Haul: Long Time No See, Mr. Drugstore!

It's definitely been a while since I've had a proper look around drugstores as I have recently. STILL being unemployed, the department stores are becoming less and less affordable! And after having a revelation with my VIVO blush crush, I decided to hunt for some gems lurking around the aisles of Boots and Superdrug.. and this is what I came out with :)

It does make me sad that all this cost me less than a foundation I had splurged on a week earlier..

A bit of an on-trend product here, is the 17 Wild Metallic Eyes mousse eyeshadow in Wild Bronze. I've used it once, and it is a gorgeous wash of bronze that kind of creases if you put too much product - it's definitely meant for a sheer effect. I initially wanted all the colours, but after swatching, I may or may not go back for just one more - Wild Nude :)

A necessary purchase was a new topcoat, and while I used to think nothing of spending £6-7 on one, I've now resorted to £4 to save pennies anywhere I can. So I went for Rimmel's trusty 60 Seconds line's Clear polish in 740. My main objective of using a topcoat is the fast drying effect, so I thought this line (that I already have about 3 polishes from!) would be perfect :)

Need I say more? My first tube is on its way out, and with a 3 for 2 currently at Superdrug, I had to repurchase! This is my HG nude lipstick, Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Nude Delight.

Yes, that is a chafing gel - Lanacane Chafing Gel to be exact.. After being told by George that it is a great mattifying primer, I went through the slightly embarassing process of picking it up in front of 5 people in a Boots which is usually empty - I did half think she'd told me about it to put me through it all! :P It hasn't worked wonders yet, but I may be applying too little..

On the bottom there is the infamous L'oreal Super Liner - except I got the wrong shade. I got it in Black Crystals which has glitter in it and is definitely not as black as it should be. However, I bought it to have in my on-the-go make-up bag so not too fussed. Surpised to say that the applicator is quite nice!

My biggest giggle of the haul, is the Rimmel Glam' Eyes eyeshadow quad in 002 Smokey Brun. I'm pretty sure the last drugstore eyeshadow I bought was the Sleek Storm palette in Spring 2010.. so it's been a while! What made me get this was my urge for a high-end eyeshadow palette for on-the-go, which I have been trying to supress until Duty Free when I'm heading off to Japan.. so this is meant to keep me in tact until then. Not to mention, I fell in LOVE with the shades, especially the taupey shade on the left! I love the sleek packaging, but only wish it had a mirror, so it would be more on-the-go friendly!

Anything stand out to you?

What's been your favourite drugstore purchase recently? ENABLE ME! :)

<3yu

Backed Up And Ready To Go?

It's a rare occasion that I buy back-ups. I've bought back-ups of lipglosses, cleansers, toners and eyeliners that I can only get in Japan, but otherwise I think I've only bought a back-up of MAC's Vintage Selection Paint Pot because it's limited edition, and even now, I honestly don't think I'll ever get through the first pot. I always think there's so much out there to try, that sometimes it's better to let go and try other goodies before you decide it's your HG.

Surprisingly, such an open mind can sometimes leave you disappointed :P You'd be surprised how often your first instinct of deciding on a specific product is correct! There are many products that I've used once, loved it, but believed it MUST get better, and bought into the hype of another product only to return again to my original love. This could be a whole other post in itself, but today's back up is something I didn't even BOTHER to look into other products for cuz.. why should I? I bang on about it enough! :P

Rimmel London's Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight 700. We are like, soulmates.

Why did I not bother looking?

1. I've never fallen out with the shade or the formula.

2. The packaging is hardly damaged after 1.5yrs of banging round in my bag.

3. A lifespan of 30 months - no cheapo plasticy smell or melting.

Whenever I use a drugstore product, I go out to see if there is a high-end equivalent for a better packaging, a better lasting power and a better lifespan. In this case an attempt would be ridiculous, because I'd be paying more for something that I can get for £7. I know I'm a high-end lover, but I'm also not stupid :P

What is your HG/back-up worthy lippy? :)

<3yu

"Back to Japan": Cheeks

The second part of my "Back to Japan" series will be blushers and bronzers. I think in terms of make-up, they are one of my favourite things to play with, alongside foundation and powders :)

I borrowed my mom's camera which I got her for her 60th birthday present - is the quality noticeably different? It's 14.1 Megapixels, where my usual one is like 6.5 Megapixels! I haven't tested out the video quality but if it's good, I might pick one up for myself! What do you think?

Again for blusher/bronzer, I went for a wide range of colours as well as different finishes for bronzers. As you can see from the picture above, loads of different brands so I don't get bored while I'm away from the rest of my goodies! (Although it's obviously not enough to keep me from lusting after so many..)

Bronzers

L: CANMAKE Shading Powder in 02

(A matte bronzer for sharp contouring - haven't used yet :P)

C: Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

(A really soft pearly bronzer, great for everyday soft contouring - use EVERY day! Hoping to replace with NARS Casino - yay, nay?)

R: CANMAKE Bronzing Foundation in 02

(Great for when I get ridiculously pale foundation samples, just to dust it over. Otherwise it brings out the yellow undertones in my skin way too much if I use it as a contour - therefore my choice of NARS Casino over Laguna!)

L to R: CANMAKE Foundation 02, CANMAKE Shading Powder 02, Rimmel Medium Matte.

Blushers

L: NIVEA Stay Real Blush in Shades of Rose

(Was a candidate for a natural blush for my graduation - haven't worn yet!)

C: Melliesh Blush in Burnt Orange

(Good to have to warm up blushers or to use alone)

R: Illamasqua Cream Blush in Rude

(No need for a brush/good summer colour = no way I was leaving it behind :))

L: NARS Luster

(My blush lover since I got it - been wearing it almost everyday! Lovely natural sun tan peach :))

C: NARS Orgasm

(My favourite pink blusher, had to come with!)

R: NARS Torrid

(Was my go to blush until Luster - atm wondering if it's a bit too clowny for my tan.)

L to R: Melliesh, Illamasqua, Nivea (darker shade), Nivea (lighter shade), NARS Luster, NARS Torrid, NARS Orgasm

So there you go! :) That's what I brought back with me, and I probably could've done without the Nivea or the Melliesh blush, and maybe even the CANMAKE stuff - but that may change as my skin is getting lighter again!

What have your go-to blusher/bronzer been recently? :)

<3yu

"Back to Japan": Lips

With the limited amount of make up I have here with me in Tokyo, I decided to do a series to show you guys things that I've brought back with me :) I didn't wanna do it all at once because, let's face it, I didn't bring THAT little so I thought it best to do it in categories! Hopefully it'll trigger some review requests or post ideas - if you have  any please let me know!

Anyway I decided to kick it off with lips - I didn't include lipbalms, but here are the lippies and lipglosses that have made the trip back with me :)

Lipsticks

Left to Right:

* Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight 700

(for my everyday beige nude)

* 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Beehive

(for my everyday, glossy pink nude)

* GSpot Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Lustrus

(not actually sure why this came with..)

* MAC Amplified Lipstick in Warm Me Up (LE)
(MLBB colour, was a candidate for graduation lipstick)

* MAC Matte Lipstick in Please Me

(bright but dusky pink!)

* MAC Amplified Lipstick in Vegas Volt

(for the brave summer day cravings of reddish coral)

(Rimmel Nude Delight; 17 Beehive; GSpot Lustrus; MAC Warm Me Up; MAC Please Me; MAC Vegas Volt)


Summery colours? Meh, some of them. But I tried to choose on the basis of "what if" - what if I feel like wearing this, what if I start wanting this - so I tried to cover the spectrum in shades. I just wish I had something like MAC's Ever Hip or TopShop's Ooh La La - a pinky peach/peachy pink - anyone have suggestions? :P

I would've done the same in finishes, but I usually love pigmented lips, and 17 Beehive is the only glossy one I have - I'd love more tbh, so please let me know if you have any suggestions for that as well! :)

Lipglosses

Left to Right

* The Body Shop Love Gloss in 17

(it goes with anything and it's also gorgeous alone!)

* Jemma Kidd Hi-Shine Silk Touch Lipgloss in 15 Coral

(just in case I didn't feel like Vegas Volt ;) )

(The Body Shop 17; Jemma Kidd 15 Coral)

To be honest I haven't worn either of the lipglosses.. no idea why! Sometimes I think glosses look too wet, and I suppose in this humidity (it was 91% the other night!) I'm trying to keep my body to look as dried and unmoist as possible! :P

On that gross note, what have your lipstick/lipgloss picks been recently? :)

<3yu

June Favourites!

June was a weird month - the weather was weird, my schedule was weird, leaving uni has been weird - it's generally been weird.

My make-up habits has been unusual as well, as I started June with exams, went on holiday for a week, had breaks inbetween and am now off on a holiday in Malta (I should be on a plane atm, screaming obscenities at the turbulence.. as you do) - so lots of inconsistencies and not being in front of my vanity.

That being said, it's kinda shed light to what I have TRULY loved! This favourites is a bit unstructured for that reason, and is just a general bunch of products I've been really impressed by - not necessarily my favourite blush, my favourite eyeshadow, my favourite foundation etc., etc., :) Enjoy!

Here are some better pics of the individual products :)

MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque

Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

UNE SkinGlow Pencil in G04

MAC Eyeshadow in Patina

MAC Eyeshadow in Honesty

MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt

Also, I've decided I'll start popping up some links to some blogs that I've discovered and/or loved that month, so here goes this month's selection :)

It's the Pretty Things

Oh So Fresh As A Daisy...

Gorgeous M.E.

All these bloggers are lovely people who I've had a chance to get to know on Twitter - definitely go check them out! :)

What were your favourite products this month? :)

<3yu

A Bronzer Phase

A year ago, I don't think I knew what bronzer was! Recently I've been going through a bronzer phase, lusting after bronzers left right and centre! I kinda got this idea from Tiffany, who did a post on her favourite bronzers - I'm 99.9% sure her post is what triggered my bronze lust!

Before I show you the wishlist, I'll show you my collection.. because of my late start on this wonderful tool, my collection is quite lacking..

Clockwise from Top: Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer, CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation, CANMAKE Shading Powder

Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

This has been my go-to bronzer for the past month or so - it has a slight pearlescent finish (NOT matte :P) that makes it great for a soft contour. The pigmentation isn't superb, but it's not so bad that you can't get any colour - it's right inbetween, which makes it a no brainer bronzer.

CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation in Copper Bronze 02

This has almost a yellow tone to it, which makes it more of a tanner for me. If a foundation is a bit light, or if I've fake-tanned a bit much, I can dust this over my face and it brings my face back to the right colour. Handy, but I don't reach for it too often.

CANMAKE Shading Powder in 02

This is my favourite matte bronzer, that I use mostly for a sharp contour. It is so finely milled and pigmented, and works great with a MAC 109.

Hard Candy Baked Blush in Bombshell (left)

This one is more of a copper-toned blusher, in that it has a sheen to it, so it can't really be used as a contour, but it works as a bronzer on the cheeks. It's great for a sunkissed look, but sometimes I find it a bit difficult to pull of because of the reddish tones.

MAC MSF in So Ceylon (right)

This is another blusher-type product, but definitely no good for contour. It has more of a pink to it than Hard Candy Bombshell, which makes it a bit easier to wear. That being said, it has the same purpose of giving me a sunkissed look, or for subtle cheeks when I have a lot going on with my eyes/lips.

L to R: CANMAKE Shading Powder, CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation, Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer, Hard Candy Bombshell, MAC So Ceylon.

I think my two favourite bronzers are the CANMAKE Shading Powder and the Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer - those 2 I will more than happily repurchase!

So what am I missing?

The first on my wishlist is the Chanel Soleil tan de Chanel - the infamous cream bronzer. This is mainly for the fact that it's cream, and for its multipurpose functions i.e. as a base, to darken foundation, etc.,

The second is NARS Laguna. I'd like something that's not completely matte but not completely shimmery, and I love the NARS blushers so much that it wouldn't make sense not to try the bronzers!

There's a tie in third place, and that's between Benefit's Hoola and Dior's Original Tan. They are both quite matte, but the thing with Dior's Original Tan is that there are lighter shades that I could use for a subtle contour, where as Hoola is a pretty standard contour, like my CANMAKE Shading Powder - that being said, it's hard to miss out on a raved-about bronzer like Hoola!

What is your favourite bronzer? Any other bronzers that should be on my wishlist? :)

<3yu

5 Beauty Exam Stress Saviours

-Sigh-, I am done with exams. The relief is tremendous!

Anyway, I just wanted to give a bit of a thank you to some things that I felt helped me to keep feeling good about myself and looking, well, decent (at best) throughout the exam period!

All these things are really easy to use, fast to use, made me feel (and hopefully look) 10x better, and are things that I'll turn to when I'm stressed in the future! (It wont be from exams, I'll tell you that much :D)

* MAC Studio Moisture Tint with SPF15 in Medium Dark

There's no particular reason why it has to be the MAC Studio Moisture Tint - it's just the tinted moisturizer that I use, but I do appreciate that it has SPF15 :) It was great for just popping out for a coffee break, and it's super easy to use with fingers, and just evens out the skin-tone with a semi-matte finish.

* Bourjois Compact Powder in 73 Miel Dore

I buffed this in after using a very rich moisturizer like the Boots Botanics Day Shift Moisturizing Cream or the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturizer for Normal/Combination skin, and it gave me a bit more coverage than the MAC Studio Tint. Again, great for coffee breaks, quick and easy.

* Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzing Compact Powder in Medium Matte

I'm not a fan of this when applying a harsh contour with a MAC 109, but it is amazing to use as a soft contour with a powder brush like a MAC 129. It claims to be matte but it has the littlest amount of a pearlescent finish, which I think adds to the glow that a natural contour gives. A shimmery bronzer would be overboard, a matte bronzer would look muddy and flat.

Swatch: Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzing Compact in Medium Matte

* Body Shop Born Lippy in Watermelon and Pink Guava (latter not pictured)

I leaned towards the fruity scented lip balms, because they are so refreshing! I feel like sugary ones make you lethargic and minty ones are too dynamic and harsh on the monotonous life of a studying student.. Also, I love these lip balms in general - definitely one of my faves!

* ELF Studio Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter in Medium 

I was flabbergasted when 27vampyr said in her recent monthly favourites video that the concealer end had caffeine in it - the last time I had used it was when I wasn't suffering from tired eyes so I hadn't noticed the kick, and I had always used my Bobbi Brown concealer because I wanted the coverage for my dark circles. This concealer does not give great coverage - but the caffeine is AMAZING. It really kicks your eyes awake! Although this isn't high coverage, it leaves a very natural finish - you could definitely layer a cream concealer on top.

Top: Highlighter, Bottom: Concealer.

So there you have it :)

What beauty products and tips do you use to get you through stressful times? :)

<3yu

Spring Nails! - Rimmel Lycra Pro Aqua Cool :)

I'm back with another nail post - yaaaaay :). So if you haven't seen my haul post from the other day (here), I picked up some of the new Rimmel Lycra Pro Professional Finish nailpolishes! I tried one out last night and fell in LOOOOOVE, as I do with most Rimmel polishes, so I thought I'd show you guys :)

Here I've got Rimmel's Lycra Pro Professional Finish in 420 Aqua Cool, which is like a cobalt blue (which I usually hate, but how lovely is it for a Spring-time nail colour?), and Rimmel's 60 Seconds Nail Polish in 405 Rose Libertine, which is like a warm milky mid-tone pink :)

I absolutely ADORE the new Lycra Pro, and have always loved the 60 Seconds one. They both have the same wide brush that makes application so easy, the formulation for both are just the right consistency - not too runny, not too thick, and they both dry quite quickly (quick enough for my patience standards, which is quite impressive really) and finish with a natural gloss.

However, the Lycra Pro in Aqua Cool (not sure about the other colours) was a bit sheerer than 60 Seconds, although 3 layers did the trick :) I couldn't tell you about the 10 day lasting claim, but we'll see! They did increase the amount from 8mL to 12mL as you can see from the bottle sizes - I don't know why, but fine with me! :P

I would definitely recommend checking the new Lycra Pro out, they have very unique colours such as the one above. I think this one was the most unique out of them all, but they also did have one which looked like a very close dupe to Barry M's Dusky Mauve. But because I love this formula and brush so much more, I can see myself getting the Rimmel one rather than the Barry M ones. Also, these are on offer at the moment at Superdrug for 3 for 2 (which works out at about £9) so there's my tip for the day ;)

Have you tried any Rimmel polishes? What are your recent nailpolish loving guys? :)

<3yu

Spring Polishes from Rimmel! :)

Guys, I am seriously in love with the sun recently - in LOVE. This morning my boyfriend and I took a very scenic and cheery walk through campus to Tesco, and on the way stopped by Boots and I indulged myself in some Rimmel polishes, as they currently are on 3 for 2!

L: I Love Lasting Finish in 260 Green Grass, C: 60 Seconds in 405 Rose Libertine, R: 60 Seconds in 430 Coralicious

Last Spring I tried my first Rimmel polishes and I loved them, especially the 60 Seconds one - they are so incredibly easy to apply due to the brush shape, dries quickly and are easy to take off. And you only need 2 coats, which I find sometimes isn't enough for even OPI. I've never tried the Lasting Finish ones, but I'm excited to!

I get the impression that Rimmel polishes are great for bright vibrant colours, as the other 2 I have are turquoise and milky coral, and probably explains why I don't really turn to them outside of Spring/Summer. There were loads of others that I wanted too, so I may be going back - may be worth a check for you too!

Anyway, I've just put on Coralicious and it is GORGEOUS. Will probably do a post on each of these, but wanted to give everyone a heads up on the 3 for 2 offer. The 60 Seconds are £3.69 each, and the I Love Lasting Finish is £2.99. If I may say so, I much prefer Rimmel polishes over Barry M!

Have you tried Rimmel nail polishes? :)

<3yu

The Perfect Spring Nude Lip?

Nude lips are so easy yet so difficult - once you find the right one for you, it goes with anything. But that search for 'the one' is ever so hard!

This lipstick, however, has gotten lots of attention on YouTube as a good nude for a lot of people, but hasn't gotten much attention recently, so I wanted to bring it back as a suggestion for your Spring-time make up hunt :)

 Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight 700

This was my first ever perfect nude, and it turns out to be the perfect Spring/Summer nude as it has a bit of a peachy tone and is quite warm. The lasting power I feel is incredible for a drugstore lippie, as it's almost like MAC lipsticks in that they are a teeny bit dry (have NO idea why they call it Moisture Renew). The packaging is so pretty and so flashy, and the lid clicks on so it'll never fall off in your bag.

The only thing people may complain about is the smell, which smells a bit like sunscreen.. but I personally quite like it :P

This is a lippie I'll probably repurchase for the rest of my life - I love it! Here are some swatches:

 

Wearing with a full face of make-up :)

Will you be trying out the old classic?

What's your favourite Spring-time nude? :)

<3yu

Favourite Products of 2010!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my Hiatus post. I've been having a great time with my family, but today we're having a chill night so I thought I'd take the time and figure out what my favourite products of 2010 are :)

This is honestly my first year being truly into make up and I think I started around March/April-ish, and it completely sky-rocketed after the creation of my YouTube channel in May. So you'll find that a lot of the things I put in here are things that I bought in the last half a year so.. excuse me if it's not ALL of 2010 :P

Enough babbling I think! :)

The Runners Up - in no particular order are..

(Top L clockwise: MaxFactor False Lash Effect; MAC Satin Taupe e/s; Duo-Fibre Stippling Brush; ELF Eyeshadow Brush; Sleek Storm Palette)

MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara I think it just a great all-around mascara, that helps to enhance rather than make me look unnatural. Love it.

MAC Satin Taupe deserves all the raving it gets - it's a brilliant colour, hard to dupe, and has been one of my go-to autumn/winter colour!

The Duo-Fibre Brush is something that changed how I see foundation - it's so much more fun and stress-free because of this brush :)

The ELF Eyeshadow Brush is the best e/s brush I had for a while in terms of quality and price, and is something I wouldn't throw away even if I have the MAC 239 now.

The Sleek Storm Palette probably leading the way as it is one of my first palettes, incredibly useful, and just so well-rounded.

Tied for 4th Place are..

 (L: Rimmel London's Nude Delight No. 700 & R: Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette)

Rimmel London's Nude Delight Lipstick No. 700 is my perfect nude that I have been searching so long for. I've never looked back on the day I got this and it was my go-to lipstick over the summer! It's hybernating atm and replaced by MAC's The Faerie Glen, as Nude Delight is very much a summer nude, but it will come back in a couple of months I'm sure :)

Coastal Scents' 28 Neutral Palette - you've heard me rave about this in the review. Go check it out here! :) In short, extremely usable, value for money, alternative while I grow my MAC collection, allows for new looks with matte colours, and everything else wonderful :)

3rd Place is also a tie with..

(LOL I'm such a cheat!)

 (L: MAC Blush in Style & R: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus)

MAC Blush in Style is my one and only MAC blush, and it has been that way for so long because it's my go-to blush, I love it, I know it looks good on me, and.. well, I love it.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish is like the stock room people in stores that you always forget exists but would be hopeless without! :P Something I reach for everyday, and something that is just so beautifully subtle and unnoticeable. It's light, it's barely there but has very good coverage.. I'm not sure what to say, I think other lovers out there know what I mean lol I forget its existence but does its job.. this is making me confused! LOL!

2nd Place goes to..

The Bodyshop Seaweed Series

This changed my skin. I'm sure the meds from the dermatologist did too, but this just cleanses my skin and maintains it so well. It just washes it to the right level - not too harsh, not too useless. It does the perfect middle ground for me, I feel like I'm just washing my face with water but.. better lol. God I really am confusing myself here..

& Favourite Product of the Year goes to..

MAC Studio Finish Concealer with SPF 15 in NC35

Alongside the Bodyshop Seaweed series, this concealer helped repair my teenage-acne prone skin both physically and emotionally (too deep Yu, too deep). Whenever I used other concealers and saw that they didn't cover my scars, I was very conscious of it and felt like my scars were too big to be covered, and therefore I required more coverage than everyone else cuz everyone else didn't seem to have scars. Guess they were using MAC Studio Finish Concealer :P

So there ya go! :) My lovely best friends of my make-up bag & sink (haha) - hope you guys enjoyed!

If you have any questions about the products, do feel free to ask :) & don't forget to link me to your yearly favourites! :)

<3yu

P.S. Keep an eye out for a video on this :)

FOTD: 11.15.10 - 'Day' look from E.L.F's Day2Night Quad

Hey guys (especially to the 6 of you following me - yay!),
So I haven't really bought anything over the past 2 days, so I thought I'd do something I've never done before - a Face of the Day.

 Products used:

- E.L.F Brightening Eye Color in Day2Night

 &

- MAC Blush in Style

- Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 077 Asia

Close-ups!

(It's a bit darker in real life.. See first picture!)

I really like this look because it's really subtle, but because it's shimmery and it has that tint of cool-brown/taupe in it,  it's not too boring and has a wintery feel. I used the three lightest colours in the quad - the cream in the inner 2/3, the shimmery brown in the crease and the dark plum in the outer corner. The lipstick is one of my favourites at the moment, because it ties in with the cool-ness of my eyes, and it's quite close to my natural lip colour so it doesn't look overdone. I think natural/dark lips are go-to for winter - I've ditched my nude lipstick this season, which has never happened before! EVER!

I'm hoping to make another post tonight with my 'Night' look as I am off out to a pub for a social! I'm quite curious about the dark grey, thinking of putting that along my lash line to smoke out my liner :)

Do you have an E.L.F Brightening Eye Color, and which ones your favourite?


<3yu

P.S. Check the left-hand side for the Picture of the Day - HOW GOOD DOES THAT DONUT LOOK? (Bf shot me a death stare when he realised I was taking pictures.. he thinks I'm submitting to my racial stereotype.. lol.)