Reviews and Other Stuff

FASHION & BEAUTY

Pony Makeup Book Review

pony pony makeup book

 

Hey makeup addicts! I’ve been obsessing about these books lately, and OMG these are really great makeup books, probably one of the best I’ve ever perused. These are by the famous Korean makeup artist Pony, or Pony Pony. Ask me why her name’s like that? I have no idea. Perhaps she was originally thinking of a Unicorn, but forgot the term. LOL! ย She does have her own Korean name, Hye-Min Park. In case you didn’t know about her, well, she’s very famous in Korea, not just for her pretty face but also for her amazing makeup techniques, specially the Asian/Korean makeup style. She has a youtube channel wherein she talks about makeup tutorials and an instagram account. (Just type Pony Makeup in youtube.) She’s also CL’s makeup artist. You know CL? of 2NE1?ย 

I just recently discovered Pony but I already love everything about her. These books, although was originally written in Korean, translated to Chinese and is currently available in Amazon, is such a gem to have. With its gorgeous step by step photos of how to’s and Pony’s pretty face, you certainly won’t mind that it’s written in a foreign language.

 

pony pony makeup book

 

 

Even ifย you don’t understand Korean or Chinese, as long as you love makeup, specially Asian or natural-looking makeup, then these books will serve your purpose. What I love about these are the vastย amount of photos that areย self-explanatoryย to create different looks, and they’re almost all natural in effect. No knowledge of Chinese or Korean words needed. As you all know, Asians love the dewy skin look and not so much with mattes, which I adore because dewy skin means not-so-flat face, it creates angles, depths, and dimensions while looking luminous at the same time, but of course, you gotta be careful when you’re the oily-type.ย 

Also, in these books, you’ll learn how to apply asian eye makeup properly, learning how to create the illusion of wider or bigger eyes, contouring, lip application and some other things, these also includes the brands of makeup used. Oh! They’re really useful.

 

pony makeup book

 

These books come with CDs for more makeup tutorials. Most of the models photographed in these books are mostly Pony herself. These are earlier books she had released. She has gone into producing a lot more since then, and even now has her own makeup line. Such talent, indeed.

I would love to have my hands on all of her books, specially the latest ones, but I guess I’ll just have to wait for when I get to visit my previous home in Asia again. For now, if you want these books, amazon is the best place to go. You can purchase the books above HERE and HERE.

Are you also a fan of Asian Makeup?ย 

 

Thanks for dropping by guys!

See yah!

 

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Chanel Stylo Fresh Effect Eyeshadow Review

chanel stylo fresh effect eyeshadow reviews

 

Hello November! New month, new eyeshadows! and it’s from Chanel. Today we’re gonna be talking about the Chanel Stylo Fresh Effect Eyeshadow. I got three of them that I’ve been using lately, namely; Brun Chatain (brown), Beige Dore (Gold), and Laurier Rose (Peachy Rose).

They’re very similar to Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick and Marc Jacobs’ Twinkle Pop Stick Eyeshadow in the sense that they’re both cream eyeshadows in a stick/pen-style applicator. But they differ a lot by their respective formulations. I have reviewed the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks HERE and the Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pops HERE. Now, it’s time to scrutinize Chanel’s Stylo Fresh Effect Eyeshadow.ย 

 

chanel stylo fresh effect eyeshadow brun chatain beige dore laurier rose

 

The colors that I picked up are extremely wearable, be it by any skin tone. They have a cooling effect on the lid once applied, just like Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop, which is really awesome because they indeed give a fresh effect on the lid. Somehow, these eyeshadows are slightly easier to blend than Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop, but they’reย not as super blendable as Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick. It’s gonna take a few more strokes of a blending brush to get these babies to blend, but once they’reย blended, they’ll create a very natural and complementing tone on the eyes. They’reย creamy, yes, but they don’t budge nor smudge. Theyย stay put for a long time and they don’t have any scent. The Stylo way of applying these eyeshadows allow for a more precise application, although, if you have small eyes, Asian eyes, etc… you might still need to master how to apply these precisely. Using a brush won’t hurt. ๐Ÿ™‚

 

chanel stylo fresh effect eyeshadow swatches

 

  • Brun ChatainSlightly shimmery brown. A great wearable brown for everyday eye makeup. I like this for eyelid contouring, and it’s also soft enough for a daytime wear. A basic and a must-have.
  • Beige DoreNude-Beige Gold Shimmer. Great for highlighting around the inner eye, but due to my medium-tone skin, this has the tendency to blend in with my skin. I usually just add more of it to emphasize its shade more. Still, so good for day to day looks.
  • Laurier RoseShimmery Peachy Antique Rose. Interesting shade and very beautiful in person. I thought this was gonna make me look like a crime scene victim ๐Ÿ™‚ but nope. It looks gorge on medium skin, and it’s not that reddish. It just gives enough warmth to my skin and it looks unique.ย 

 

chanel stylo eyeshadow brun chatain beige dore laurier rose

 

These are really great eyeshadows, they save time, they’re easy to use and they’re more precise to apply than the usual powder ones. I love the array of shades that Chanel provided for this line, even though most of them are limited editions. But if you’d ask me whether I’d prefer these over Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop Eyeshadow or Laura Mercier Caviar Stick, I think Nope. I like these a lot, but if I have to choose only one, I would pickย Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks, because they seem to be slightly more pigmented and more blendable than the others.

 

So, which ones do you prefer among the three? Have you tried these?

 

‘Till next time…

 

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Sephora Play! October 2016

sephora play october

 

Trick or Treat! Hey guys Happy Halloween! Before we end this month, I’d like to share with you my Sephora Play October Box contents. For the life of me, I don’t know why it took so long for this particular box to arrive. But better “almost late” than never, right? Anyways, this month’s box is themed “The Cool Cut” or “The Shades of Cool.” It’s all about the next big thing, the next cool product to watch for.

At first, I wasn’t sure about the contents that I got from this month’s box. I was a bit confused as to what they are, what they’re meant to be, and to be honest, I was expecting more lipsticks and more makeups, but I realize that it’s all about skincare, or at least that was my first impression.

 

sephora play october box review

 

  1. BLINC. Mascara Amplified – Meant to be water-resistant and easy to remove mascara that won’t smudge or flake. For me, this feels like any other good mascara, the applications was easy, separated my lashes fairly well,ย non-clumpy, but it didn’t add volume. It’s indeed easy to remove as claimed. FYI: the packaging takes a lot of patience to open. Wink!
  2. CHRISTOPHE ROBIN – Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil. A hair mask that’s meant to strengthen your hair and enhances its color. At first, I really thought that this was a facial moisturizer, I guess because of its packaging and its delightful baby powder scent. But thank god I stopped myself and read the instructions. Apparently, it’s a mask that you apply on your hair right after shampooing. Then leave it on for a while and rinse. The result is tamed and relaxed-looking gorgeous hair. I love this!
  3. SKIN INC. Pure Revival Peel – A non-abrasive gentle peel from Japan. I wasn’t so sure about this at first as well. I thought this was still gonna be harsh as a peel, but since I’ve tried it, I’m definitely hooked. Just apply a bit on your skin, leave it for 10 seconds, massage in circular motion and voila! I literally saw tiny pieces of my dead skin sloughing gently. It does a really great job at exfoliating and can be used 2-3 x per week. I highly recommend this.
  4. YVES SAINT LAURENT. Mon Paris – A fruity-floral fragrance that reminds me of those concoction of scents you’d smell every time you enter a Sephora. ๐Ÿ™‚ I lurve it!
  5. BELIF. The True Cream Aqua Bomb – Dry skin rejoice! this lightweight gel-cream moisturizer from Korea has the right kind of thickness that delivers extreme hydration to skin. So good for this dropping temps. It can also work as a mask. I really like this moisturizer’s formulation, and I’m thinking of getting its full size.
  6. SMASHBOX. Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick in Driver’s Seat – Reviewed HERE.

smashbox always on drivers seat

 

Verdict: I thought I wasn’t gonna like this month’s Sephora Play box, but I was wrong. It’s nice to learn, try and see new and innovative products each month, and it’s also very interesting to see what other brands of skin care can offer nowadays. For this month’s box, my likes are: Christophe Robin’s Regenerating Mask with Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Skin Inc Pure Revival Peel, and Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb. Oh and add YSL’s Mon Paris Perfume.

 

Alright guys, HAPPY HALLOWEEN again! Trick or Treat! Chicken Feet!

 

Bye October, Hello November!

L.

 

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