a darker matte brown eye shadow 'BUCK' from the NAKED palette as well and using windshield wiper motions, I deposited the colour into my crease.

4. Pack some matte black eye shadow (Serious from the Nude'tude palette) onto your brush  and apply it onto the inner third of your lid and the outer V of your lid. Then using a clean blending brush, soften the edges of the black shadow.

5. Using the same eye shadow brush in Step 4, take a little more of the matte black and use it to deepen the colour in the inner corner and the outer V. This will create almost a cut-crease look and since we have our black shadow already blended out, it won't look overpowering.


6. Here comes the fun part: the pop of gold. I first took a small eye shadow brush and picked up some concealer (I used, Cover Girl stick concealer in Fair) and patted it into the center of the lid to prep it for the gold shadow I'll be applying. Its important to use either a white base or in this case, a skin toned base to help the gold pop amongst all the black and brown shadows we've applied.

7. Taking this Urban Decay 'Baked' shadow from the Urban Decay Book of Shadows (4th edition), I applied it with a flat eye shadow brush onto the center of my lids and blended it with the black. You can apply gold glitter over it if you want, but I didn't have any so I left it as it is.

8. For the brow bone highlight, I used 'Skimp' from the Book of Shadows palette.

9. Finally, line your eyes with your favourite liquid/gel liner and apply two to three coats of mascara and your good to go! :)

Summer tips: Meltproof makeup!

Here's a few customized tips on keeping your makeup looking fresh and pretty, even when the sweltering weather is working against you.

OD-Cleansing 

 Due to the heat and humidity we're exposed to throughout the day, oil and sweat builds up so its natural to want to keep splashing your face with cold water every now and then. However, doing so can strip your skin of moisture and will result in an overproduction of oil to compensate for the dryness. The result: An even oilier complexion.


Opt for oil-absorbing sheets instead. They suck up excess oil from the skin and keep it matte throughout the day. For a cheaper alternative, use facial tissues as a blotting sheet. I bought these adorable blotting papers from a store in China town and its a lot cheaper ($4 for 120 sheets) than the Clean and Clear ones ($7-$8 for 50 sheets).

(left) Before     (right) After

Load up on SPF!

There should be no excuse for skipping sunscreen. There are multiple brands out there coming out with several types of sunscreen, some tinted, some moisturising, some cooling, mattifying - the options are infinite. You'll be thanking them once you reach your 50s.

Prime

The key to long-lasting make up during the summer time is using an oil-free primer over your moisturiser and sunscreen but underneath your foundation. A primer puts a layer between your skin and your makeup, which prevents make up from getting absorbed into your skin and clogging your pores. It feels super light-weight on the skin, allows your make up to glide right on, and helps it last a lot longer in the heat. What's not to love? :) 


TIP: Prime the area underneath your eyes as well as your laugh lines with a silicone base primer to fill in the crevices where foundation/concealer tend to accumulate.


Less is more
Instead of using heavy duty foundations, go for a thin layer of BB cream or a tinted moisturiser which will keep your make up looking fresh and not cakey. Go bare even! just apply concealer to any boo boos and/or dark circles and then set it with a face powder. You will look polished without feeling like your entire face is covered up :)

TIP: Don't have a tinted moisturiser?   Just mix your regular foundation with any moisturiser!

Tint them!

For the summer, a cheek stain or a cream blush with a gel-like formula will offer you the flush of colour you desire without feeling too heavy on the skin.

Revlon Photoready Blush

If you prefer a powder blush, go for something that works hard to keep your oiliness at bay while also keeping your colour in check like this Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Tipsy.  It comes in a variety of colours and finishes (some shimmery, some matte).  

Lip last lipstick
Lipsticks and lip glosses can feel a bit icky during the summer time so it's best to stick to a lip stain. The colour bonds to your lips while keeping your mouth nourished and your breath super fresh! :) 
Try: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains


Full review here: CLICK ME

Budge-proof eyeshadow

These cream shadows by Maybelline look fresh even hours after application <3 Guaranteed!
They come in a variety of shades, from brights to neutrals.


FULL REVIEW HERE: CLICK ME AGAIN

That's all for today! Hope these summer beauty tips work just as well for you as they have for me. 

Olay ProX Cleansing System - Its a treat for your skin!

This cheap little miracle from Olay is about to turn your world upside down! Now you won't have to spend money getting a facial done or on expensive treatments because for $30, you can have your very own facial treatment in the comfort of your own hot shower. 

The Olay Cleansing kit comes with the brush tool that has a rotating head, two speed settings, a pair of duracell batteries as well as a mini exfoliating cleanser. Its portable, fairly light-weight and also water resistant so you could use it in the shower without worrying about it dying out.

Took me forever to get the bottom compartment to open for the batteries but the brush is super soft and not scratchy so it will also suit those who have sensitive skin. The way the brush rotates is very gentle also which makes it perfect for everyday use. I know some people prefer a super duper abrasive tool for exfoliation, and if your skin handles that better, that's fine. But for others like myself who prefer a gentle but deep cleansing treatment, this is a great option without having to break the bank. 

I have large pores, combination skin (more towards the oily side) and acne prone skin. I've been using this thing for two months now: once a day, everyday, and always at night because that's when your skin repairs itself. There are some days where I use it in the day time but for the most part, I save my facials for night time and I already see such a huge difference in my skin. Why on Earth was I walking around with all that dead gunky skin for so long?? Prior to using it, I had clear skin but it was very dull and lifeless and my pores were nasty. Now, after using it every single day my skin looks more radiant, bright and even. The clogs on my cheeks are noticeably smaller and cleaner. And it feels sooooooooooooo super soft, its hard to stopping touching your face after that =X My makeup also goes on incredibly smooth ever since I started using it, and my skin even looks visibly smoother to me.

I first tested out this product by washing my face (with my foundation still on) with just Cetaphil (using my hands) and then after that I used the Olay ProX cleansing brush and the exfoliating cleanser that came with it. After years of washing away my makeup with a cleanser, I was blown away to see the amount of makeup that piled up on the bristles of the brush. While using it, it doesn't feel like its doing much cause its so gentle, but take my word for it, it works! After cleansing my face, I went on and applied my Estee Lauder advanced night repair serum (had a sample of it) and the serum just MELTED into my skin. Even my moisturiser after that just sank right in, leaving behind no oily residue as it would otherwise. And I woke up the next day to delicious glowy skin.


The true test came when I had to apply my toner with a cotton ball after cleansing: there was absolutely NO smears of grime or traces of make up on it like there usually is.This gadget has become a staple in my skincare routine.

The cleanser that comes with it is quite nice too. The micro beads are small enough to polish the skin lightly without irritating it. Of course you don't have to use that cleanser every single time you use the ProX tool. I use it probably twice a week. The other days I just use the brush with my regular cleansers: Neutrogena Acne stress control power clear scrub/my prescription face wash or my Aveeno brightening cleanser (depending on what I feel my skin needs at the time)

To get the full benefit, I would suggest cleansing your face for ONE MINUTE. After using it routinely, the process may seem a bit time consuming, but the results are so worth it. Oh and be careful when using the tool around your nose because the cleanser has a tendency to fly up in your eyes, so yeah, keep your eyes closed when using it there. Also, you don't need to apply too much pressure on your skin when you cleanse, just let the tool do the work.

All in all, great product. Worth the hype. The only negative I see is the stupid battery compartment D: i was literally fighting a war with it for a good 20 minutes cause I couldn't get it to open D: but then that's probably to keep out the water from ruining the batteries, I dunno =O Some people may not be happy due to the fact that it is battery powered, but I'm personally not bothered by it. I just wish there was a cover for the brush for when it isn't being used but eh, whatever.

I honestly cant say if its as good as its higher-end counterpart (the clarisonic) because i've never tried the clarisonic before and don't see myself purchasing it until maybe I get a job (which could take 5-6 years, who knows O_O) but in my opinion, it is a good and cheaper alternative.Try it out, if you don't like it and think you'd prefer something more abrasive like the clarisonic, return that and get the clarisonic mia instead! I'm honestly tempted to try it out also and see how it compares, but still...$200 bucks? ._. Its either this or a Michael Kors watch I've been dying to get my hands on D:< 

decisions, decisions 


If my opinions about this tool changes with the next 6 months or so, I'll inform you

3-Day Sale at CVS (7/1 - 7/3)

Click to Enlarge

12 Nivea trial size lotion   $.99 each

8 Head + Shoulders  2/$9

4 Dawn dish soap  $.97 each

3 Nexxus mousse/hair spray  $2.99 each

2 Tide  $5.97 each

2 Cortaid  $6.29 each

1 Febreeze  $4.99

$12 ECBs

4 B1G1 Free Head + Shoulders MQ (deducted $9.49 automatically, so $.50 cents overage)

4  $.20 dawn dish soap MQ

4 $2 any shampoo CVS coupon

3 $2 Nexxus CVS coupon

2 Free Cortaid CVS coupon (took of $5.99)

2 $4/$20 CVS coupon 

1 $3/$8 Tide CVS coupon

2 $1 Tide detergent

OOP + tax:  $1.48   and I received  $24 ECBs from Nivea , $11 ECBs from Spring spending, and I still have $25 from last week

I'm $8 away from receiving the $10 gas card, so chances are I might go back to purchase some more stuffs. 

June favourites

END OF THE MONTH = FAVOURITESSSS!!
Here's the stuff I've been loving in the month of June :)

Many of the products mentioned are summer appropriate because the weather has been getting hot. And as you'll be able to tell, I've really been digging the whole glowy make up theme for the summer time :)


STARTING OFF WITH THE EYES! For my eyes, I haven't been wearing eye shadow as much unless I have somewhere special to go but the few days that I do feel like dressing up a little bit, these are the products I've been reaching out for. I love shimmery champagnes and peaches as a lid colour cause I have small eyes so using colours like these really make my eyes look bigger and brighter. I have three drugstore faves and two high ends. 

Two Faced Eyeshadow in Glamazon = pure love<3

This product is a bargain for the price. I bought this Insurance policy palette for $19 on hautelook.com (which in department stores, is the cost of just the shadow insurance primer) so this was a steal because not only do you get a full sized primer, but also 6 beautiful and decent size eye shadows. Some people even bought this for as low as $14 and some change at Nordstrom racks, so yeah. Not very pricey at all. All shadows are soft, velvety and blend beautifully. It includes 3 neutrals and 3 fun, bright colours. But the colour that I've been loving (and wearing) the most is Glamazon. Its an icy champagne colour with silver glitter. It tends to have a littttttttle bit of fall out, which is why its important to use the right eye shadow brush that will prevent it from ruining your face make up. I also suggest you patting it on instead of swiping it, which often takes away the pigmentation.

This is the palette it comes in

I usually do my eye make up first and then my face, so that way I don't have to worry about wasting products and cleaning up and what not :)

Two faced shadow in Silk Teddy

Another product by Two faced. I never thought their eye shadows would become a favourite so quickly. This is actually a duo but I get more use out of Silk teddy than the crease colour. Gorgeous colours, nevertheless. Packaging is also cute and compact. The lid/highlight colour is a frosty light peach and the crease is a cool brown with gold and green shimmer. Though the shimmer from the crease colour isn't as vivid when applied which is good cause I'm not really a fan of shimmery crease colours ._. 

I honestly can't say if I like this better or Glamazon or one of the other products I'll be mentioning soon, but I do think they vary slightly in texture and minute details. But overall, they're fabulous and I use them interchangeably.

L'oreal Infallible eyeshadow in Pink Sapphire

Definitely one of the best quality eye shadows I have come across at a drugstore. I've done reviews on these here: REVIEW: L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadows so I won't go into too many details. I'm not usually a pink eye shadow girl cause I feel like many pinks just make your eyes look tired, but when I saw this at the store, I could feel it calling my name ._. Its a beautiful colour and I get compliments every time I wear it. This one does look more fancy shmancy than the other two mentioned earlier but depending on how you wear it and what colours you pair it up with, it can transform from wearable to dramatic. 

Wet n Wild Mega Eyes in 190 - Wild Orchid
I've had this for I dunno how many years now, i think it was one of the first make up items ever purchased in our household (probably like 6 years ago) so I'm not sure if they still make it. And as you can tell from the picture, its in a really sad condition. My friend dropped her red nail polish over it which is why it looks so worn out  but the product works just as well. Its a super sheer shimmery lilac cream shadow. I don't use it as an eye shadow though, but as an eye shadow base. My shadows don't crease when I have this on so that's good. Its got a good amount of shimmer: it offers the sparkle that I like without giving the disco ball affect.

Blended half way

Napolean Perdis eye palette in Cairo - one of the pricier make up line at target (like Pixi)

I went to target looking for something and ended up purchasing this cause it was on clearance for $4 (regular price is $20). I remember using the peachy shade on my lids for school once and two of my professors asked me if I did anything different, cause I looked 'radiant' that day =D That very moment, this little palette became a favourite :B 

The center shade (my fave) is a peachy colour. The one on the right is just your regular white highlight colour. And on the left, the shade is somewhat of a baked copper bronzy one. As you can tell from the swatches, none of them are shimmery or glittery, but they do have a nice sheen to them.

L'oreal eye make up remover

I've been using this eye make up remover since high school and I still don't feel the need to replace it with anything new. This is my holy grail eye make up remover. It takes away most of my eye make up in a swipe. I usually apply it and then let the oils break down the products and then a few minutes later, use a make up remover wipe to clean off the gunk. If I'm wearing a waterproof mascara, I'll rub my lash line gently to depost the oil in there and then wipe it off afterwards. Plus, I've noticed my lashes have gotten thicker and longer because of the lash-conditioning properties in it. I use this every single day, LITERALLY, and I haven't even gotten through half the bottle. S for the price you pay, your getting a whole lot of product.

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FACE PRODUCTS:

Covergirl Smoothers tinted moisturiser 

The one product I've been using 99% of the days, either alone or on top of a regular moisturiser, is this Aqua Cover Girl Smoothers Tinted moisturiser. I usually get this in the shade Light-Medium but I accidentally picked out Fair-Light and it was way past the return date so I just use it anyway and it doesn't look noticeable. The coverage is really sheer so I wouldn't recommend this for those who like medium coverage.

Without powdering 

On hot days, I don't really like to wear foundation unless I'm going for something special like someone's graduation or a friends party so I usually plop some of this on and conceal my under eye circles and any blemishes, and then powder my skin to reduce shine. The price is decent and it gives the face a really nice glow. I do think it does a good job evening out the skin. Oh and it smells delightful :) I have repurchased this and will continue to do so once I run out.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra light sunscreen fluid 

This stuff is great. Aside from providing you with sun protection, it is also quite moisturising (so it'll suit those with dry skin). Unlike many other sunscreens, after it absorbs into the skin, it stays kinda matte for a few hours before my face starts to look shiny.Unfortunately SPF on an already oily combo skin does make it look greasy, there's no running away from it but I have products that take care of it so I'm good. Plus, the results from this are so much more better than from the Aveeno one that I've used for so long. It hasn't caused any skin reactions or breakouts, and it absorbs really well. I'm not a big fan of the sunscreeny smell, but um, they all smell like that u__u just make sure you shake it and hear the clack clack before you apply it otherwise it'll come out watery and weird.


No. 7 Shine Free Primer

This is my secret to a shine free faceeeeeee! I started off not liking it because it used to make my foundation look patchy and flaky as if I have shedding skin when I really don't. But that's cause I didn't apply it the right way. This stuff has a clay-like gritty texture so its not something u can easily smear on your face like a moisturiser and it'll blend in. Maybe for some, it'll work. But I find that patting it on, instead of rubbing it in, gives me the results I need. It keeps my face shine free for hours before I have to blot and no longer makes my foundation crusty. 

After application, it does make your face feel odd, not silky or soft, so that's the only weird part about it but after doing the rest of your face routine, it goes back to feeling normal. Overall, I love this product. I'm almost out of my first tube so it has definitely lasted a LONG time cause you really don't need too much to see a difference. 

Soap and Glory Clear Here T-zone oil control moisturiser 
I saw this mentioned in a random magazine I was reading and became instantly curious so I went to sephora and asked for a sample of it and so far, I'm really liking it. It's a very light gel-like moisturiser and my skin feels baby smooth after applying it. It blends in quickly, makes my foundation apply smoother and has helped control my shine. I use this in conjunction with the No.7 primer mentioned above. Even my friends have noticed the difference. So far I'm impressed with it. There's a high chance of me purchasing the full sized product after I run out of this sample. 

Revlon Photoready Foundation in  Natural Beige

Picture taken from the makeupgeek site for swatches

This product is a hit or miss. Some people like it, Some people HATE it. Out of the several foundations that I have in my collection, this is probably the one I reach out for the most. Its one of my top drugstore foundation favourites. It offers medium coverage, I would say. But in no way does it look cakey or masky. The packaging is awesome, it comes with a pump unlike the Revlon colorstay, which is nice because your not wasting too much product and only dispensing the amount that you need. It offers a nice dewy finish, which I personally really like. There is also SPF in it which is odd because you would think that a foundation for photographing wouldn't have that, but I've used it myself and tried it on other people as well and taken photos, and none of them give a white cast. I currently use this in Natural Beige but I have gotten a lot tanner so I'm gonna have to purchase it in either a Medium or Golden Beige. 

There's two things I feel like I need to mention though because I'm pretty sure of all the reviews that I've read on this, a bunch of them almost always state these two as the main reasons why they don't like the foundation.

1: The shimmer in it. Some people say it has a ton of shimmer, now it does have some shimmer but not an overwhelming amount. Just enough to give you that radiant complexion that I'm sure many people like. In the sunlight, I do notice some shimmery particles when I swatched it on my hand, but its not like you bathed in glitter or anything u__u If this helps in any way, I've actually had a good amount of people tell me I looked nice in the sunlight when I wore this foundation ๏̯͡๏   
It actually looks good in any lighting. 

2. It emphasizes dry patches. It has a tendency to, yes but honestly its not something a good moisturiser can't fix.


Oh and did I mention that it photographs BEAUTIFULLY? :) Id post up a picture of myself wearing it to show you but honestly if I do post the face I made when the picture was taken, the very few people who read my blog might just unsubscribe סּﬞ_סּ 
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Revlon Just Bitten kissable lipstain balm in Honey

Review + swatches are here: Revlon Lip stains


Bath + Body works body lotion in Forever Sunshine

This body lotion SCREAMS summer to me. The packaging is super extra cute, I love the colours and the title and oh my gosh, it smells so amazing ._. It reminds me of happy things <3 Putting it on almost instantly makes me feel energised and amazing and ready to take on the day! I can't exactly describe what it smells like but I definitely smell some apricots and lemon cake. Its juicy, fruity with a hint of floral. Smells delicious. It does a good keeping my skin moisturised also. I put some on yesterday and this morning I felt my arms and it was baby smooth. LOVEEE ITT

Edman Handbag from Aldo

I love it so muchh. I've been carrying it around ever since I got it. Its a two toned satchel. You can either hold it using the top handle or attach a cross body strap it comes with. A fancy, decorative scarf comes with the bag to give it a sophisticated look. No doubt I'm getting a lot of use out of this (:

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