Binnings for the Last 3 Months

Been ages since I've done this.  I'm growing ever more in my binnings and I'm quite happy about it.  I'm currently on cosmetic shopping ban and will be so till June this year.  Trust me, I have ample of things to blog about with my huge collection of skincare and cosmetics that's about to spill out from my cupboard.

*Sorry about the pic, had to rely on my iPhone for now as there's some issue with my camera's SD card.  It looks like it's time for me to buy a new one @.@

Here's the items:

• Body Shop Liquid Eyeliner: This was my very first liquid eyeliner gifted to me by a friend.  I like it cause it doesn't smear and it stayed on my eyelids for the longest time.  However, after a few months, it was giving me a bit of a weird feeling, where my eyelids seemed heavy when I have it on.  I stopped using it for a while now but somehow in all my binnings, this seemed to be hidden well till now.
• SiklyGirl Duo Eye Shadow 10 Gold Emerald: Again, another one of my very first beauty purchase.  I remember buying this as I was wanting to try putting on make up for a wedding dinner.  Works well, but because of my oily eyelids, the colors fades off quite quickly.  This was chucked aside and I stopped using it.  Time for me to say goodbye to it now.

(crazy it seems, I'm chucking them one by one as I'm writing this post =D)

•  ianti Luxe Jewelry Pact Powder (Dark Beige): Oh, the horror! I just realised that I've never blogged about this pact powder.  Lovely item for it's price (less than Rm20 if I remember correctly).  I was quite taken aback when I first tried it because the SA recommended me Dark Beige.  I'm actually quite fair and so usually I go for something lighter.  However, the colour matches my skin well and it works well as a foundation powder.  I tend to reach out for it because I'm lazy like that =P.  I'm not sure if ianti is still around because I don't really see it anywhere.  The branch in Times Square which I used to frequent has closed down since last year.  
• ianti Luxe Jewelry Blusher (#04 - Sexy Pink):  What can I say, love the colour and the softness of it when applied on my cheeks.  Downside of this is, the colour fades off rather quickly, around 2 hours.  I had to throw it away because the packaging was plastic and the cover broke.  
• Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals Instant Skin Perfecting Cream with Micro-Minerals (BB cream): Man, what a mouthful.
• L'oreal Derma Genesis  Cellular-Youth Creator Pore Minimising Smoother Gel Cream: There goes another one.
• b.liv by cellniq Off with Those Heads Pro Sebum Gel: This took me forever to finish because I slack in between wayyy too much.  However, it still works well even though I stopped using it  for a period of time. 
• Etude Sun Guard Natural Covering Color Case SPF 42
• Skin79 The Oriental Gold BB Cream and Super + Beblesh Balm Trip Function: Lovely when applied on the skin but it's quite thick.  Does get oily after about 6 hours.  Nonetheless, the skin continue to look good after blotting.  It's said to have whitening effect but I could not see any effects from using it.  I tend to use my BB Cream as foundation and not on its own.
• Empro Diamond Black Eyeliner
• Vaseline Healthy Sunblock: Am now using my second one!  
• Etude House Collagen Moistfull Emulson: Nice on the skin.  Not sure of its efficacy as this is just a test tube.  Wish the bottle would be made in a way where it's easier to be poured out as the liquid is slightly thicker than water and tends to bunch (can they do that?) at the top.  I had to tap it onto my palm for the liquid to come out (sometimes it gushes out and I would end up having too much).  Then again, this is a free sample.

Biotherm Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse

Biotherm Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse is by far one of favourite facial wash.  This is one facial wash that I catch myself reaching out for most of the time (I do rotate and have different kind of facial wash on standby for different days' needs =D)  The name is definitely a mouthful eh?  Let's refer to it as the Biotherm Toning  Mousse  .

Packaging wise, I love the green.  It feels refreshing in a gentle way, if you know what I mean.  However, I do find that it can be quite hard to read the words (and even tougher when snapping pictures of it!)  It comes in a tube form and I do find that the tube itself is quite sturdy.  The cap too, is pretty reliable and doesn't open easily.  Once the click is in place, you don't have to worry about it popping up and opening itself easily.

Although it is called a mousse, it doesn't exactly feel like one. However, it does foam well and that makes it easy to apply onto my face.  All I need was just a tiny little squeeze (smaller than pea size!) of the Biotherm Toning  Mousse  and rub my hands together to foam it.  Viola, nice and dandy to apply onto my skin.

I love the fact that it cleanses my skin well.  This Biotherm Toning  Mousse  does not leave my skin feeling tight after the wash, nor does it make me feel as tough I needed to wash my face another time.  The feeling is just right.  I believe this has to do with the fact that this Biotherm Toning  Mousse  is part of their hydrating series (which I definitely adore!)

I tend to grab their 50ml as this is my to-go facial for as and when usage when I'm out of the house.  I believe the regular size the 150ml.  Like I said, this is my favourite and I'm already using my 3rd tube =D  Definitely a re-purchase product for me.

Aquamoist Moisture Base

First and foremost, I have to apologise for neglecting my blog for so long.  It's been a crazy start of the year and it is still quite crazy.  I've decided that I'd better get started here lest I'll never blog anymore!  I'm hoping that things will go slow on me after these two months.

Now, into the main topic.  I bought this Aquamoist Moisture Base out of a whim because I couldn't resist the price.  This was purchased last year around May.  I think they were in the midst of preparing for  GSS and I happened to go to BHG in Bugis (another one of my fav hangout in SG).  I'm not entirely sure what's the price here in Malaysia, but it was going for SGD5.95!  Now tell me, how does one resist such good prices when you know the product ranges from 40 to 60 here in Malaysia?  I do wonder sometimes why we in Malaysia are paying for so much when things can get so cheap in our neighbouring country.

One of the very first thing that caught my eye is the simplicity of its packaging.  Yes, I'm a sucker for simplicity.  That's why I'm a fan of Muji! hehe... Anyhow, the packaging is simple and yet it stands out like a sore thumb.  Trust me, it wasn't easy to get a good picture of this item.  Too reflective =p

How does it fare?  I have to say that I love it.  It definitely helps to prep my skin before make up and because it's a moisture base, it keeps my skin, especially my cheeks are that tends to drier, to be supple.  It functions well as a protective layer of my skin before make up.  There are times when I feel that my skin seems to be oilier and I applied the Moisture Base without any moisturiser.  This was something that I learnt from Lisa Eldridge's video about primer.  I was practically drooling over the different primers and base that she was sharing in the video.  I do wish we have some of them here.  Ops, okay... coming back to the main topic.  I wish I could just go and grab it but honestly, in Malaysia, I do feel that this item is slightly pricey (yes, even though I do not know the price of it).  Who knows, maybe I should head down to SG this coming May or June to scout for it again?

Quick Smokey Eye - My Attempt

I'm pretty addicted to Lisa Eldridge these days.  There's been a few weddings that I had to attend the past months and here's one of my attempt to emulate Lisa's quick smokey eye.  I love how my small eyes looks bigger and the overall look feels makes me look sweet still =D

Please do excuse the fuzziness of the picture.  I was using the front camera of my iPhone and forgot that the quality ain't as good as when I use the back camera.

Items used:

Face:
Shills 6 in 1 BB Cream
Maybelline Angelfit  Perfect Concealer
Stage Photo Pro Camouflage 04 Buff
Nature Republic 4D Flower Powder 02 Lucid Pastel

Eyes:
Benefit Strut
Red Earth Magicline Kohl Eyeliner Pencil Kohl Crayon in Deep Forest
Anna Sui Super Mascara DX Waterproof (mini version from Plusizekitten)

Lip:
Stage Wondergloss Lipgloss 01 Penelope

Firstly, I line my eyes with the Red Earth Magicline Kohl Eyeliner Pencil Kohl Crayon in Deep Forest .  Don't worry about lining it perfectly or in straight line as you'll be smudging it later.  Once you've lined both eyes, get a smudge brush or a medium size eye shadow brush (I tend to reach out for the eye shadow brush) and run them into your little tub of Benefit Strut.  After that, start smudging your eyeliner with it.  Do it light-handedly.  Start from the inside of your eyelid and move outwards towards the end of your eyelid.  I tend to dip a bit more and add a little more texture nearing the end of the eyelid to give it a bit more omph.

Once that is done, dip your eyeliner brush into your Benefit Strut and line the bottom of your eyes.  Line it half way and then smudge them towards the inside of your eye.  By doing so, it will make your eyes look bigger and have more depth.

To complete the look, I used Anna Sui Super Mascara DX Waterproof mini on my eyelashes.  As my bottom eyelashes are extremely short, I only put it on my top eyelashes.  You may choose to run your mascara over the top and bottom of your lashes to make your eyes pop further.

After taking this picture, I realised how awesome a simple hairpin could do to my hair.  All I did was grab some of my hair up to pin it, and viola! Totally change the look.

Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Lotion

I think most people would've gotten the bottle of Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Lotion one way or the other.  I am, of course, of no exception.  I've gotten mine a while back and it took me a while to realise that I have yet to blog about it.  Woah... maybe that's the result of reading numerous blogs talking about this item.

Likewise the introduction.  Apparently this item is so hot that 1 is being sold every 4 seconds.  That means, these are flying off the shelf even as you are reading this blog (you counting time now?).  This item, manufactured by Rohto Hadalabo, contains Super Hyaluronic Acid (SHA), which is known for its capacity to lock in and retain moisture and is said to result in elastic, young-looking skin.  Now, that's where the promise "one drop locks up an ocean" is birthed from.

Before I go on, I really have to say this.  I love the simplicity that comes with the design.  Truly, I do.  The clear see through bottle allows me to see how much I have left, thus cutting the need of me running out of the item (then again, this lasts me like forever! I am still using my first bottle even after one year).  The bottle cap is designed to allow me to just tilt the bottle and out comes the sufficient amount of the lotion for my whole face. I don't have to worry about spilling or pouring out too much (can you imagine the amount of patting in order to get the lotion onto your skin if there's too much?).  Nor do I have to worry about having a bottle that's all distorted (sometimes I get distracted by the distorted look of my tubes or bottles... silly me, really)

Now what about the lotion.  It is clear, slightly runny and scent-free(yay to that!).  It really does look like water, albeit slightly thicker/denser.  For me, as mentioned earlier, I only need on drop for my entire face, focusing on my cheeks as they tend to be drying.  What I do is I start patting around my cheeks area before moving to my forehead and chin.  Careful to pat and not slap yourself (I have to admit, sometimes I get overzealous and ended up slapping myself... painful lei).  It does take about a minute or so for it to be fully absorbed (bearing in mind, one drop for me).  There were times the lotion came out slightly more than usual, or there are times when my skin felt as though it is not absorbing as quickly as normal, I'll just lie down on my bed and continue to pat until it turned sticky.  From thereon, I know it's gonna be fully absorbed into my skin and so I'll just continue to pat for a few moments more.  It's awesome feeling.

I'll be honest, I only use this at night and these days, on nights where I am not so lazy.  That's the main reason this bottle lasts me soooo long.  I don't really have the patience to be patting it all the way but this is what I reach out for when I feel that my skin is really dry up.  I always wake up the next day with a moisturised skin.  It's a yay when that happens.  Sometimes, what I'll do is I'll pat this in and add a sheen of moisturiser or I'll grab my sleeping mask and top it up (especially the cheeks area) when my skin is utterly dry and cracking.  I have to say, my skin turns beautiful the next day!

I did an experiment where I soak two pieces of my cotton and stuck them onto my cheeks for about 15 minutes.  After removal, I could instantly feel that my skin is "replenished".  This, I am certain, will be something that I will do on alternate days to keep my cheeks nourished and bouncy!

I am already tempted to buy the second bottle to keep but am resisting it because I have no idea when I would finish my existing bottle.  Madness really, but an utterly "smart" lotion that one must have with them.

Do you remember the ad?  Check it out below:

Essence Blusher Brush

I couldn’t resist myself when I saw this Essence’s Blusher Brush on display at Coci Coci.  I walked in, saw it and grab it without hesitation.  Part of the reason is because it was priced rather reasonably, at RM14.90, and the other reason is because it felt so soft on my skin when I tested it.

(see how fluffy it is)

When it’s used with a blusher, it works wonders.  It picks up the right amount of blush and it settles the blusher to sit nicely on my skin.  I don’t have to worry about picking up too much pigments and applying it too thick onto my cheeks.  Such a darling brush.   It also works well to blend the blusher and remove all the harsh lines.  Simple and easy to use.  

The blusher brush is pretty handy for travel use given its size.  I usually keep the plastic wrap that comes with the blusher so that I could slot it back whenever I need to travel with my brush.  Keeps the shape and I don't have to worry about it getting dirty too.

I'd say this is a good buy and I'm kinda itching to go back to Coci Coci to explore and see what they have =D 

Lisa Eldridge: Quick Smokey Eye

I really do like how Lisa Eldridge does her smokey eyes.  It was quick and simple and yet, so beautiful.  Granted, she already spent some time doing her foundation, so this makes it even quicker.  I'd love to try this out when I have the time.  Maybe this weekend when I attend some weddings *wink*

For those who do not know who Lisa Eldridge is, you can check out her biography here.