Long time no see!

I thought I'd start the year right by getting right back into blogging and what better way to do that than by showing you new some new acquisitions.

Some time in October, I went to Tokyo and I picked up a bunch of stuff. Most of them I'd given away as presents, but I kept these two for myself. I've been using the Rimmel Cream Cheek in 004 Sunkissed Cherry a lot and I really like how the formula toes the line between a liquid tint and a cream. It is quite sheer, but buildable, and the color is something like maraschino cherry syrup.

I also picked up the Canmake Gokubuto Mascara. I was in need of something new as my Fairydrops one had dried out and I picked this up because it had a sticker on it that says it won awards from Cosme. I've used it a couple of times and while I'm not a fan of a waterproof formula (too difficult to remove), I like how defined and nicely separated my lashes looked.

These Crabtree & Evelyn Nail Polishes in 801761 Apple/Rouge Sublime and 801721 Pomegranate/Prune and this Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed Hand Cream was gifted by an aunt of mine and it came in the cutest tin too! I haven't tried any of them yet though so I'll have to see before saying anything.

Not too long ago, Kiko Cosmetics opened their first store here in Hong Kong (quite possibly their first store in Asia).The prices were reasonable and I've only ever heard good things about Kiko, so I decided to give their stuff a go. I bought their Universal Fit Hydrating Foundation in Warm Beige 15 and two of their Creamy Color Comfort Lip Liners in 303 and 305. I'm waiting for the weather to get warmer before I give you my thoughts on the foundation. However, I have tried the red lip liner and it is very pigmented and long lasting.

They had the entire Rebel Romantic collection on display at the Kiko store and I just had to have this lipstick. You might remember the Intensely Lavish Lipstick in 01  Lusty Peony from my wishlist. It is absolutely gorgeous. I keep taking and out and staring at it and playing with the *gasp* magnetic lid. More on this as I get some use out of it.

I bought a few other pieces for some of my friends while I was at Kiko and my bill was something just over HK$330. The lady at the cashier told me I could pick out any item from the store with a star on it as a gift with purchase. I chose the Lucious Cream - Creamy Lipstick in 512 Plum which retailed for HK$79 and I got it for free. Great deal and a nice way to get people interested in their brand.

Over Christmas, I was in California with my family and I was given this cute set of mini eyeshadows from Bare Minerals in the shades Cultured Pearl (an incandescent pink), Blissful Pearl (a shimmery sand color), and Magnificent Pearl (a pearly taupe). I've never tried mineral makeup or loose eyeshadows so they should be very interesting.

I finally picked up my first real eye brow product! This is the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Chocolate. I've used it twice now and I've been liking it so far. It's hard to go overboard with this because the nib is so small. I particularly like the spoolie at the end that has very short bristles. Brilliant for blending in brow products.

 

These were a few small things I thought would be useful somewhere down the road. The Fresh Roll-on Perfume in Brown Sugar smells sweet, as you would expect, but not cloyingly so. It smells of something like cotton candy with an undertone of something fruity. I bought a Real Techniques Setting Brush for my friend and ended up getting one for myself. It's a great size and shape for under the eyes and for applying highlighter.

Hands down, the most extravagant thing I bought is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit. This limited edition goes for US$80 + tax, but how pretty is this palette? I know I do not need three powders and I do not even use bronzer. I had every intention of ignoring it an chalking up my interest to all the hype and attention this baby got from all the bloggers and vloggers, but it was too beautiful. I went to Sephora thrice on my trip and each time, this baby called out to me with its siren song of marbled blushes, illuminating powders, and sleek chic packaging. It didn't help at all that the powders were so finely milled and the blushes were that pigmented. I fully intend to get my money's worth out of this and so help me I will hit pan!

Here's to hoping I blog more regularly this year (and I get lots of use out of all of this stuff haha). I also hope your year will turn out beautifully and that only good things come your way.

Hello, hello, hello, everyone~

I cannot believe how close we are to the Holidays! Well, not really, but close enough for me to start thinking about what to get people for Christmas and what I'm thinking of getting myself for my birthday. I really enjoyed writing my wish list last year so I thought I'd do it again! Aside from that, a few of my friends and relatives said they found it very useful because normally I'm pretty hard to shop for. So they say anyway :)) Last year, I managed to buy or be given half of the things I put on my wish list . I was even able to get two bottles Laneige Water Bank Essence (one I bought myself, and another was gifted me) so hopefully, I get just as lucky this year~

If anything else, this is just an excuse to talk about things I love reading reviews about, swatching repeatedly if there's a counter nearby, and staring at longingly through my computer screen if it's not available here. I have tried some of these products and found that I really liked them, but most of them have been just out of reach. *Finger crossed that I go on a trip where they're available and have enough cash*

REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

You may remember seeing this in my skincare post and NY mini haul. I put a tiny, tiny dollop on my finger and massage it in with dampened hands. It brightens, tightens, smoothens, and rejuvenates tired skin. I've been using it for several weeks now and I absolutely love it. Because I only have the sample though, I use it once a week as opposed to the recommended thrice a week. Even then I only use the tiniest amount because it feels like such a precious product. What I would do for a full-sized version of this *sigh*

Laneige Pore Minimizing Pack

I came home from a tiring commute home earlier this year and I felt like all the dirt of the world was on my face. Even after a bath and cleansing my face, I still felt a bit grungy and gross. I borrowed my cousin, Kim's tube of this and was blown away. It pulled out all the impurities leaving my skin clean. I was very surprised by how tightening it was and how baby soft and smooth my skin felt after. On a side note, Kim has a lovely blog if you want to check her out here.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup in Beige #20

I cannot even count how many times I've swatched this at the Chanel counter. It's so beautifully lightweight and blends like a dream. The coverage is much higher than most people expect from such a thin formula and it's buildable too. I have wanted this for years and years, but seeing as it is pretty expensive, I probably won't get my hands on it any time soon. Still, it's nice to have things to look forward to having someday.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation in #52

Having said that about the Vitalumiere Aqua, this is something with a more forgiving price tag that is pretty good as well. I'm a very big fan of the 10-Hour Sleep Effect Foundation, but I've been looking for something that's more hydrating. It isn't high coverage by any means, but it is very good at giving you a glowing skin-like finish. The formula is said to be very gentle as well and is good for people with more sensitive skin.

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer

Very recently, I've changed my mind about this highlighter. When I first swatched it on the back of my hand I found it way too glittery, but when I tried it out on my face it was a whole other story. The glitter isn't harsh at all and it gives you that gorgeous cheek highlight that's brighter than your future. From what I've seen, it photographs beautifully too.

Clinique Cheek Pop in #03 Berry Pop 

It's been pointed out to me recently (hi, Poreen) that I wear a lot of blush. While I never skip this step, it isn't one of those bits of makeup that I think about quite so much. I'm looking to expand my collection a tad and this is at the top of my blush wish list. It's much brighter than I would normally go for, but still very wearable. The reviews I've read have raved about how pigmented, buildable and, blendable this is and the wear-time wasn't bad either.

By Terry Ombre Black Star in #05 Misty Rock

I have to confess that this is on the list because I've seen it way too many times on way too many blogs and YouTube videos. It looks absolutely amazing on so many different people and is a multi-dimensional color that changes up depending on your coloring. It looks so easy to blend and is touted as a longwearing eyeshadow.

RMK W Color Mascara in #03 Blue & Violet

More often than not this year, I've reached for an earth-toned eyeshadow and kept my eyeliner colors neutral. Aside from my makeup having to be work and interview appropriate,a lot of my old bright eye products have become hard or patchy. I've been in need of an update. I came across these when my friend was asking for a recommendation for a pink or red mascara. This was extremely pigmented in the swatches I saw and I wanted them instantly.

Covergirl Star Wars Mascara in Dark Side

I can't believe The Force Awakens is coming out in two months! But before I runaway with my feelings, let's talk about this mascara. The Covergirl Super Sizer mascara is out in a special edition Star Wars TFA version. It's a wet formula, which lengthens and volumizes. Reviews were mixed on this one, mostly because of how it applies, but for as long as you know your way around a mascara wand, I don't think it should be a problem. If you're interested in this, there are a bunch of tutorials and exclusive content on the official Tumblr which are worth checking out.

Kiko Intensely Lavish Lipstick in #01 Lusty Peony

I don't know how I managed to only have one lip product on this list. What has come over me? :))  Kiko is a great brand and I have such a hard time keeping myself from wanting so much of their stuff. Just look at this gorgeous lipstick: The color is mauve-rose and is said to be very buttery and opaque. Then of course there is that absolutely beautiful rose gold packaging. Love the Art Deco vibe of the lip which is *gasp* magnetic. It's such a lovely product especially for at that price-point (GDP 6.90)

This year, I was way more selective of what I wanted to put on this list. At one point I had 30-40 things on my list. I took out a bunch of stuff that was just pretty to look at, but I really had no intention of buying or really using and knocked out a few things that were just repurchases. I'm thinking of putting the things I want to repurchase in a separate post sometime soon~

What are you bb's looking to get this year? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear from you!

Hello everyone!

Today I wanted to go into my skin care routine. This was brought about by the particularly good skin days I’ve been having and I think (hope and pray) they’re here to stay. 

My current cleanser of choice is the QV Face Gentle Cleanser. I’d been using this for years and years and I find the formula a little heavier and more moisturizing than something like Cetaphil. Once a week, I use the Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial after I wash my face at night. This stuff is amazing, it leaves the skin looking really healthy and feeling very smooth. It can be a bit tightening though and I'm not sure I'm a fan of that. 

The Skin Food Black Sugar Mask is supposed to be for the face, but I find it a little too strong on me. However it does make a really good body scrub and I’ve really enjoyed using this in the shower. It melts away after you scrub and smells amazing. Most days though I just use the fish-shaped silicone exfoliator. It’s softer than it looks so it does a good job of removing dead skin without being too rough.

On the face, I’ve been using Laneige Water Bank Essence_EX whenever I’ve needed moisturizing. I also like patting it into my skin over my foundation for extra moisture and a light glowing look. The Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel is a little too thick and it doesn’t absorb so well on my face, but it is perfect for the body especially in the summer. I especially love using it after I shave my legs or exfoliate as it leaves everything feeling very supple.

When I feel like having a mask, I use a sheet mask or the Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. Not super fond of the smell, but it’s very good at making skin look plump, healthy, and glowy. When I don’t feel like using something as precious and expensive, I mix honey with olive oil (at a ratio of 2:1). It’s rejuvenating and really moisturizing and cheap, cheap, cheap.

I use the Murad Essential-C toner for days when I have break outs, making sure I only run it over the areas where the pimples and pigmentation are. My skin tends to get dry and patchy if I use this all over. This is more of a night-time thing as it does have vitamin C. I use Bioderma Créaline H2O to remove makeup. I used to use the Sensibio, which was too strong for me (read the review here). Shifted to the Créaline, loved it. I’m on my second bottle now!

Lastly, and I really felt this was worth a mention, is the Muji Cotton Puffs. To be perfectly honest, this was a splurge-y purchase (not all that expensive, but more than I would pay for cotton anyway). It is just cotton, but this is just so soft. I’ve had cotton pads that have felt abrasive when I rubbed them on my face, I don't have that problem with these. I justify this by thinking, “well, it’s 129 pieces and they’re soft af.”

Here's to more good skin days~