MAC Too Fabulous Collection Review + Swatches

This is an anniversary from last year's Grand Duos. I'm really pleased to report that this year's blushes are not as glittery as last years! :D

Mineralize Blush (Duo) (US$23 / RM95) (Left is the lighter shade, Middle is the darker shade and right is both shades swirled together):



Two Virtues - Light blue pink & light violet.
Rhapsody in Two - Light pale pink & pale peach. This shade reminds me alot of the Moon River mineralize blush released last year.
Chic Couple - Light yellow brown & dark peach.



Bi-Tone - Rose pink & copper bronze
Buddy Up - Dirty rose & neutral yellow pink
Sun & Moon - Neutral brown & pink brown

Cremesheen Glass (US$18 / RM80):



Fashion Scoop - Clear pink. This shade is sold out already! :O
Partial to Pink - Light creamy yellow pink with light gold pearl. This repromote looks a little more pinker than the one released previously. Still pretty if you ask me! :D
Boy Bait - Light neutral beige with pearl. This is one of my absolute favourites!! See my swatches of this baby here.
Richer, Lusher - Peach coral
Just Superb - Dirty neutral pink. Me really really wants this one!!!
Deelight - Mid-tone neutral
Over Indulgence - Neutral brown
Loud & Lovely - Blue pink
Double Dare - Coral red. Me wants this one tooo!!

I've said this before, and i'll say this again - RM80 for a measly 2.4ml product is really a huge rip off!! This is launched barely a week and i had to scrape the sides of the tester tubes to get out some colour already. But then again, suckers like me will fall for their charm... Oh Just Superb and Double Dare, how i wants thee both...

Lip Pencils (US$13 / RM55):



Boldly Bare -Dirty red brown
Mouth Off - Deep peach coral
Trimmed in Pink - Bright blue pink
Chestnut - Intense brown
Naked Liner - Light neutral
In Synch - Bright yellow pink


That's all from me!! Didcha see anything you like from this collection? Got anything?? Do share with me!! :D

Sigh, it's back to housekeeping for me... i hope your weekend is more enjoyable than mine!! lol!! Take care and i'll be back really soon!! :D

MAC Spring Colour Forecast Collection Review + Swatches

First of all, i'm sooooooooooooooooooo sorry for neglecting this blog lately! I've been really busy with our new place! From rushing here and there to meet up with the electricians / lawyer / previous owner / plumbers / painters / renovators to purchasing furniture / fixtures / lights / electrical goods / kitchen supplies / little knick knacks / etc etc etc, and not to mention the about 40 boxes of stuff we carted back from India that just needs to be cleared out! *faints* We're about halfway there... just need to hang on and finish everything up - hopefully soon!! :D

This is how our place looks like fresh from the previous owner:



Let there be light(s)! :D



After a fresh coat of paint:



And finally, the furniture:



The husband's study:

A bit too BLUE for me, but oh well, the bear gets to pick his "cave" color...

... and i get to pick our bedroom color!! XD

No prizes for gussing which color i picked! Hahaha!! The look on the husband's face when he saw this was PRICELESS!! He says it gives him a headache!! Hahaha!! XD

But really, it's not THAT bad right?? *bats lashes* Hahaha!! :P


Ok enough sidetracking!! Let's go right into the main topic! :D



This huge collection comes in four parts - Pink, Coral, Amber and Plum, so there's definitely something for everyone! :D I personally feel that this collection was a little blah though, but then again that could be caused by my disappointment of not having a cartoon anniversary like the previous years! :(

Lets start with the star of the collection - the Blush Ombres (US$25 / RM105 each)!! :D



Azalea Blossom -Light cool pink. There's definitely a hint of lavender in it as well! :)
Ripe Peach - Light coral. My personal favourite!! It gives such a healthy glow to your face! :
Springshine - Neutral suntan. Methinks that with a light hand, this might work for even light skintones to give a healthy sunkissed look! :D
Vintage Grape - Mid-tone violet pink. This reminds me of a darker On A Mission beauty powder blush, which i love!! :D

All 4 blush ombres have medium pigmentation, but they can definitely be built up to your desired intensity! :D

Crushed Metal Pigments (US$32.50 / RM135):





Both Stacked 1 and Stacked 2 have amazing pigmentation, and although lumpy, they go on pretty smoothly! They're really frosty too (definitely not office safe! :D)!! I personally HATED the stacked jars though... they don't look very sturdy at all (in fact, one of the tester jar has a giant CRACK on it already!) and i can just imagine the jars unscrewing themselves out of their previous holders and making a huge mess in your makeup bag!! Haha!! :P

Eyeshadow x 4s (Quads) (US$36 / RM135):


Mink Pink (Veluxe) - Neutral soft pink. It's really there in my swatch, you gotta just squint really hard to see it! lol!! That says alot about the pigmentation for this one...
Bruised Plun (Veluxe Pearl) - Frosted mid-tone dirty mauve. This color's beautiful, both pigmentation and texture wise! :D
Black Tulip (Frost) - Frosted dark grape. This color's not terribly unique, and the texture could be better!
Jungle Moon (Matte) - Blackened deep eggplant. What a cute name for an eyeshadow!! lol!! :P



Manila Paper (Veluxe Pearl) - Pale frosted white gold
Flip (Frost) - Bronze gold.
Aztec Brick (Veluxe Pearl) - Frosted true copper.
Creole Beauty (Frost) - Frosted dark golden brown.

This palette is BEAUTIFUL!!! All 4 colors compliment each other perfectly, and they have the most amazing pigmentation and texture. Now be still my heart... youdontneedthis, youdontneedthis, youdontneedthis!! XD

Eyeshadows (US$14.50 / RM58):



Rosy Outlook (Satin) - Frosted baby pink. This has quite decent pigmentation despite it being a Satin finish! :D
Da Bling (Veluxe Pearl) - Pink with gold pearl. This one's permenant, so no hurries in getting it! :D
Lala (Frost) - Mid-tone pink. I kinda like this color, though i question how often do i actually want to use it!! :D
Very violet (Frost) - Dark violet. This one goes on a little chalky (just a little), and i kind of expect the color to be darker! :D

Nanogold (Lustre) - Sheer yellow beige with pink pearl. As you can see, the pink pearl in this one is quite obvious! And this is probably one of the nicest Lustres you can find texturewise (the other one being Tempting!)! :D
Straw Harvest (Veluxe Pearl) - Frosty light yellow orange. This color reminds me alot of the Evening Aura eyeshadow from the Neo Sci-fi collection! :D
Perky (Satin) - Light salmon pink. What a sweet color!! It has beautiful pigmentation too for a Satin! :D
Hot Hot Hot (Satin) - Mid-tone coral. This color is hot hot hot indeed! lol!! :D

Lipsticks (US$14 / RM63):



Phlox (Glaze) - Sheer light pink. This one is really, really sheer!
Bubblegum (Glaze) - Light lavender pink.
Laugh A Lot (Lustre) - Mauve pink.
Pink Burst (Frost) - Clean bright pink with pearl.

Colour Me Coral (Frost) - Frosted light coral. This looks so beautiful in the tube, but unfortunately my lips didn't like this one... it just enhances every imperfection there is!! :(
Victorian (Frost) - Frosted light golden pink.
Fresh Salmon (Lustre) - Sheer bright pink orange.
Rose Maiden (Frost) - Frosted bright berry.

Beigeland (Frost) - Frosted light pink beige.
Bronzilla (Frost) - Frosted mid-tone yellow brown

Radiccio (Lustre) - Sheer mid-tone blue mauve
Hang-up (Cremesheen) - Deep berry.

Lipglasses (US$14 / RM63):



Cultureclash (Frost) - Clear baby pink with pearl
Hush, Hush Rose (Frost) - Mid-tone blue pink with pearl
Electric Fuchsia (Frost) - Bright violet with blue pearl

Ember Glow (Cream) - Creamy light apricot
Kumquat (Frost) - Frosty tangerine
Cha Cha (Frost) - Mid-tone pink with gold pearl

Almondine (Frost) - Pale gold with pearl. This one looks more white than gold to me!! :D
Gold Dust (Frost) - Mid-tone copper with pearl

Lavender Wind (Frost) - Lavender with pearl
Purple Rage (Frost) - Dark berry with pearl


Phewww, i'm finally done!! :D I'm sorry that i do not have swatches for the nail lacquers as the testers were not available, but there're a ton of swatches out there already so be sure to check them out! :D There'll be an event for this collection in Penang starting this coming Monday (15/3), so be sure to drop by if you wanna get some stuff! :D

Andddd, Too Fabulous is out already as well, and i have swatches so stay tuned!! :D In the meanwhile, do lemme know what didcha / you wanna get from this collection?? :D

Product Review: The Face Shop Su Hyang Snow Replenishing Mask Sheet

At a Glance:
Price: RM12.90 (approx. US$3.58)
Website: http://www.thefaceshopen.com/
Weight: 22ml / 0.74 Fl. Oz.
Made in: Korea
Likes: Really softens skin, moisturizes and brightens well!
Gripes: Expensive, the fragrance is REALLY strong!! :P
Repurchase: No
Jenn's Rating: ! 4 Stars! Good product - but won't be repurchasing because of the overpowering scent!! :S

Ingredients:

Got gold somemore, don't play-play k!! XD

Product Description

Oriental therapy sheet mask helps moisturize and optimize resilience of dry, dull skin.

The Double Water Capture System of Hyaluronic Acid and Betaine from sugar beet floods the skin with moisture while forming a protective barrier for ultra hydration. Song-i mushroom and Ginseng extracts, nano Gold and White Birch sap in the formulation immediately replenishes the skin with nutrients for a complexion that looks radiantly revitalized.

Illuminate your skin for a radiant, flawless complexion with traditional Korean herbal therapy all seasons throughout the year.

Directions:



Actual Product Pic:


Texture & Scent:
This mask is dripping wet, so be careful not to spill any essence when you take it out of the pack! This doesn't leave a sticky feel after using! :) The scent of this one is SUPER STRONG!! And the scent lingers on your skin... :P

Packaging:


This mask is individually packed into their respective foil packs and is sold by the piece.

Like the White Tree one, this mask comes in two pieces:



This is how it looks like on my face:



Time Test:
15-20 minutes is all you need! :)

Price & Availability:
This mask is priced at RM12.90 each and is available at all The Face Shop outlets. For girls in the US, you can get this at Walgreens at US$2.99 each (or get two at US$5!).

Usage:
Since this brightens really well, its perfect to use before an event to make your skin glow! ;)


My $0.02:

I'm back from my CNY "break"!! I sure had the most wonderful time pigging out and meeting up with relatives and friends!! :D :D

Ok back to the review! lol!! I'm always game for brightening masks, so when i saw this mask going for almost 50% off, i HAD to get it! lol!! :D

The moment i put this on, my nose was greeted by an overpowering scent of flowers and powder!! lol!! Seriously, it's been an hour since i took it off my face, and i STILL can smell it on my skin!! UGH!!

That aside, i have to say that this is a pretty good sheet mask!! The thing i love most about it is that it made my skin felt SUPER SOFT after using!! I can't stop touching my face!! haha!! :D Also, it brightens up my skin and moisturizes well too!! :D

Here's how i look after using this:




So in a nutshell, this is a good product, but i wish they didn't put SO MUCH fragrance in there! I won't repurchase because of this!


Photo credit: Product photo from Thefaceshopen.com.

MAC All Ages, All Races, All Sexes Collection Swatches + Reviews

Before i begin, i would just like to THANK ALL OF YOU from the bottom of my heart for your understanding and concern!! The mil has been discharged from the hospital (and up and about at home already nagging at everyone - it's a good sign, really! lol!! Don't tell her that i said that though! XD), and given a clean bill of health, so it's really great!! Just in time for CNY too!! :D I'm sure your well wishes and prayers must have helped!! *hugs*

Onto the main topic! I manage to go swatch this collection which has finally arrived on our shores after one grand month! *yawns* And i'm MAJORLY PISSED that they did not bring in the Beauty Powder Blushes, which are the two items that i've been dying to check out!! MAJOR SIN!!! ARGH!!!



I've had high hopes for the new brow pencils and the brow marker, but sadly, the are a disappointment. Will elaborate more later! And i did not swatch the items available in the permenant line (brow sets, eye brows and blot powders) due to time constraint so i apologize for that!

Ok enough rambling for now. Lets go onto the swatches! :D

Lipsticks (US$14 / RM63):



Equality (Lustre) - Creamy pale yellow beige. This reminds me of a sheerer, more wearable version of the Fleshpot lippie... still thinking if i should go back for this one...
Myself (Lustre) - Light dirty mauve with travelling pearl. This goes on sheer and its not terribly unique, but i have a strange feeling that this will be the first color to sell out! :P
5N (Lustre) - Plummy sheer brown. This lippie would look lovely on darker skin tones. This is a repromote from the N-Collection.

Sadly, we did not get Empowered so i don't have the swatch for this color! Sorry! :(


Lipglasses (US$14 / RM63):



Naked Frost - Sheer taupe with silver pearl. I wanted to get this color initially, but was reminded of why i didn't get it the first time around when it came out with the Chill collection - it's a little too frosty!
Glamour For All - Sheer pale baby pink with pearl. Not another terribly unique color, but it's really pretty!! :D
Spirit & Soul - Frosted dark cool brown. This one is quite pigmented, and methinks that it would look great both by its own or layered over a similar lippie!
Liqueur - Frosted mid tone pink brown. What a hot color!!


Eyeshadows (US$14.50 / RM58):



All Races (Matte) - Cool light mauve taupe. This is quite a unique color, but is really sheer!
Banshee (Lustre) - Dirty taupe with frost and sparkle diamond cluster. This has gotta be one of the nicer Lustres MAC has released so far! It doesn't go on terribly chunky or glittery... its quite smooth in fact! :D
Cross Cultural (Matte) - Dark dirty yellow brown. Not a very unique color, but the texture is nice!! :D
Showstopper (Matte) - Deep blackened brown. Like Cross Cultural, it's not very unique, but the matte texture is a dream to apply! :D


Impeccable Brow Pencils (US$15 / RM62) & Penultimate Brow Marker (US$16.50 / RM65):



Blonde - Pale yellow brown.
Dirty Blonde - Cool light brown.
Taupe - Mid tone dirty taupe
Black - Blackened dark neutral brown.
Universal - Universal (lol!)

As you can see from the swatches above, these pencils go on patchy!! :( And as "universal" as they want to market the Universal Penultimate Brow Marker, methinks that its abit too light for asian skintones! :(


Pigments (US$19.50 / RM82):



Universal Mix - Sparkly white gold. This doesn't go on very opaque, so its best to layer it over another eyeshadow! :)
Rich Life - Dark cool brown with silver. This goes on beautifully, and methinks that the silver sparkles give it a nice twist to the otherwise boring brown!! :D

ps: i know alot of people have been complaining about the new packaging for pigments containing less product at the same price so i won't mention it anymore, but i'll just have to say that i HATED the new packaging!! It looks / feels cheap IMHO! :P


That's all for now!! Didcha get anything from this collection? :D


It's Chinese new year's eve, and i'm ready to stuff my face silly with all that good food already!! I've been meaning to do CNY FOTD, but i've been sick (gross runny nose ewwww) so that'll have to wait!! How time flies... this is my second year giving out red packets already!! :P And no, i'm not having babies anytime soon, so please don't ask unless you want me to whack you with an empty Kuih Kapit milo tin! lol!! :D

To all my dear Chinese readers, i wish you a wonderful and prosperous Chinese New Year!! Travel safe and have fun k!! To those of you who're not celebrating, do have a great weekend too yeah! :D

Emergency Leave...

Hi everyone! I'm so sorry, but there won't be posts for these few days (hopefully shorter). My mother in law is admitted into the hospital for Dengue Fever, so i'll be shuffling between home, work and the hospital these few days!

Hope she gets well soon!!

FOTD: Take Me Away! :D

This very natural FOTD is inspired by my recent trip!! This is how i look in my travel pictures:



Very very natural right?? Hahaha!! :P

Here's what i used:


The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain, Maybelline Line n' Design Brow Pencil in Dark Brown, MAC Powerpoint in Stubborn Brown and Pond's Magic Powder


Well, i don't really like to lug around lots of makeup during my travels (more like paranoid that they'll go missing / get smashed / etcetcallthebadthingsthatcanhappen), so i always bring things that are "replacable" as well as long lasting!! :D The four items above are my travel essentials... can't live without them especially the Pond's Magic Powder which keeps my face matte the whole day! :D

When i'm in the mood for color, i sometimes bring along a few of the wonderful Silkygirl Funky Eyelights Pencil. I also make sure that i have lip balm with me all the time! :D


Do you have any travel makeup tips to share? :D


Oh before i end, here's two of my favouritest pictures from my recent Langkawi trip:





I had a wonderful break there! Wish i didn't have to come back!!! :(


Alright, it's only one week away from Chinese New Year! Have you done your Spring Cleaning / got your CNY goodies yet? :D I know i'm feasting on the amazing Kuih Kapit (Love Letters) and mandarin oranges already!! :P :P

Enjoy your weekend everyone! :D

Product Review: Nivea Intensive Body Milk

At a Glance:
Price: RM6.70 (approx. US$1.80)
Website: Nivea.com.my
Weight: 75ml
Made in: Thailand
Likes: Absorbs quickly with no sticky feel, cheap, easily available
Gripes: Contains denatured alcohol, could be more moisturizing
Repurchase: No
Jenn's Rating: 3 Stars!! Not too bad, but won't repurchase because of the alcohol in it!

Ingredients:


Product Description:

For skin that looks and feels great all day long. Skin compatibility dermatologically proven.


Actual Product Pic:



Texture & Scent:


This lotion is quite runny, so it spreads unto your skin quite well! This gives a cooling sensation once applied (hint: alcohol), and the lotion sinks in really quickly which is nice. This smells like the other lotions from this range... powdery and soft - it's quite comforting actually! haha!! :D

Packaging:


I bought the smallest bottle which is the 75ml one with a flip top cap! There's another bigger one which contains 400ml and it comes with a pump.

The dispensing hole:



Time Test:
This lotion sinks in quickly, but i find that i have to reapply after a few hours!

Price & Availability:
This lotion is priced at RM6.70 which i think is pretty affordable! The 400ml pump version is priced at RM23.60. This lotion should be available at most Guardian / Watsons outlets and your local supermarket! :)

Usage:
Since this absorbs quickly, it's perfect to use in the mornings when you're in a hurry! :D


My $0.02:

I was in the mood to try something new when i came across this product in Watsons!! The "Intensive" word probably sold me instantly (until i forgot to check the ingredient list!!) because my legs were all dry and itchy at that time (Rosken running low... lol!! :P).

The moment i put this lotion on, i realised i made a mistake in buying this product! This gives a cooling sensation on the skin which usually means it contains alcohol! Probably because of that, this lotion sinks in really quickly, making this ideal to use when you're in a hurry and but need some body lotion before putting on your clothes! lol!! :D

Despite it being labeled "Intensive" and for dry to very dry skin, i find that this didn't help my scaly dry legs much. Sure, it did curb the itchiness, but my legs were still dry and scaly after i finished the bottle! On other parts of my body (like my arms) which are not dry, this performs nicely to soften skin and keep it moisturized!

So to summarize, while i love how affordable this lotion is, i won't be repurchasing because 1. it contains alcohol (which is a no-no for my skin) and 2. i wished it was more moisturizing! I much prefer the Extra Whitening one!


Credits: Product photo from Nivea.com