Review: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

While I was at Singapore, I decided to purchase Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua foundation in 20 Beige. I had always been meaning to purchase this foundation, but never really had the need - until I found out my mother had thrown out most of my makeup back in Melbourne (which included Urban Decay Anniversary and Naked palettes, Too Faced Naked and Dior foundation). 

It was far cheaper in Singapore than it was in Melbourne, but that may have also been because it was duty-free. 

The packaging is a plastic opaque bottle. I dislike the fact that the bottle is opaque and not transparent as you can't tell how much foundation you still have left. It contains 30ml or 1fl.oz. Since the bottle is a rectangular shape, it fits nicely into bag pockets or makeup storage units without it looking awkward. 

You'll need to shake the bottle up well before you squeeze some out otherwise it will come out separated. After shaking well, when you squeeze it out, it comes out feeling very light.

I apply this to my face using my fingers. I prefer applying foundation with my fingers as it blends better than brushes and uses up less product. More often than not, brushes eat up some of the product and for that reason I'll use brushes only when I need a truly flawless application. 

The coverage is light to medium. It serves well for those who have blemishes that are fading and need minimal coverage. It is buildable to the point that you can cover slightly darker blemishes, but I would just use concealer instead. 

It doesn't look cake-y - even when another thin layer is applied and is wonderfully light on the face. I use this almost everyday - even more than my BB creams. 

I would repurchase this when I finish this bottle, but I have other foundations I'm interested in trying!

Chanel Les 4 Ombres 39 Raffinement Review

While I was travelling, I picked up a few goodies at the airport (Duty free!). If you're travelling through or to Singapore, definitely have a look at the cosmetics. Changi Airport offers many brands and is a lot cheaper than Australian prices. 

I've had my eye on this quad since it came out in the Printemps Precieux de Chanel Spring 2013 Makeup Collection. I myself, now have a tiny collection of Chanel makeup. I do want to pick up a blush at least from Chanel, but that's later on down the road.

This quad, 39 Raffinement was released as part of this collection, however it is a permanent item. The overall feel of the quad is very neutral, all year around appropriate. 

Unfortunately, I can't upload the picture of the swatches for some reason. Temptalia has close ups of the swatches if you're interested.

THE COLOURS
The lightest color ( top right ) is a light shell color with warm undertones. It has a frosted sheen finish. I like using this for the inner third/inner corner of my eye. It's not too light as to draw too much attention which I like. 

The top left color is a medium brown with very fine glitter. Has a slight purple hint to it, but its not too noticeable. 

Bottom left is a bronze shadow, and similarly to the top right colour, it also has a frosted sheen. Of all the shades in this quad, the colour payoff is the best. Highly pigmented yet not too frosty. 

Bottom right is a matte dark chocolate shadow. Nothing particularly special about it, just your standard dark brown shadow.

The palette as a whole has a mauve undertone to it.

THE EYESHADOWS

With Chanel products in particular, there are regional differences. In Asia, Chanel eyeshadows tend to come in a baked shadow format, while in the US the eyeshadows are the standard pressed eyeshadows and are much softer in texture. Given this, the Asia region style shadows are still pigmented and relatively soft.

Anyone who has used baked eyeshadows would know that they tend to be hard and more difficult to pick up with a brush. However, the Raffinement quad doesn't pose that kind of challenge. I imagine the US region style to be a lot softer though. 

I've had bad experiences with baked eyeshadows - with pigmentation and the way they're used up. Sometimes after using them for a while, it becomes more difficult to pick up with the brush. Sponge applicators work well if you're finding that brushes won't cut it. The sponge applicators that was provided in this palette felt cheap though. I feel that the Dior 5 Couleurs have excellent sponge applicators and that these Chanel ones just don't compare. They are better than the drugstrore ones though. 

I think it's a lovely quad and worth the pretty penny you pay for Chanel. However, it's not a must have. If you already have good quality neutral eyeshadows then you can probably skip this. If you're like me, and you don't like to go into half a dozen palettes to do your eye makeup, then this is a good quad to buy. It's also a nice quad if you're looking into buying your first high end designer palette. 

Chanel Le Blanc Fond de Teint Compact Review

Being in Korea, I'm able to access some really great cosmetics - from Korean street brands to high end designer. From even before I came to Korea, there was one thing that I knew I absolutely had to get - the Chanel Le Blanc Fond de Teint Compact Powder Foundation. 

I had first heard of this foundation from Catalina from CL2425 (who is one of my favourite beauty bloggers!). It's an Asia-exclusive foundation. The foundation shades are more catered toward Asian skin tones and there are a vary range of shades for Asians. If you are more tan, then you may not be able to find the right shade. 

The trouble I find when looking for foundation is that often I'll be in between shades. Even when at a department store, it's really hard to find a shade that matches me. While they have a broad spectrum of colours, they offer very little in between colours. 

 I often use a shade that's a bit lighter just because my chest is a bit lighter. My neck is a little darker - from shadows and a skin condition I had as a child, so I'm not too concerned with my face matching my neck. Therefore, I purchased B20 Beige. 

Since this is an Asia exclusive, the packaging it comes in is white as opposed to the classic black. 

The powder gives a matte finish and it stays looking for a few hours, even with my oily skin. I don't expect powders to last very long on me, to be honest. I use a sponge to apply this rather than a brush. I find that while the brush gives a lighter coverage, it doesn't achieve the effect I want when I use it as a foundation. I use a brush to apply this when I want to use it as a setting powder. 

The powder isn't chunky at all which is great. It doesn't give a cake-y look even when you use the sponge to apply it. I like to use it on top of my BB Cream. I also like to use it as my compact mirror. It saves me from putting an extra mirror in my bag and it looks kind of nice when you pull it out.

I paid about $70 AUD for this, which is about what I would normally pay for a high end foundation back at home. I would repurchase this without a doubt. 

And since I'm in Korea - the land of beauty samples - the SA gave me two samples (which I consider quite generous from Chanel). 

Review: STYLENANDA - Lip Color #501 Bella

I recently paid a trip to the STYLENANDA store in Hongdae. I've been interested in Stylenanda's cosmetics line for a while now and only just managed to go to the store and see. 

COMPANY HISTORY

STYLENANDA started in 2004, selling only clothes. The name STYLENANDA roughly translated means "My Style". It quickly established itself as a favourite brand among women. Since STYLENANDA began, it has won awards from various websites and received the  "The Best Fashion/Clothing Award" by Web Award Korea in 2009. In the same year, they launched their own cosmetic line - 3 CONCEPT EYES.

Current models for STYLENANDA include Park Sora and Kwon Su Jeong.

I've purchased a number of things from the 3 CONCEPT EYES line, but I'll review the other items at a later date. 

THE LIPSTICK - LIP COLOR #501 BELLA

Before I went to their Flagship store in Hongdae, I had a look at their website for what items I wanted to purchase. The one item that caught my eye immediately was the Lip Color #501 Bella. 

Source: Stylenanda

Bella extremely different from any other lipstick offered by STYLENANDA. 

Description on the site: "This Vampire Burgundy Color transforms dull makeup into a unique and chic makeup."

This lipstick certainly is vampire-esque. It follows the vamp-lip trend that has been really popular in the last year or so in terms of winter colours. The colour of the stick may be off putting, but as a rule with any lipstick - never judge a lipstick by the colour of the stick! More often than not, a lipstick will look different on your lips as opposed to the stick and even the swatch on your hand. 

Source: Stylenanda

I have a yellow undertone to my skin that's quite noticeable. Hence, I can't wear many pink or peach lipsticks well. In fact, any bright colours don't suit my skin tone well. I find that wearing darker lipsticks more favourable and to look better on me than a pale lipstick. in fact, the lightest lipstick that I wear on a regular basis is my Chanel Coco Rouge in 05 Mademoiselle. 

APPLICATION

I like to apply this lipstick with a lip brush. I feel like with any darker coloured lipstick, using a lip brush is a must. Not only does it spread the colour more evenly on your lips, but it can help you achieve a more defined lip and make your makeup look more polished. After applying an initial layer, if I want it to be more pigmented, I'll apply the lipstick straight onto my lips in small strokes and then use the lip brush again to spread it more. The lipstick itself is creamy and it's fine if you just want to apply straight onto your lips.

The finish is slightly glossy but it dries fairly quickly to an almost matte texture. This also means that the lipstick can feel a bit drying, It has no sparkles or shimmer of any sort, so it doesn't define how dry your lips would like a shimmery lipstick would. There's an easy solution of just wearing lip balm before or after applying. 

After eating and drinking, this lipstick leaves a lovely burgundy stain on your lips. So while the initial effect is gone, you're left with stained lips and it looks very nice. 

This lipstick is a lipstick that I like to wear when I want a bold lip look. It doesn't look overdone - like some bright lipsticks can look. I wear this on a semi-regular basis.

There aren't a lot of bad things to say about this lipstick overall. I would definitely buy it again when I run out!

Source: Stylenanda

WHERE TO PURCHASE

In Korea, there is the STYLENANDA flagship store in Hongdae and the makeup counter in the Myeongdong Young Plaza. However, in order to obtain in if you live overseas, then you can buy it from the STYLENANDA website. They ship worldwide for a small fee. 

BB Cream Reviews

Being in Korea, it's hard to resist the temptation of buying cosmetics - especially BB Creams. They are the base makeup that most Korean girls choose to use and the secret to their flawless, porcelain skin.

ORIGINS
BB Creams originated from Germany - as a way to protect patient's skin after surgery. It was then introduced into Korea and Japan in 1985 and since then, the Koreans have developed BB Cream to the point that it's one of the most well known products associated with Asian cosmetics.
Its popularity has risen to the point that now even Western cosmetic companies are developing their own BB Creams for the Western market.

WHAT IS BB CREAM?
BB Cream is considered an all-in-one base product. It contains properties of certain skin care - serum, moisturiser - and properties of base makeup - primer, foundation and sunblock.

BB Creams made by Korean cosmetic companies often have many other properties bundled into the creams such as whitening, anti-ageing and anti-darkening.

HOW DO I USE BB CREAM?
BB Cream can be used to replace your everyday foundation or tinted moisturiser. It is best applied with the fingers since they warm up the product and makes the application extremely smooth as opposed to using a brush. After spreading it evenly on your face, you should pat your face gently to help smooth and fill in any fine lines you may have missed. Pressing your hand on your face helps the BB cream to smooth down on your face better too.

PRODUCTS BEING REVIEWED

• Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream - No.23 Natural Yellow Beige
• Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Bright Fit - Natural Beige
• Skin79 Super Beblesh Balm BB 

MISSHA M SIGNATURE REAL COMPLETE BB CREAM

Missha's BB Creams were one of those who brought immense popularity to BB Creams - especially to the Western Asian market (Asians who reside in Western countries). Many may be familiar with the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream - the one that comes in the red tube. 

In response to the popularity of this BB Cream, they released another BB Cream - M Signature Real Complete BB Cream. 

I own shade No. 23 which is also the shade I have for the Perfect Cover BB Cream. Of the three I'm reviewing, this matches my skin tone best (comparison swatches on my hand are at the end of the post). It has a slight grey tint, but like all BB Creams, it oxides after a couple of minutes. 

On application, it covers all my blemishes to the point I don't need concealer. However, that does not mean that you can't see my blemishes and flaws. This BB cream - like the Perfect Cover - has just the right amount of coverage so that I'm happy with how minimal my blemishes seem. It smooths out my skin around my nose and cheeks too. It looks excellent when applied.

 The finish is dewy and luminous - a very popular look these days. It does not look greasy at all. If you don't like that look, then you can always use a powder which can also prolong wear. 

However, this BB Cream breaks down the fastest of the three. I do get a decent amount of wear out of it, just not as long as the others. The shade range is also very limited. No. 23 is still a tad too light for my skin. 

Compared to the Perfect Cover BB Cream, this one is thinner but only slightly. And like all BB Creams, this one does have SPF 25 so it's not ideal for flash photography. However, I dislike flash photography with a passion. Unless I'm in a really dark place, I won't use flash photography.

ETUDE HOUSE PRECIOUS MINERAL BB CREAM 

Etude House is another popular street brand cosmetic store. Their concept is very girly, princess-like. Their latest collection features Marie Antoinette inspired packaging (which looks totally gorgeous, but a little pricey for street brand cosmetics). Previous faces of Etude House include Park Shinhye, Jang Geunsuk and Lee Minho. Currently Sandara Park and Shinee are their models.

The shade I have is No. 3 Natural Beige. It's more yellow toned than the M Signature BB Cream. It's lighter in shade and texture than the Missha. Because of this, it also has less coverage. If my under eye circles are dark, I'll use a concealer too. 

It lasts a decent amount of time but I usually like to use a powder on top ( Chanel Le Blanc Fond de Teint Compact) for more long lasting wear. 

This BB Cream offers four shades as opposed to Missha's two, which is a plus, however in terms of darker shades, there is only one. So the range isn't that huge, but it's better than nothing. 

The finish is slightly glossy as opposed to dewy. The difference isn't huge, but it's there.

SKIN79 SUPER BEBLESH BALM BB CREAM

This Skin79 BB Cream is the most popular in their line. This product caused the second 'hype wave' for BB Creams in the community - especially on YouTube. It received very good reviews from most people.
Originally, I was going to purchase this toward the end of my trip to bring back home, but there was a store in 이대 ( Edae ) that offered this for much cheaper than its retail price. I purchased it then and was so curious that I opened it.

This BB Cream only comes in one shade. It is the lightest of the three BB Creams and also the thickest. It does oxidise after a few minutes but my face is still significantly lighter than my neck. The shade is slightly more pink too. 

I don't think the coverage is as nice as the Missha, but it is still very nice. The finish is lovely and it fills in any fine lines well. The pinkness actually gives me a really nice "glow" and I actually don't mind that the shade is too light. 

I would not recommend this to anyone who is tanner/darker in skin tone. 

SWATCHES

OVERALL

I think they're all very nice BB Creams. If you are able to access Korean BB Creams and they're not too light for you, I would strongly recommend them! 

I am not a fan of the Western BB Creams despite them having a wider shade range. I don't believe they do the job as well as Korean BB creams. Korean BB creams are constantly being improved as they are a staple in most Korean girls' makeup routines. In fact, the choices in foundations are extremely limited and not as popular. 

I don't believe the Skin79 BB Cream deserves the level of hype it has received on YouTube. It's nice, sure. But if I were to choose one, I would pick either the Etude House or the Missha over the Skin79. 

Of the three, my favourite would have to be the Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream. The Etude House comes in at a close second. I would definitely repurchase them.

Cake Face

Because my friend Tony thought my makeup was "natural" when in fact... this is how much I put on my face everyday...

Day 4: 동대문 (Dongdaemun), 명동 Night, Beauty Haul

Another day of doing tourist-esque things. Today, the 6 of us took an excursion to 동대문 and explored the Doota 백화점. Unfortunately, I completely forgot about photos... 

The Doota Department Store is 9 floors (including one basement floor). For clothing for young adults at reasonable prices, you want B1 and 2F. I did end up buying two items of clothing. 

This sweater/top caught my eye on the sale rack. It has two holes in the shoulder area (which you can't see in the photo...) which is the main reason why I bought it. It was super cheap at 12,000 KRW (about $12 AUD). 

I've been really liking vests for the winter season and I really wanted one. This one is quite a long one and it has two pockets and a hood. I'll take a better photo featuring it later on. Again, quite cheap at 20,000 KRW (about $20 AUD).

I met up with my friend Tony and we ate near his hotel, close to COEX (?).

And then took at trip to 명동, but we couldn't shop a lot because we came too late as the shops were all closing.

We did manage to shop at a few cosmetic stores (hehe) before stopping at the cafe featured in We Got Married - 용서 (Yongseo).

Sweet Pumpkin Latte + ... (?)

This is what I hauled tonight. I know I'm buying a lot of things it seems, but I won't be in the mood to buy anything once classes start. I'm going to focus on studying. I prefer to buy all the things I need at the very start, rather than pick up bits and pieces on the way. I have a good idea of the things that I want to buy so I'm not exactly impulse purchasing.

The sheer amount of samples that makeup stores give out is insane. I love samples yet I can't bear to use them... 

Faceshop High Lighter Beam, Etude House Proof 10 Primer

The Face Shop Lovely Me:ex You and Face Blusher 07 Pink Peach

(The actual colour of the blush is a little darker than what shows up in the photo.)

Tony Moly Party Gel Liners - 01 Black and 02 Brown

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar

I have a big day ahead tomorrow so a mega post tomorrow?

PONY

Beauty Favourites - Spring 2012

I haven't been buying any makeup products for the last few months since I've been trying to use up my current collection of makeup. I'm one to believe that there's no point in hoarding hundreds of makeup products because you only have one face and there's only so much makeup you can put on your face without it looking ridiculous. 

Hence, I'm going to share my favourites from my collection for Spring 2012.

Source: Missha AU site

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream

My first ever skin base product and it's still my favourite. The shade I currently use is No. 23 but it's a little light for my skin tone. Missha have recently released a new shade - No.27 - which I want to get my hands on, but I'm going to wait until I go to Korea to purchase it. 

For me, this BB cream covers my light blemishes fairly well and it doesn't result in my skin looking dry. Most foundations tend to make the skin around my nose look really dry, but this BB cream doesn't do this at all. 

Majolica Majorca Puff De Cheeks - PK301
I received this as a birthday gift. The packaging is so pretty! At first I didn't really like to use it as it was too light and didn't show up as much as my other blushes. I started using it again a few weeks ago, and it's perfect for spring. It is a subtle light coral pink shade and it gives the perfect flush for the doll face look.

Urban Decay Brow Box - Brown Sugar
I use the lighter shade exclusively on my brows since my eyebrows aren't that sparse to begin with.

Too Faced Naked Eye Palette
I enjoy this so much more than the Urban Decay Naked Eye Palette. While the UD Naked Eye Palette has a lot of pigment, I find it too showy and intense for my tastes. The Too Faced Naked Eye Palette comes with a matte black and more light colours which are wonderful for the spring.

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler - Limited Edition Gold

I love this! If you have trouble curling your lashes because the curler doesn't sit right against your eye, try the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler. I haven't had it snag my eyelid yet!

 Urban Decay Primer Potion
I have oily eyelids, so primer is a must for me. This is the only one I've tried, as it works very well. It comes in a squeeze tube design which is a huge improvement from its predecessor - the doe foot applicator.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil - Zero
This eyeliner is hands down the best I've tried. My friend Jen, was kind enough to give me a mini pencil and I haven't looked back since. It's dark and it doesn't smear on my eyelid (which is more than I can say for other eyeliners - gel and pencil). I also have a brown one which I like as well.

Ameli Cake Eyeshadow - Sweet Diamond
This is my favourite eyeshadow if I want to do the sweet, doll like look (Louis Vuitton S/S 2012 Makeup). It's a pink with a lot of gold shimmer. It's lovely if you put it just on the ball of your eye.

Maybelline One By One Mascara
I've always like Maybelline mascaras. I think of all of the drugstore brands, Maybelline make the best ones. My favourite is the Volume Express Falsies - the volume is wonderful and it doesn't clump. However, the One By One Mascara offers clean defined lashes and it is great for everyday - even on its own it looks good because it doesn't clump

Unfortunately, I don't have any lip favourites. I'm still looking for a nice pink lipstick that looks nice on my skin tone.

So, there are my Spring 2012 beauty favourites. What are your favourite products for this season?