NOTD: Flowers and Dragonflies

Good morning my lovelies :) This week's nail tutorial features the nails I wore to the wedding I had last Wednesday.  I chose a glittery pink base and did he design on my ring fingers to keep it simple. 

1. Prep your nails by applying a base coat and proceed with applying two coats of a shimmery pink nail polish on each nail.  Make sure to allow enough drying time between coats.  I used Rimmel 60 Seconds in 400 Starlet.

2. On the nails you are going to do the design, choose a slightly darker yet sheer nail polish and put on a very thin coat. I did this on my ring fingers with China Glaze Awakening.

3. For the design, stamp or draw a half flower at the side of the nail with black nail polish and place a little baby pink coloured pearl in the centre.

4. The dragonfly is very easy to do: with a medium sized dotting tool, put a drop of peach nail polish for the head and subsequently place another three drops of the same nail polish with a small dotting tool for the body.  I used China Glaze Sunset Sail.  With a detailing brush, paint the wings in black nail polish.

5. When dry, seal with a top coat and you're done!

More about → NOTD: Flowers and Dragonflies

Review: Lioele Korea Triple the Solution BB Cream

Hello my lovelies :) Today I'm going to review the Lioele BB Cream I won earlier this month on a YouTube giveaway hosted by shampoop118. If you do not already, make sure to check out the lovely Stephanie :). Anyways, with all the hype surrounding BB Creams lately, it is no wonder that this review was highly requested, so finally here it is! For more information about BB Creams and their various functions, please check out this post :)

As stated previously, BB Cream has been very much hyped about lately and I wanted to try it out myself to see what all the raving is about but with shipping being overly expensive, I gave up on it so needless to say, I was thrilled to learn I had actually won one! 

I really like the packaging of this Lioele BB Cream as I think it is so girly.  The BB Cream itself comes in a tube with a pump at the base and a replaceable cap so it is a very hygienic type of packaging. Also, the pump makes for good control of how much product you get out.  In turn, the tube is supplied in a pink and gold box as you can see in the picture. The tube holds 50ml of product.  It is a very generous amount considering that a little goes a long way with this particular BB Cream.

The texture is quite thick and has a slight gray undertone to it. Don't worry though, the BB Cream will oxidize in air and adapt to your skin tone.  I'd say that this particular one has a light to medium coverage... it is not as light as a tinted moisturizer nor is it thick as a foundation.  In fact, it feels like you have nothing on.  The best way to apply BB Cream is to gently tap it on your face with your fingers to blend it as with a brush it can look cakey.

I like this Lioele BB Cream as it contains SPF 30 and I don't need to apply moisturizer, primer and concealer when I use it so it is a great all rounder for when you're in a hurry.  This one in particular has a slight pleasant smell of flowers with a hint of strawberries that gradually fades away.  It also contains hyaluronic acid to moisturize and nourish the skin.

This particular BB Cream is designed for oily and combination skin and it only comes in one shade, Natural Beige so I'm afraid it is not suitable for people with darker skin tones. I find that on me, it lasts well especially when I set it with a little Sheer Mineral Booster from e.l.f. cosmetics.

Overall I'm very fond of this BB Cream and from the very first time I used it, I could instantly understand what all the raving was about.

Have you tried any BB Creams ladies? What do you think of them? If not, are there any particular ones you would like to try out?

More about → Review: Lioele Korea Triple the Solution BB Cream

Monthly Favourites: June 2011

Time for Monthly Favourites again ladies :) Here are the stars of this month!

Body

Come summer, we all want polished skin so I use Scholl Rough Skin Remover on my feet to prepare them for sandal season and The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Body Scrub to polish the rest of my skin.  I was using a combination of two body moisturizers this month, The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Body Butter and La Roche Posay Lipikar Lait.

The Attirance Strawberry shower gel was also a fave of mine this season cos I really love its smell along with Impulse Deodorant in Goddess and Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Lotion for those days when my skin needs some TLC after a lot of time in the sun.

Make-up

Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream and e.l.f. Sheer Mineral Booster were firm favourites this month along with my H&M Lipgloss in Queen of Peach, Maybelline Water Shine Lipstick in 02 Beige Glace, Primark Beauty pink lipgloss, e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine in Goddess and the Mineral Blemish Kit.

With regards nail polish, I have really been enjoying my new China Glaze, Sunset Sail & Broken Hearted Pink Crackleglaze as well as Rimmel 60 Seconds Starlet.

Jewellery

What were your favourites this month ladies?

More about → Monthly Favourites: June 2011

Morning Wedding Make-Up & Hair

Hello my lovelies :) As some of you are aware, I had a morning wedding yesterday :) It was spectacular... simple yet elegant and everyone had a good time :) I do not have pictures of the outfit yet as we only had some professional photos taken (we know the photographer hehe) so I guess you'll have to wait for that :) In the mean time, here's the make up (pics taken at the end of the day) and hair :)

After the wedding reception, we headed home to wash and dress in more comfy clothes and headed for some relaxing time at the beach with some other friends of ours who were also guests at the wedding and soon after we joined the newly-weds for some casual dining and back at their hotel room to chat over a glass of wine. It was a very full day but we enjoyed every second of it! The best thing make-up wise, was that all my make-up lasted for more than 12 hours straight - from 10am to 12:30am!!! It didn't melt in the heat and I was really pleased :) The hair was courtesy of my aunt and it too held all day :) Here's a list of the products used:

Face

Inglot Make-Up Primer

NYX HD Foundation in HDF02 Soft Beige

essence stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige

NYX Concealer in a Jar in CJ12 Green

e.l.f. Sheer Mineral Booster

e.l.f. All Over Colour Stick in Pink Lemonade & Persimmon

Rimmel Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose

e.l.f. Studio Make-Up Mist & Set

Eyes

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

e.l.f. Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Berry Mix (light pink shade)

e.l.f. Everyday Brights Eyeshadow Collection (glittery pink/light beige)

Collistar Eyeshadow in shade no. 20

Wet 'n' Wild Coloricon Single Eyeshadow in Brulee

Estee Lauder Eye Defining Pencil in Deep Brown

e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Coffee

Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara in Black Black

Lips

Maybelline Water Shine Liptsick in 02 Beige Glace

Up-style, courtesy of my aunt :)

More about → Morning Wedding Make-Up & Hair

Mid-Week Beauty Masterclass: How to clean and care for your False Eyelashes

Hello my lovelies :) I scheduled this post as I will be at a wedding while you're reading it :) This week, I will show you how I clean my false eyelashes and preserve them for another few uses rather than using them just once and dispose of them.  This is also a great tip for saving some money with the more expensive falsies.  I honestly do not wear falsies much but when I wear them, I tend to clean them the day after as after a night out I would be too tired to clean my falsies :p 

What you will need:

~ Paper Towel

~ Brow/lash Comb

~ Small fan brush

~ Tweezers

~ Eye Make-Up Remover

~ Small plastic container

~ dirty false lashes

Method:

1. Pour a little eye make-up remover into the plastic container and put in a pair of the dirty lashes.

2. Leave the lashes to soak in the make-up remover for a couple of minutes.

3. Carefully, take one lash out at a time by means of tweezers and place on the paper towel.

4. Dip the small fan brush in the make-up remover and remove mascara from the lashes. Put the lash back in the container and repeat until no more mascara comes off.  Do the same with the other lash.  Remember to clean the underside of the lashes as well.

5. Take off any left-over lash glue with your fingers.

6. Brush the lashes through with the lash comb to separate them.

7. Store the lashes back in their original case and voila'! Lashes are clean again and ready for another use!

Steps 1 - 4

Steps 5 & 6

Step 7

I hope you found this post informative :) If you have a different method as to how you clean your falsies, do let me and other followers know :)

More about → Mid-Week Beauty Masterclass: How to clean and care for your False Eyelashes

Top-Ten Tuesdays ~ Ways to beat stress and relax

Good morning all :) I know I haven't posted a Top-Ten Tuesdays post in ages but I have been really busy as most of you know so right on cue, today's post will deal with methods to de-stress yourself and unwind :)

10. Have a hot or cold bath at the end of the day to suit your preference. Drop in some bath confetti or a bath bomb and some essential oils to really make the most of this time. Why not put the lights off and light some candles instead for the ultimate spa experience in your own bathroom?

9. This is most appropriate for students... take a break from studying and do something you like. For me it is nail art.  This will help you concentrate even more when you get back to your desks!

8. Give yourself a foot massage! If you don't have much time to spare, just roll your feet on a chilled can of beer or soda!

7. Have a haircut or do whatever boosts your mood!

6. Have a favourite perfume that reminds you of better times? Smell it and you'll soon be in a much better place :)

5. Go for a walk/jog in some fresh air. 30 minutes are more than enough to keep yourself fit and feel better.

4. Do take power naps to boost concentration levels and rest at the same time.

3. Massage your head! Start at the back of your head and work your way up from the nape in circular motions.

2. Spend time with your loved ones! They are your best bet for fun and giggles :)

1. OK, so this may sound totally insane but for me, it actually works! Do you have a nice eyeshadow palette with all sorts of beautiful colours you want to spend the whole day looking at it? Yes? I actually have some and whenever I feel under the weather, I just look at them and the bright colours brighten up my mood!

What is your favourite way to relax ladies? List them in the comments below :)

More about → Top-Ten Tuesdays ~ Ways to beat stress and relax

New China Glaze nail polishes!!!

Mr. Postman just delivered a little package a few minutes ago and I was really surprised at the contents... he two China Glaze polishes which were shipped last Thursday from the US!!! Oh the joy!  I always tend to get my China Glaze polishes from the same ebay seller as they dispatch the orders quickly and offer combined shipping as well, apart from having a good supply of polishes as well :)  

This time, I got one of the Crakleglazes, Broken Hearted as well as Sunset Sail from the Anchors Away Spring 2011 Collection.  I am very late on the crackle polish bandwagon but I'm pleased I managed to get one of the China Glazes and the result with it is awesome!! Here are a few pictures:

Sunset Sail & Broken Hearted

Broken Hearted layered on e.l.f. Pearl Pink (thumb) & Rimmel 60 Seconds Starlet (ring finger)

Sunset Sail ~  a gorgeous nude peach with a silver shimmer running through it :)

Which one is your favourite ladies?

More about → New China Glaze nail polishes!!!

Sigma Beauty launch 3 Eyeshadow Palettes!

Hey all! Sigma Beauty have launched 3 new eyeshadow palettes: Dare, Bare and Flare all featuring fantastic shades to suit every occasion and individual! Here's what Sigma have to say about their palettes:

Introducing the new Sigma Beauty makeup line: the DARE, BARE and FLARE eye shadow palettes! You will now have every color you need to go from day to night, from neutral to bright, and from casual to formal in just a few minutes! Each eye shadow palette comes with a different dual-ended brush featuring Sigma Beauty’s all time best-selling brushes.

Click the picture below to get yours now! What's more? You also get a free gift with every purchase of a palette!

More about → Sigma Beauty launch 3 Eyeshadow Palettes!

e.l.f. Haul :D

Long time no e.l.f. haul! Until now that is!! Today my little box of goodies arrived yayy! I ordered at noon on Wednesday as soon as they put up codes for free shipping and received a dispatch email & SMS three hours later and today my little box arrived :) I just couldn't resist and got a few items for now (a larger haul will follow as soon as they restock and bring the new goodies from the US).  Here's what I got this time:

Nail Polishes in Desert Haze (I smashed the first bottle I had bought so I had to replace it!), Pearl & Pearl Pink

Professional Blending Eye Brush (I just love this brush and had to get another one)

Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Berry Mix

Mineral Booster in Sheer (small - wanted to know what all the hype is about)

Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 in Rosy Beige (re-purchase)

Here are swatches of Pearl and Pearl Pink nail polishes (both 2 coats) and the eyeshadow cream:

The darker shade looks more brown than it actually is. It is more of an aubergine purple.

Have you bought anything from elf lately ladies?

More about → e.l.f. Haul :D

Gel Nails for a Family Wedding Guest

Hello my lovelies :) This morning, while a movie shooting (involving Brad Pitt whom I did not manage to take a picture of) was taking place in my street, I was doing a gel nail refill for a client who has a family wedding.  Here's the final manicure:

 

On the ring fingers, I used some moss coloured steel beads so as not to have an all dark manicure and give it a subtle summery feel as well (click pictures to enlarge them).

And here's a bonus pic of a movie scene I managed to capture from my roof:

More about → Gel Nails for a Family Wedding Guest

Review: kkcenterhk ES A500 10 Different Pairs False Eye Lashes

Hello my lovelies :) Today I will be reviewing some false eyelashes I was sent by kkcenterhk to review.  They let me choose which lashes I wanted to try and I opted for these ES brand ones which are basically 10 different pairs of falsies! How cool is that? You get different styles to complement different make-up looks and occasions in one box!  Apart from false eyelashes, this company sells wigs, make-up as well as some accessories.

Delivery was somewhat fast so I pleased with that.  The only thing that bothered me was that they were supplied in an envelope which is closed by some string and therefore anyone could have easily opened it.  Having said that, they all arrived intact and in perfect condition.

The packaging consists of a little black box with the ES logo on the front and instructions on the back of the box.  The instructions though seem to have been badly translated by some translation tool so if you want more clear instructions, please check out this post.  When you open the box, the lashes are all neatly put on a separate tray with curves for the eyelashes to retain their shape.  Here are a few pictures:

All the lashes have a thick black band which I think it is a plus as it is less tricky to blend with eyeliner.  Also, it is quite flexible and therefore easy to fit your eye shape.  Here are a couple of close-up pictures to show you the different styles of eyelashes:

Till now I have used the fourth pair from the top in the second picture.  I really liked the results as they made my lashes look longer and more defined and I didn't need to use any mascara to blend my lashes with them.  They feel really comfortable on the eyes and the size was just right for me.  Here's a picture of when I wore these lashes:

If you care for these lashes, like all others basically, they can last you a pretty long time and can therefore be re-used.  

These lashes are quite affordable as they retail for $7.96 for 10 pairs and can be found on sale from the kkcenterhk website.

Do you own these lashes or any others from this company? What are your thoughts about them?

More about → Review: kkcenterhk ES A500 10 Different Pairs False Eye Lashes