Reviews and Other Stuff

Pony Makeup Book Review

November 7, 2016 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

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! 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?

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.

Even if 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 vast amount of photos that are self-explanatory 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.

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.

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?

Thanks for dropping by guys!

See yah!

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Chanel Stylo Fresh Effect Eyeshadow Review

November 4, 2016 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

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.

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’re 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’re blended, they’ll create a very natural and complementing tone on the eyes. They’re creamy, yes, but they don’t budge nor smudge. They 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. 🙂

Brun Chatain – Slightly 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 Dore – Nude-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 Rose – Shimmery Peachy Antique Rose. Interesting shade and very beautiful in person. I thought this was gonna make me look like a crime scene victim 🙂 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.

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 pick 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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Nespresso Decaffeinated Capsules Review

November 2, 2016 / FOOD STUFF / 0 comments

Hi! I’ve been testing out the decaf versions of Nespresso capsules, especially the ones that have the intensity 4. Because I’m not really a fan of higher intensity Nespressos as they taste more bitter than others and can make you super jittery, I decided to give the decaffeinated versions a try, or better known as The Nespresso Decaffeinato capsules.

The Decaffeinated ones have two types; the ones with intensity 4 and the ones that are way darker and have an intensity of 7-9. I picked the two intensity 4 and one of them should be served in Lungo size to achieve the right kind of intensity. Also, the Decaffeinato pods are marked with red dots at the bottom.

Volluto Decaffeinato – Intensity 4. Sweet and Light. Has exactly the same ingredients are the original Espresso Volluto Capsule, but roasted differently. Though they both have the same Intensity, their preparation varies slightly. Of all the decafs, this is my most favorite.

Vivalto Lungo Decaffeinato – Intensity 4. Complex and Balanced. This decaf capsule needs to be prepared in Lungo size and it has a subtle and some sort of floral base. It is indeed light but it doesn’t have the sweet property of the Volluto Decaffeinato above. However, it’s not bitter, just a well-balanced decaffeinated coffee.

I decided not to try the higher intensity Decafs as most likely I won’t be able to drink them anyway. Usually, most high-intensity Nespresso pods require a brave heart to give it a try. 🙂

If you like coffee, but don’t want too much caffeine, try these two instead. They’re light enough to not make you jittery, but they’re good enough for a quick pick me up. 🙂

You can buy these HERE.

Happy Wednesday! Stay tuned for the next review…