Reviews and Other Stuff

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour Part 2

January 17, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Blue Hydrangea, Cashmere Cologne and White Sunshine (LDR) … oh hi there! Dreaming of summer already? I know, I know… just hold on, this chilly weather will be over soon. For the mean time, let’s enjoy some bright and glittery eyeshadows to brighten our day. Owkie dowkie?

I’ve added three more colors to my collection of Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colours. I just can’t get enough of these eyeshadow sticks. They’re sooo good and I’m hooked. If you’ve read my previous review of these eyeshadows (HERE), then you know that they’re probably one of the best (if not the best) eyeshadow sticks in the market nowadays.

As a recap, these Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colours have such an amazing array of colors to choose from, they’re a lot easier to blend compared to most eyeshadow sticks, and they’re extremely long lasting. They might be on the glittery side, but still, they’re really wearable and can be easily removed by either a makeup remover or a micellar water. So far, my skin never had any negative reaction towards these eyeshadows, and I love the fact that it’s so convenient to carry, plus all I’ll need is just a blending brush.

These three Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks are the latest addition to my collection.

Sugar Frost – Tan Beige Shimmer. This is great as a highlighter around the inner corners of the eye. If you want your eye makeup to standout, be sure to add a bit more of this in order to create some drama. Who doesn’t lurve drama?
Sandglow – Soft Bronze Shimmer. A shimmery midtone bronze-sand shade. I love this for overall lid shade. It creates slight definition on the eyes, and the shimmer is not too much.
Amethyst – Soft Mauve Pearl. A slightly shimmery mauve that is great for contouring the outer corners of the lid and for that smoky-eye look. I really like this because it’s a light mauve shade that’s blendable and it doesn’t look too purple-ish or too violet-ish, which means this won’t attract the wrong elements. Ha!

You know the other usage for these Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colours? Actually, whatever comes to your imagination. Apart from their intended purpose, these are really great for strobing or contouring, it’s just a matter of finding the right shades to do the job. 🙂

Ok you guys, until next time…

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Clarisonic Mia VS Foreo Luna

January 5, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi There! It’s been quite a while since I’ve done a comparison review, but today, let’s compare and contrast the two best facial brushes in the market nowadays. We all know them, and you all probably have both of them already.

Clarisonic Versus Foreo. Which is which? For this review, I’m reviewing my two favorite facial brushes from each brand: The Clarisonic Mia 1 and the Foreo Luna Go. Why these two? I got my Clarisonic Mia 1 way back when Clarisonic first came in the market during the early days when it was all on its own, no competition at all. Then came Foreo, and my curiosity sparked. I really wanted a facial brush for traveling since my Clarisonic Mia is too bulky and heavy to lug around. So, off I went and bought a Foreo Luna Go, and that’s basically the story of how I acquired my two favorite facial brushes. But one is not like the other, yet both are really popular in the market nowadays and both come in different colors, shapes, sizes and specific functions, depending on your personal preference and skincare needs.

Clarisonic Mia 1:

From the moment I used this brush, something was not quite right. While I love the way this feels on my hand (very ergonomic) and the lovely pastel violet color, I knew then that this just feels quite harsh on my face. It’s definitely the “deep pore” cleansing brush heads that I bought together with the facial brush that gave that rough feeling, but I’ve tried other replacement brush heads from Clarisonic as well, yet I wasn’t really satisfied. It felt like I was “toothbrushing” my face. I didn’t have that “refreshed and well-cleaned feeling” post-wash, but I knew my face was deeply cleaned but it just feels like it was shallowly done. Also, my face felt raw on the surface. However, with time, I learned to like the Clarisonic Mia and have gotten used to the feeling of the way it cleanses. On top of that, if you use it everyday, you may need to charge it every week or two. On the other hand, I really like that I could just easily charge it with its own charger and without any fuss.

Foreo Luna Go:

Then came Foreo. Which is currently making a lot of buzz and is giving Clarisonic a run for its money. A lot of beauty gurus and skincare enthusiasts are talking about it, and my brain was talking to me about it. But I was like, silicon knobs? Like those silicon kitty gloves that I used to deshed my cats? My brain was like “Yes! and they work” and I really wanted something more gentle than my Clarisonic Mia brush. Well, guess what? I really really like Foreo. I love the deep kneading feeling of the tiny silicon nodes. I could feel it going straight to my pores. Since I picked the Foreo Luna Go in blue shade (meant for oily skin), I now love the feeling of having a well-cleaned skin during traveling, and it’s so tiny, so I can just pretty much slip it into my vanity case without any issue. I couldn’t say many bad things about this cleanser, except that I wish it came with its own charger (it charges using a USB cable) and not having to charge it with your other electronic device like laptops. But once it’s fully charged, it’ll last for months. However, I noticed that this brush tends to stop/pause whenever I press it too hard on my face, so I have to use this with less pressure.

Bottom line, I like them both but my heart lingers towards Foreo when it comes to that overall “freshly-cleaned feeling” effect. It’s not too hard and not too soft, and it feels really good on the face, like a massage. Also, once charged (about an hour), the Foreo facial brush can last months even with constant use, but it doesn’t have a designated charger, unlike the Clarisonic Mia, which is easy to charge, and also cheaper in price, yet it’s not as travel-friendly as the Foreo or not even the Mia Fit. Additionally, you may need to recharge it weekly or biweekly. Take note that you must refrain from using any grainy/scrub-textured facial washes whenever you use the Foreo to avoid damaging its silicon knobs.

So, which one do you prefer? I actually think that you’ll be fine with any of them.

Ciao for now!

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Sephora Play! December 2016 Box

January 3, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Happy New Year! but before we completely let go of 2016, let’s talk about one last thing. Nope, not your New Year’s Resolution just yet. Let’s take a look back at The Sephora Play December 2016 Box contents and review, which took quite a while to arrive, but here it is! 🙂

So what did I get? A bunch of stuff that I really like, and had a lot of fun trying, though I wish, they could’ve sent more, LOL! By the way, last month’s theme is “The Partygoers.” Makes sense right? December is full of festivities and gatherings, so better have something gorgeous and party-appropriate beauty products to try.

Here’s what I got:

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray: Already have this and has been diligently using this to set my makeup. Recently, I ran out of this setting spray and was planning to repurchase but thanks to this Sephora Play Box, I got a pretty decent travel size of this particular product. Let me tell you, this stuff works and it really makes your makeup last all day and all night, even if you’re already walking side to side. LOL.
Elizabeth And James Nirvana Bourbon Eu de Parfum: With vanilla bourbon, oakwood and tuberose. It’s a musky and woody scent. The thing is, this scent is too manly for me, and I’m no fan of musky fragrances. So this perfume will be a miss for me.
Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain (Always Red): Some of the colors were already reviewed HERE. I’ve always love the formulation and texture of Sephora’s Creamy Lip Stains, but this shade of red doesn’t work for my skin tone.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer: Not only this primer is meant to help the skin achieve a smooth and balanced texture plus making your makeup last for a very long time, it also smells heavenly good. Like a very fragrant soap but has the texture of most Make Up For Ever primers. Will definitely buy it in full-size.
Drybar “Detox” Dry Shampoo: Love this dry shampoo so much. It smells good and not yucky, and it feels lightweight on the hair. It didn’t make my hair look more oily or heavy, instead, it made it look shiny and lightweight as if extending the life of my hair for another day. Ya know what I mean…
Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara: Love the wand of this mascara. It’s small and tapered and is great for Asian eyes because it allows for a much precise application. Also, the formula doesn’t clump nor smudge and is very buildable.

Hello 2017! May this be a good year for all of us!

Now tell me, what’s your New Year Resolution? less makeup hauls? Doubt it… LOL

Ciao for now…

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