Silky Soft Hair

Almost 3 years ago, my girlfriend brought in this new product called Miracle Protein. She talked to me about it but I really wasn't impressed... then she sent me a sample to try... nothing to lose right? I popped it into my favorite shampoo and gave it a go. To my surprise, it really did work! How?

• no need for conditioner... shampoo it in... leave for about 10 secs or as long as you can... then rinse off... (I normally shampoo first... then using the Healing Soap, wash everything else, then my face... then rinse off everything... definitely more than a 10 second affair *grin*)
• leaves hair silky soft and smooth... well, my hair isn't frizzy to begin with but with this, I don't get knots or tangles either
• provides some protection against UV rays - don't really understand this point but hey, its good right?
• keeps the hair healthy... protects against drying - this is especially true when I go swimming. You know how chlorine just kills the hair right? makes it all dry and coarse and yucky. Well, after a swim trip, I normally add a little more silk into my shampoo and within one or two days, my hair is back to its normal silky self... *happy*
• no split ends! about a year and half ago, I started growing my hair out... and didn't cut it for about year as well. I expected to have split ends galore... but surprisingly, I didn't. My hair stayed healthy looking and even my hair stylist was surprised when I finally reappeared for a trim. 
• thicker hair - after close to three years of usage, I'm kinda thinking if my seemingly thicker hair is due to my constant usage of miracle protein... kinda makes sense right? if the hair roots are getting fed good stuff everytime I shampoo, the new hair should grow out stronger and healthier.
• doubles up as a hair mask... if I'm taking a nice hot bath in my tub, I'd mix up a batch of extra strong shampoo + silk (usually about 6-8 teaspoons with a bit of shampoo), foam it up and stick a shower cap on top... by the end of my soak, my hair is nicely marinated and after rinsing, I get shiny, healthy, silky soft hair... 

if you're wondering how to mix up the silk and shampoo... I have a nice little picture tutorial here - http://fr0nd.blogspot.com/2009/02/silk-protein-pic-tute.html.

But seriously, Miracle Protein can also be used in lots of other ways... LolitaNY has a host of various products incorporating this specific ingredient... I love it in her Essence Spray (makes my face baby soft), her clay masks (again, moisturised, baby soft, clean skin), her bar soaps (her healing soap is my daughter's and my absolute favourite... and I use it as an all over soap ie... body and face). Basically, Miracle Protein is a top-to-toe type of product, only limited by your imagination and need for a silky smooth healthy finish. 

My new HG foundation...

So... I've noticed that I've got more and more nail polish posts... so I thought I should introduce something that has been a recent addition to my makeup table.

warning... I don't normally like reading gushy posts and I try my best not to write them *BUT* this is probably going to turn up to be one. I tried my best but you know I don't normally find HG products. I'm loyal to stuff but I don't label them HG. Just scrolling through my blog, I think the only time I mentioned "HG" was when referring to my favourite e/s and base combination.

Long term readers of this blog would know I lurve SilkNaturals' foundation. For years now... well, for as long as I found SN's foundies, they have been a staple in my m/u routine. I love how they sat on my face, I loved spending time once a month mixing them up, I loved being able to tweak them to each day's needs/wants. I loved feeling like I had just skin on and not a thick layer of gunk.

So what has changed? nothing really... I just found something that makes me feel more beautiful and seems to work better on my skin as well. Let me see if I can explain why (pretty much off the top of my head)...

• This foundation melts into the skin. You can't feel it once its on. Doesn't even need that spritz to make it sink in.
• it kinda doubles as a concealer for me. works lovely under my eyes to hide any darkness. when applied around my nose, it lightens the shadows there so that my nose doesn't look quite so fat. (finally found a use for EDM's eyebuki... it works great in those areas!)
• it works as a highlighter of sorts... when applied with a sponge strategically, I get cheekbones! well... not really, but my natural flush appears and the need for a blusher goes down by quite a bit.
• its got nothing in its ingredient list that will hurt my skin. Jo even does a patch test for some ingredients to make sure of that. 
• while it doesn't have a SPF rating, I know its got mineral sunscreens like Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide in it that helps to block both UVA and UVB rays.
• its got silk in its formulation that helps to moisturize and protect my skin's moisture levels
• as compared to SN, I use less of it... with more effect. Perhaps that has to do with the different coverage levels. I don't really know. All I do know, is less of it goes into my swirly bowl and my face looks fine. 
• and the BEST part of it? its all personally CUSTOMIZED to fit your needs and wants in terms of foundation. So if you want more coverage, you got it! If you want to hide those ginormous pores... *drum roll* they're gone.

Jo L. at Lolita NY does this by walking you through a set of cards. Each card deals with a different area of concern. She asks about your sun exposure (to determine how much sun blocking ingredients you need), skin type (for oil control, moisture, etc), figures out your skin undertones (warm or cool) and asks you if you want any extra goodies (eg you could request to look more glowy/dewy).

The set of cards on the top left were her original version. I was honored to be the first to get to use the latest set (bottom centre). It was fun to read all the little writeups on each card and decide what I wanted in my foundation.

I've known for a long time that I'm a cool girl... and given that I love purple, it was such fun to see her pop some purple correcting powder into my mix. It helps to brighten up my face. Especially good on days when I feel like death warmed over. The two small piles of powders where what colored up my base mixture. Jo L. says I've got an easy skin tone/color to work with. And given that I've watched three other friends get their custom blends done and all of them took longer to get perfect than mine... I guess I gotta believe her. :P

Here was my finished product... what's new is that little recipe card that Jo L. included. Its an easy way to keep track of what went into your particular blend. And if you need to tweak something the next round, you already know what you started with. I heard from Jo L. that some overseas clients are asking that once they have their specific 'recipes', they'd like to order online... I'm not sure if that service is going to be provided but I guess they're really hoping that it will be.

I tried to swatch this foundation... but failed miserably. How do you swatch something that is the perfect match for your skin? That's really what it looks like... skin. MY skin but better.

I've used this for two weeks plus now... really can't find anything to complain about. I did switch back to SN for a day and found it just needed more work to buff in, to set, to mix up (and to think I used to enjoy  tweaking). Call me lazy...

In interests of being honest, this was a 'sponsored' foundie... Jo L. is a dear friend to me and she seen me drool while she mixes up custom blends for other friends. I kept trying them and loving the way they felt and how they looked when applied. Then I'd lament that it didn't suit my skin... like duh... it wasn't meant for me... So it was a real surprise when she asked me to sit down slightly over 2 weeks ago and set about mixing up powders for me. Its so different when you know the end result was going home with you!

Again, being totally honest... am I gonna buy more when this pot runs out... you betcha!!!! If you're looking for a skin-friendly mineral foundation, you really can't go far wrong with Lolita's!

*disclaimer* there has been no gun put to my head to make me write this post or any other post about any product/company. My opinions are my own and not influenced by friendship or any other such thing. And I think this is really my first sponsored post... in a sense... everything else has been bought by my own moolah.

My current nail lurve....

Let me just say this first... last year, my heart was given to glitters. OPI's Mad as a Hatter made me smile every time I saw it on my nails. Sad to say, I can't find it anymore... and just can't find a reasonable dupe of it... *cries*

This year, I've found myself drawn increasingly to duochromes... multichromes. A friend just asked me exactly what a duochrome is... so I did some looking around... you know what? there isn't a definition found the dictionary. So here's my definition after some thinking. You know how when you look at an oil spill in sunlight, it shimmers with all sorts of colors depending on the angle you're looking at? that's a quality of duochromes. Every angle you look at them, you see different colors. Some have only two or three shades. For example, blue and greens and teals... or magenta, purples and pinks... while others have so many colors that they are like opening a jewel case never knowing what gemstone you'd get.

I haunt a few nail polish blogs and when I saw this particular shade... well, I fell in love with it. What first really sold me on this color was AllLacqueredUp's blog post... it looked like something from outer space literally. Mysterious and other worldly.

Then I headed to google images (one of my favourite places to find swatches) to see what other pics there were... here's just a snapshot of what I found.

I used this shade this year for Chinese New Year and I think it just added a little bit of fun to my otherwise "sane" outfits.

These pictures were posted before but here they are again... ORLY's SPACE CADET...

I wonder what my next nail polish love will be... it sure isn't crackle nail polishes... although they're lots of fun! *grin*

My Eyeliner collection

Just thought I’d line up all my liners in a pretty swatch… so here’s everything I use on a ‘regular’ basis along with some thoughts on each.

TOP ROW (left to right)

Silkygirl long wearing eyeliner in 02 Black Brown

haven’t used this in eons! especially since I got Maybelline’s gel liner. But this was my first liner ever… so it deserves mention :P

Silkygirl funky eyelights pencil in Ocean Blue (02)

Silkygirl funky eyelights pencil in Pure Purple (04)

to be honest, haven’t used these two in quite a while. Not that they aren’t good… just have gotten really distracted my my MM liquid liners. Will revisit them soon I think, these swatches have gotten me interested again :P

L’oreal HIP liner in 950 Navy

L’oreal HIP liner in 940 Green

Love these two especially for lining the upper waterline. They stay for quite a while and add depth to my lash line. Have been experimenting with using them on my lower lash line using the ELF small angled brush… so far, working out ok. But need to practice a little more to get the effect I’d really like

Majolica Majorca Neo liner in Black (BK999)

Majolica Majorca Neo liner in Shiny Black (BK911)

Majolica Majorca Perfect liner in Green (GR604)

Majolica Majorca Perfect liner in Blue (BL603)

what can I say? I use these liners most of the time. A small thin line defines my eyes while a thicker line with a wing adds a touch of drama. Tacks a little practice to get it done right but once mastered, its the “go to” liner for nice dark bold lines.

BOTTOM ROW (left to right)

UD 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Deviant

UD 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Electric

UD 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Covet

just got these three liners from UD’s GWP promotion. Deviant is full size while Electric and Covet are trial sizes. I have got to say these have to be the silkiest, smoothest liners I’ve ever tried. No issue with smudging soon after applied but once they set, they don’t go anywhere. Lovely. The only down side is the price. *sigh*

Cream/Gel EyeLiner by Maybelline EyeStudio in brown

I don’t use this nearly enough. Find the brush fiddly compared to the other pencils. But I do like this for tightlining on top of other colored liners. Eg if I use the Silkygirl liner and want to define my lash line a little more, I use this smooshed (is that a word??) into my lashes so they stand out more. The colored line is still there but my lashes have an identity of their own.

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What are your favourite liners? and why? Leave a comment and tell me.

A little tip for stuffy noses…

About a month back, I caught a cold. It was *sniff sniff sniff* all day long. The worse part about it was that I had to give two workshops over two Saturdays.. both about 2 hours each. I was not a happy camper at all!

Being a mother, I really didn’t want to talk one of those anti-histamines that dry up your nose but put you to sleep. Who would take care of the kids while I was in dreamland? Plus the pills always leave me with a very muzzy, groggy head. Not fun.

So I went on a hunt to find an essential oil that would help alleviate my symptoms. I was thinking of getting something like Eucalyptus which I have used before with good results.

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Gobulus)
Clear sinus; expels mucus; relief sensitive nose related problems; ease pain and improves circulation.

Was at Novena square so decided to drop by Salo to see what they had to offer. The sales lady asked me what I was looking for. She showed me the stock of essential oils and recommended a few. Then she noticed my sniffing, immediately she reached into a shelf and pulled out…

Flu Away (a blend of eucalyptus, tea tree and peppermint)
Helps for sinus, clear blocked nose, good for flu and throat irritation, asthmatic

I swear, one sniff of this and I could feel my sinus’ clearing. I’ve never had that happen before with any other essential oil. Guess their oils are especially pure or something.

The lady was nice enough to give me a tissue with a couple of drops of this on it. Gratefully, I spent the rest of the day acting like a glue sniffer, sniffing at my tissue.

That night, and many nights to follow, I put a couple of drops on my pillow case and went to sleep peacefully for the first time in a while.

The bottle now has a permanent place on my toiletry shelf and I know what I’ll be reaching for when my sinuses start acting up again!

For those of you who get runny noses or blocked noses on a regular basis, you might want to get a bottle of this lovely essential oil blend. Its about S$20+ but well worth it for the relief it gives. If you’re not sure it’d work for you, drop by the shop and ask for a tissue with a couple of drops on it. Go shopping and try it out. I think you’d be back for a bottle. :P

Salo is at

177 River Valley Road #B1-25 Liang Court Shopping Centre Singapore 179030
Tel: 6339 9809 Fax: 6339 9809

Email: sales@salo.com.sg
10 Sinaran Drive #03-48 Square 2 Singapore 307506
Tel: 6397 6367

(Disclaimer : I am not affliated with nor get commission for promoting this store. I’m just a regular consumer who has had a positive experience here.)

3 ELF studio brushes

I got these quite a while ago. They are the Elf Studio fan brush, complexion brush and small angled brush. They are all USD3 each.

Been using them for a while.. and think its time I made some comments.

Complexion Brush

This new anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. studio brush!
-Creates an even and natural finish
-Expertly sweeps all types of powders across the entire face and sculpts features beautifully
-Use with pressed, loose, or translucent powders, blush or bronzer
*Vegan Friendly

My thoughts : I’ve been using EDM’s long handled kabuki brush for both my powders and foundations. I found this doesn’t really work the way I’d like a powder/foundation brush to work. BUT its okay if you want a light dusting of powder to finish or to use with a pigmented blush… its super soft and flexible (ie it doesn’t have a firm feel like a kabuki)

Small Angled Brush

This new anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. studio brush!
-Creates precise color application
-Creates even, thin and straight lines every time
-Use to apply lip color, eyebrow color, or to line eyes
*Vegan Friendly

My thoughts : I absolutely love this brush. As in love love love. Its an ideal tool to use to apply eyeshadows as eyeliners. Will definitely get another one or two as backups. Can’t see myself doing without them.

One technique that I’ve tried and tried to achieve is to use eye shadow to line my lower eye lashes… well, with this brush, its super easy and it works beautifully. Here’s a recent eotd I did using it.

Fan Brush

This new anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. studio brush!
-Unique fan shape blends away makeup mistakes
-Dusts, wipes, and contours powders
-Use to create a soft wash of color over the cheeks, to apply a touch of loose powder to cover shine, or as a blending aid.
*Vegan Friendly

My thoughts : This is one brush that though has had rave reviews elsewhere… I just don’t know how to make it work for me. Strange but true… have tried it as a blush brush… too much work; to dust off fall out… just made it worse; to add a touch of highlighter… well, I rarely do this step so…

It is very soft and feels lovely on the face. If you know how to use a fan brush, I think its a nice one.

I am officially broke… (final part)

My final purchase from Watson’s was the Cream/Gel EyeLiner by Maybelline EyeStudio. Such a long name for my first very little pot of gel liner. :P

It comes with a little brush which I found rather easy to use. Granted, I haven’t washed it yet and already used it. So I might change my mind after I wash it. Still, for now, I’m happy with it. Its super stiff.. more like a very little palette knife than a brush. It smooths on the liner with very little problems.

Here’s some swatches showing how how thin/thick you can get the line using their brush.

I did a very simple look for going out then spent a couple of minutes playing with it a little more when I got home. (This was done while my AHA Exfoliating cleanser was on so the photos are gonna be rather closely cropped.)

Here’s what I came up with.

The most dramatic winged liner look I’ve tried so far

And here’s a double winged look… is that the right term?

   

I’ve used it practically every time I’ve used makeup this week and am really liking this product. It can give me both a subtle addition to the lashline and a dramatic strong line. Plus it lasts on me for more than 12 hours without any serious smudging. While I wouldn’t give up my MM liquid liners or my JEP with e/s on top, any time soon… this will definitely be added to my list of commonly used items.

That’s it from me for now… off to get ready for a workshop and then church.

Have a great weekend everyone!

I am officially broke… (part 2)

To continue my Watson’s hauls… sigh… I searched two outlets for Canmake blushes. Finally found them… swatched all six colors (01 to 06 from left to right; top to bottom) and four Majolica Majorca Neo liquid liners (no, I don’t remember the code numbers).

I won’t bother to post pics of the display unit or the individual blush casings… they’re all over the blogsphere… just do a search. I did do swatches for my own reference. Something I like to do so that I see how it turns up on my skin tone.

The pics were taken in store and without any base using my fingertips.

 

Am so tempted to pick up the green liner and the dark brown liner… but that’d put me back another close to 40 bucks.

As for the blushes… was really drawn to 01 which was a pretty light pink. There was only one left too… but in the end decided on 05 which is a peachy pink.

Used with a fibre optic brush (Ann’s suggestion), it produces a pretty flushed look on my skin. Quite like it and have used it two days in a row now. In terms of lasting power, I can still see it on my cheeks at the end of a 12 hour day so I think that’s pretty good mileage. Am happy with my buy and thinking… just thinking… about 01 still.

I brought my daughter along with me on this swatching adventure. Monkey see, monkey do right? so this was the result…

can pass? I think got some hope ya?

and see her pretty sparkly slip ons. My mil just brought them home from Hanoi… she’s so proud of them.

My last purchase was the much raved about Maybelline gel eye liner. I got this in brown. Again, it was at 20% off so it was a good time to give it try. I haven’t opened it yet so have got no swatches and no opinions to share. Will definitely update you when I do get my brush into the pot. *giggle*

Have a colorful day everyone! I know I am. :D

I am officially broke… (part 1)

Watsons… can I say that I hate your sales? the 20% off on makeup items is just so tempting even someone on a tight budget like myself can’t resist. Then to have them offer 20% off on Majolica Majorca for the first time ever… how on earth could I resist? (I also blame Ann for her lovely enabling power!)

So.. I’ve been lemming the new colors ever since they launched in fall 2009.

I’ve got their older liners in Black (999) and Shiny Black (I think 991 or 995) but really wanted colored liners. So this was the perfect opportunity (and yes, I am punning. LOL!)

Colors I got are BL603 (blue) and GR604 (green).

so.. swatch time! this pic was taken in daylight. The inner two lines were done with enough liner liquid for it to be visibly higher than my skin. Kinda like a long bubble of liner. It took quite a while to dry. The outer two lines was done with much less liner.

 

My opinion…

If you like color and are willing to wait while they dry… get these liners. They really do last a looooong time on your eye once dry. I used the blue one yesterday for more than 12 hours with no smudging at all… before you ask.. eotd pics are in the works.

If you like darker liners, get this.

However….

If you prefer a less watery liquid liner, get the old range “Neo” which is less watery, dries faster but has less fun colors (at least according to me).

If you have the type of eye lid which creates a new line if you blink before the liner dries, do NOT get these liners… you’ll smudge big big time unless you have strong lid discipline!

For me, its back to lemming for Neo liners… I’d love to get one in both the light brown and the darker brown. Don’t really like the other shades… *sobs*

for pictures of packaging and details of the liner itself… check out the link I’ve included at near the top of my post. :)

Maybelline’s Angelfit Pore Zero Base – a review

These pics have been sitting in my drafts folder for months. I’m ashamed :(( Just never ever got round to writing a review on this.

Well, since I seem to be in a little more of a blogging mood today. Here’s a quick review.

When I first started using makeup about 2 years back. My first foundation purchase was Maybelline’s Angelfit Powder Foundation. It was a lovely foundation that gave a glow to my face. Sadly, I stopped using it when I realised that my pores were becoming seriously clogged. Before you go “eeeeekkk”, please bear in mind that I was a complete makeup noob. Didn’t know how to get it off properly. Light dawning? I know better now and am seriously tempted to give it a go again soon :P

But this review isn’t about that… its about its sister product called the Pore Zero base.

here’s my super blur pic of it. Sigh. It comes in a 30ml tube which dispenses the product easily on to your finger.

Please click on the pic for the description and their product claims. Have added another pic for those who want a clearer understanding of the ingredients used.

 

So here’s what it looks like. Slightly creamy but really easy to blend out. You’re supposed to put little dots all over your face. Not all at once cos this dries fairly quickly. So you dot, blend, dot, blend, dot, blend.

See how my pores have gone bye bye… seriously, this product does work in blurring out the look of large pores. It also gives a slight glow to your face which is rather pleasant. Does leave a slightly greasy feel on my skin but that’s goes away once I put on my loose mineral powder. What I especially like about it – and what got me to plunk down cash for it – was the spf factor (SPF 25 PA++). Having a sunscreen feature is a really nice touch for a primer/base.

The only reason why I don’t use this as often as I do my Biore UV Bright Face Milk (yeah I know.. cheesy name) is due to the ease of application. I’m a lazy person – just in case you didn’t know that already *grin* – and prefer to pore a puddle into the middle of my palm, rub it between my palms and apply. The whole dot, blend, dot, blend thing is just too much for me. Although when I do it, I get a lovely base for makeup that lasts through the day.

*note – as with all other makeup… make sure you use a good m/u remover at the end of the day or you’ll be sorry. I use JustFr0nd’s exfoliating AHA cleanser on my face and a oil/water blend for my eye m/u*

2 SN Perfecting glow swatches

This is done especially for Ann… who is currently filling up my order with more ‘wants’. LOL!

The swatches are done w a ‘heavy’ finger tip.. too lazy to go get my brushes… and the photos really don’t do justice to how pretty and subtle these glows are.

on the right is SN splendid perfecting glow.

Splendid is our clone of Bare Escentual's Flawless Radience All Over Face Color.  It's a creamy white tone with just a hint of golden pearl.  It gives the most gorgeous flawless, luminous, dewy finish.  There is some glow to it, but on this one it's really not over the top- just dust a little on your cheeks, chin and forehead for a youthful dewy look.

my description – erm… it looks silvery whitish to me but just a nice silvery glow when brushed lightly on… particularly good for the inner corners of the eyes :)

on the left is SN crystal perfecting glow.

Pefecting Glows are a cross between our regular Perfecting Powder and a Glow- they're very closely related to Bare Escentual's Radiance powders and give your skin a nice healthy look.  There is a good amount of silica in it which is going to help control oil, and hide pores.  Crystal is our clone to BE's Clear Radiance- BUT without the chunks of gold glitter.  It does have a slightly irridescent golden pink sheen, and looks gorgeous on light skin tones.  You could use this all over your face, or just to highlight- it applies easily with just a regular kabuki brush.

my description – more of a pinkish glow. love layering this on top of blushes or as a light brow highlight.

Personally I like both… very subtle ‘glow’ when applied with a big face brush… love using them as a brow highlight as well especially when I’m doing more everyday/neutral looks. Also adds a little something special if layered on top of blush/eye shadow.

 

SilkyGirl BB Cream with SPF 25 PA ++

Dropped by Watson’s today to pick up my copy of GLOW (Watson’s inhouse magazine). I won’t bore you with more pictures of it and the freebie pouch… there're enough of those floating around. :P

I must say though that the magazine is an interesting read. Picked up a few more pointers about skin care and makeup. Will elaborate more on that another post.

What caught my eye in Watsons was this new product on the SilkyGirl shelf. Remember I was raving about their liners a while ago?

So here it is… SilkyGirl’s Magic BB cream.

Given the current craze for blemish balms or BB creams as they’re known, it isn’t too surprising that yet another one has appeared on the market. What is nice is that this is a drugstore brand with a relatively low price point. Low enough for me to consider trying it. Its introductory price is a mere $15.90sgd/$10usd

Swatched it on my hand to test out the texture and coverage. Here are the two shades – 01 Natural on top and 02 Radiant on the bottom.

 

01 fit my skin tone better than 02. I’m not sure how much you can see in this swatch after they’re blended out. In terms of coverage… not much but they were easy to blend and didn’t have a powdery feel to them afterwards. In fact, they left my hand feeling rather soft.

 

I like that they have a sunscreen factor to them. It appeared to be chemical based though but didn’t have the anti-mmu ingredient. Totally forgot to take note of the ingredients. Sigh. Will try add that on later.

I just bought a suncreen infused product so I doubt I’ll be splurging on this until that’s used up. Anyone else think they’ll give this BB cream a try?

Maybelline NY Makeup Workshop

*before I get started… I know I’m super late in posting this… still haven’t got my pics uploaded but am taking way too long so will post this first and the pics of my freebies will come later*

As I mentioned in a previous post, I signed up for a makeup workshop run by Maybelline NY on the 12th. The description given was

"Get personalized styling guidance from an experienced make-up artist AND experiment w an array of make-up & colors from Maybelline New York!”

Although I spent time looking at the map, I managed to get lost on the way to the session. Thankfully, the lovely Shermaine gave me good instructions over the phone and I did get there.

At each desk was a lovely train case filled to the brim with all sorts of goodies… I really couldn’t wait to get in and try them all.

From right to left, top to bottom, lipstick (watershine), mascaras (all brand new!), mineral foundations/blushers, liquid foundations, angelfit two way cakes, lip glosses, eyeliners, brow pencils and last but not least, eye shadow quads.

 

Also given was a folder with some information. To be honest, there wasn’t much. LOL! at least not as compared to the info that I’ve found available on the net.

 

We were introduced to Maybelline’s new Pore Zero makeup base. Its got a SPF factor of 25 and went on really smoothly. We were taught to put some on the back of our hands then dab and spread on to the face in an upwards motion. Repeat until the whole face is covered. Due to it being relatively quick drying, you should avoid doing the normal “dot, dot, dot, blend” method.

I gotta say I was rather impressed by this product. Pores did look diminished. Now, I’m curious as to the ingredients. Been searching online but so far unable to find a list. Guess I’ll have to pop by the store to have a lookie.

I topped it with Angelfit’s 2 way cake in OC2. We were told as asians, we should choose the more yellow toned foundations rather than the pink as they complemented our skin coloring more.

I’d forgotten how much I liked the 2 way cake. It really does impart a glow that makes you look healthy and radiant. So very tempted to get it again especially as I have now learnt the ‘proper’ way to really cleanse my face after applying makeup.

Blusher was next. We were each given a shade chosen to suit our skin tone. Mine was Peachy Sweetie. A lovely mid pink. I liked the color but really really wished for my usual big badger brush to apply it. Using the brush that came with the blusher was an exercise in patience.

For blush, the advice was to smile and apply to the apples of your cheeks. Make sure to blend out the edges so it appears to be a flush and not a circle of color.

Brows were next… and we used brow pencils. I found they went on pretty smoothly and the brush at the end of the pencil helped pull everything together.

After that it was eyeshadows!

These were the three quads that our trainer Felicia recommended as good to have… they’re in the neutral range and can bring you from day to night depending on how intense you apply the shades.

from top to bottom –

Venice Carnival, Autumn Spirit, New York Nite

I tried Venice Carnival but really didn’t like the way black looked on me. :(

Technique taught was the dark to light method. Darkest on the lid near the eyelashes and gradually blend upwards to the brows.

I ended up using quad 04 which was a range of blues that were lighter than New York Night.

I forgot to take a pic of the look I did using the Maybelline products. But to be honest, I wasn’t overly excited about it. Perhaps it was the lack of a proper e/s base but the colors just weren’t popping for me.

I think mineral e/s has totally spoilt me or Maybelline colors are just too regular for me. Sigh.

Mascara was next and we each were given a brand new tube of Unstoppable Curly Extension which I promptly used. :)

Here’s my finished look and my partner in color play, Sherlyn.

Then time was up and we had to go. For me, it was a fun refresher class in basics. I didn’t realise I had already learnt so much. Still feel like a beginner in so many ways.

I’d love to attend sessions that taught a little more advanced techniques. So will be on the look out for them. :)

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And here was my quick look for the day… just L’oreal’s HIP green liner with TSS Lost Moss on top. SN’s siren glow all over eye area.

Not sure why I put it on cos I took it off as soon as I arrived. LOL!

Demure or 108?

There’s another false eyelash spree and I need to decide what to buy… LOL!

so here’s my top two choices… Ardell’s Demure and Ardell’s 108s… which do you prefer?

First up is Ardell’s 108s…

Second in line… Ardell’s Demure

 

I used these also here.

I’ve got 4 pairs of the 108s and am tempted to buy 4 of the demure just as alternatives. I think both have very different effects…

So should I spend the money and get more demures? Let me know what you think via the comment link… :D