ESthetics: Review | Lengbox - February Box

Hello~ Hello beautiful earthlings!
How are you? I hope you are doing well.

ESthetics: Review | Lengbox - January Box

Hello beautiful earthlings!

How have you all been? I hope your January was great. My January was awesome and I cannot be more grateful for all the small things that happened. I hope we'll make a good start with February and finish strong.

ESthetics: Review | Ichiko Bento - August Box

Hello beautiful earthlings!
Yesterday, I have received Ichiko Bento's August box. After the first box, I looked forward to receiving the August box. But to be honest, my excitement wore off after a couple of messages from the company saying that they had to push back the dates. I further express my feelings towards Ichiko Bento towards the end of this post. But for now, let's have a little show and tell of their August box.

ESthetics: Review | Ichiko Bento

Hello beautiful earthlings!

I've updated within two weeks so maybe it means that I'm doing good so far? Anyways, it has been a while since I last published an ESthetics post. So I have a review of a new subscription box that has entered the beauty industry called Ichiko Bento. Plus this is my first subscription box ever! You can read up on their history and it may pique your interest.

ESthetics: Going Gray

Call Me Gray (yes I am a fan of Gray's music)

Hello beautiful earthlings! As promised in my last post, I would post something this weekend. So here it is. I HAVE FINALLY DYED MY HAIR GRAY!

ESthetics/Review: Going Blonde from my Jet Black Hair with Charming Hair Salon

Photo courtesy of Charming Hair Salon 

Hello beautiful earthlings!

I decided to take a break (as if I needed a break with my inconsistent postings) with my EsTrails posts for today and post something ESthetics related. 

About 3 weeks ago, my sister and I decided to do something different. I felt like taking a risk and I felt brave that I decided to go blonde. I have planned on going silver haired but never really committed on doing it. Couple of reasons include money and I was scared that my hair would end up getting damaged.

ESthetics (Haul & Review): CutenCuterFactory.com

Hello beautiful earthlings!

How have you all been? It has been ages since my last post! I have been quite busy with college and a bit out of it lately.  I am also preparing for my internship application for the next semester that keeps me a littl, if not a lot insane! 

It has been a while since I last posted an ESthetic post so let's take a break from the EsTrails posts and I have this ESthetic/beauty related post for you beautiful earthlings!

ESthetics: Hera Travel Diary Make-Up Collection

Hello beautiful earthlings!
I have received news earlier today from CutenCuterFactory.com that the Korean cosmetic brand called Hera will be releasing its new make-up collection called "Travel Diary" this coming October. They told me that they will be also having this collection in their website on the exact day as the products will be released to the Korean market.
This collection is in collaboration with Italian designers Milko & Diego.  They incorporated travel elements in the product and packaging design.  

The collection will include the goodies shown in the above photo.

The above photo shows Hera's cushion foundation, eyeshadow palette and blush with highlighting properties.

I am excited that Hera included their cushion foundation in this collection.  I bet this will be the main reason why people would want to get this since this product was raved by a lot of beauty bloggers and Youtubers.

The palette contains 5 products that looks marbleized and baked.

Isn't this photo cleaver making it look like a camera but in reality it is a blush compact?

I do admit that I am a lipstick addict and my mom complains on how I have way too many.  There would be times that I would really respectfully disagree.  The packaging for the lipstick is so pretty!

I am so happy that Hera included a cleansing oil in this collection!  It is quite clever that they did since you need to remove all those make-up products at the end of the night when you are about to hit the hay!  It even has Paris as its background!
I want to have all of the products! But if I would have to choose one, I'd probably go for the cushion foundation or the lipsticks!  Man, choosing was difficult! Haha
Like I mentioned earlier in this post, CutenCuterFactory will release these goodies to the international market on October 1st!  They also offer FREE worldwide shipping.  I think this is a great opportunity to have these in your own hands and take advantage of opportunity!
I hope you guys enjoyed this little post that previews Hera's new collection! Have an amazing week ahead!
Peace & Love!
P.S. The photos in this post are not mine, they were just sent to me to show the new collection.  I give full credit to the photos rightful owner.

CutenCuterFactory.com

Hello beautiful earthlings!
Last week, I was contacted by the owner of CutenCutenFactory.com to be an affiliate blogger of their website.  I was so delighted and more than happy to do it!
So what is CutenCuterFactory?  Well, it is a shopping website that specializes in Korean cosmetics based in Seoul, South Korea. The website sells high end products such as Laneige and Hera to more affordable brands such as Innisfree.  One good thing about this website that got me all excited was that they offer FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!  That is a huge plus on my cards!

Their website is simple and very easy to navigate.  The first thing you would notice is that they have a banner with arrows that shows customers their latest deals.

Underneath that, they have a grid list of all the new products they have in stock. Aren't they adorable?!

Like every other Korean stores, they also give away freebies with any purchase!

This is definitely in my wishlist! My birthday is coming soon maybe keep in mind that I want this! Haha just kidding!
I honestly think that this is such a great offer since the Hera UV Mist Cushion is already about $45! $4.95 more and you get two products!
I suggest to sign up at their newsletter to get the latest promotions they offer so you wouldn't miss out!

Also, don't forget to like their Facebook page for more updates and information about them!
That's it for now! I will see you in the next post! Have a good weekend ahead!
Peace & Love!

ESthetics: Summer Faves 2015

Hello beautiful earthlings!
This is a first "fave" post I have and I decided to post my beauty related summer favourites on the first day of September! By the way, hello September and hello Autumn! Also, hello to my fellow Autumn babies!
The products I would be mentioning in this post are the products that I continually used during the summer months that I have tried, tested and loved. So shall we start?

So let's start talking about SKINCARE! Skincare excites me as much as make-up or probably even more.
Bioré Ice Cleanser is one of the face cleansers I swear by.  I particularly love using this cleanser during the hot summer months as it leaves a very cooling sensation on the skin after rinsing.  I used this cleanser when I was on my vacation in Asia. This product helps me skin fight the blemishes and it leaves my skin soft and smooth!  It does have a scent when applied on the skin.  I am not bothered by it but others may.  The scent does not linger on the skin that long though.
Etude House's Wonder Pore toner was one of the products that I regret buying late in the summer months.  I did not get to use this until I got back in Ireland.  But I have been using it non-stop ever since.  It claims that it has 10 benefits which includes minimising pores. I honestly see a little difference in my pores but the reason why it is in my summer faves is that it leaves a cooling and fresh sensation on your skin when used.

The next product I regret buying late in the summer months is the Body Shop's Seaweed Mattifying day cream.  I already purchased this when I was already back in Ireland.  I heard good things about this from beauty Youtuber Saaammage couple years ago.
I have been religiously using the Body Shop's Aloe Vera moisturizers for years (almost 10 years!) and it is my HG moisturizer since it works well with my sensitive skin.  I have noticed for the past 2 years, my skin has gotten oilier around the T-Zone area during the summer months and it bothered me a lot.  I decided to get the Seaweed moisturizer and I love it.

The Seaweed moisturizer is not a cream based.  It is more like a gel type moisturizer that turns clear when applied on the face.  The first time I used it, I felt a tingly sensation on my face which scared me because I thought my skin would react badly to it.
Fortunately, my skin did not react badly.  I guess it was just not used to the moisturizer.  I like how it helps my skin's sebum in control and I don't get that much shiny as I used to.  I'd say that this keeps my face matte for about 6 hours.  Others claim that it keeps them matte the entire day but my sunscreen is on the oilier side of things that promotes sebum build up.  The only downside is that this is quite expensive almost €18 for a tub of 50 ml. 

The photo above includes the face make-up that I have loved during the summer months.  I brought these products with me during my vacation and worked really well.
I really enjoyed using Benefit's Porefessional primer as it kept my base make-up last longer and reduced the appearance of my pores around my nose and cheek area.
I love Benefit's Hoola bronzer for a little contouring of my face.  I love how the undertone is brown and not orange since I am not a fan of orange-y bronzers.
I was going to buy Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind before I left for my vacation since I heard from my sister Nikki that it works really well. I was on the hunt for it and it was sold out everywhere in the city. So I decided to just get the Fit Me Concealer.  I love it!  The coverage is really good and covers my dark circles really well.  The shade also suited my skin tone.
The powder I used to set my make-up with was ELF's HD powder.  I noticed that it does not really help with oil control so I got Rimmel's Stay Matte powder.  It claims to mattify the skin for about 5 hours.  I honestly think that it helps my skin matte for about 4 hours.  The downside with this powder was that it did not come with a puff.  I bought a separate powder puff and just keep it in the packaging to keep things easy.
Sleek's blush in Rose Gold is a good dupe for Nars's Orgasm blush.  I love how it is so flattering on my skin and I always use it even if summer has just gone by.  The blush is coral in colour with gold flexes.  The flexes does not accentuate my pores whatsoever that's why I love it!

Here are the swatches of the products mentioned above.  Rimmel's Stay Matte pressed powder did not show up that much on my skin since it does not really have that much colour to it.

I forgot to include Etude House's Proof 10 primer in this photo.  It is my HG eye primer.  It keeps my eye make-up last all day long even if I would shed a few tears here and there.  I used the primer for my cousin's wedding and I definitely teared up a bit when I saw her walking down the aisle.  And my makeup did not budge at all!

I got the K-Palette 1 Day Lash Perm Volume Curl mascara as part of a set that includes the liquid liner.  The mascara claims to be volumizing and curling as well.  To be honest, I have tried better mascara in terms of volumizing but I love how this mascara does not smudge in my eyes even without the use of eyelid primer.  Despite that, I love how this mascara keeps my lash curled and does not leave a very spidery/clumpy lash effect.

I have a love-hate relationship with Benefit's They're Real mascara.  There would be those days that I love how it looks on my lashes but there would also be those days that I dislike it due to the clumpiness it leaves my sparse lashes that it looked very unflattering.
You're probably wondering how did this get in my favourites? Well, I like how this does not smudge like the mascara I have mentioned before this.  I still yet have to master how to use this properly so I'd get that consistent lash look that I like.  I don't really think that this helps much with volume but I think it lengthens the lashes well and holds curls.

K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner has recently become one of my HG liquid liners.  This does not need the help of a primer. It stays put where it should be for a minimum of 8 hours. I have worn this to work and I did not have to worry about smudging and budging.

I love how thin the brush is that can help create thin lines that is close to the lashes.  It is also easy to use for thicker lines with no problems whatsoever.

Clio's Pen Liner in Kill Black is the other HG liquid liner I was talking about.  I love the formula of this liner.  The pigmentation is amazing!

This eyeliner does not also smudge! I wore this to work without primer and lasted me the entire day without transfer or smudging.  It claims to be waterproof but there was a time that I walked in the rain with this eyeliner, and I got transfer from my upper lids. (I have one extremely hooded eyelids that makes eyeliner-ing quite difficult). I don't know why that happened so I will be testing this liquid liner further and I will have a full review on this eyeliner soon so look out for that!
Since this is a pen liquid liner, I found that application could be a little difficult especially if I wanted a sharp winged liner. I should try the brush version and maybe I'd like it even more than this.

Here are the swatches of the liquid eyeliners mentioned.   Clio's pigmentation is better than K-Palette's but K-Palette's application is easier than Clio's.  If they had a baby, it would have the perfect combination ever!

This Wet N Wild lipstick in Coral-ine is my favourite coral/orange lipstick! I used it all the time during the summer months.

It can be used as a statement colour but I mostly used it as a stain. I'd dab it in the inner part of my lips for that gradient effect that is a popular Korean make-up trend.  This lipstick is highly pigmented and does not leave the lips dry. I highly recommend it plus it is really affordable!

I also forgot to include Clean & Clear's Oil Control Film in my cover photo but this was my summer saviour!  It still is whenever my T-zone would get extremely oily.

The oil control film I got was in Pink Grapefruit and the film has a grapefruit scent to it.  I actually like the scent and I am not bothered by it.  I love how it absorbs the excess sebum on my skin and leaves it a little fresher than it was.
I bought this when I was in Singapore for SGD 5 for a twin pack.  I cannot seem to find this in Ireland but if you know any place that sells this, let me know in the comments below!

So that's it for my Summer Faves of 2015! I hope you enjoyed reading this post.  If you have any questions with the products I have mentioned, don't hesitate to ask!
I am now working on day 3 of our stay in Singapore which is basically staying in Universal Studios the entire day! I'll see you there!
Peace & Love!

Review: Catrice Absolute Eye Colour 040 Never Let Me Go Quad

 

 Hello beautiful earthlings!

I am here to review this eyeshadow quad from Catrice in 040 Never Let Me Go.  I will be discussing its pros and cons and also, I will show photos on how I wore this quad on my eyes.

Shades:

• Shade 1 is a shimmery peach eyeshadow with visible gold flexes.  It is a pretty colour for all over the eyelids

• Shade 2 is a pearlescent nude colour that is good for all over the eyelids to neutralize the colour of the eyelids.  This is also a good highlight shade for the inner corners and browbone

• Shade 3 is more of a cool brown that can be used for the outer V for depth

• Shade 4 is a deeper brown eyeshadow colour with tiny gold flexes (smaller compared to Shade 1).  This shade can be used as an eyeliner or it can be used to create more depth and drama to the eyes.

Swatches:

Demo:

I applied Shade 1 all over my eyelids.  I used an eyeshadow brush to pat the product instead of sweeping it. This helps with preventing from the eyeshadow and the gold flexes from falling out the lid area and also patting gives a more pigmented look.

With a blending brush, I placed Shade 3 in the outer corners of my eyes for definition and depth.

Using my fingers, I swept Shade 2 on my brow bone, inner corners as well as on my aegyossal for that "innocent and youthful" look.

I used Shade 4 on my lower lash line for definition with a small smudge brush.  (I opt for a different eyeliner for this look).

Here's the finished eye look with my full make-up :D

So about the quad, here are some pros and cons.

PROS:

• Versatility - The quad is very neutral and can be worn on a daily basis.  It can also be worn on special occasions by adding more of the darker colour on the outer V of your eyes for more drama.  I have worn it on both on normal days as well as on a special occasion.  In my opinion, it would look great on both cooler and warmer skin undertones.

• Pigmentation - From the swatches above, you can see that the eyeshadows are quite pigmented.

• Price - The quad is only €4.49! It can be found in Penneys as they carry this brand in their make-up section

• Packaging - The packaging is simple yet chic.  It is also sturdy so I did not have any troubles or worry about the shadows breaking when it is in the bottom end of my bag.

CONS:

• Fall out - Shade 2 has quite a lot of fall out.  I would notice that some of the gold flexes are already down on my cheeks.

• No mirror - It would have been nice if there was a mirror with the quad but I guess that would ruin the whole simple yet chic packaging.

So my overall verdict? 4/5.  I would recommend this quad to anyone.   To avoid fallouts, just make sure to pat the eyeshadow on the lids instead of using the window wiper motion.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post/review.  I welcome any constructive criticism to improve my reviews on this blog.  Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below!

 Peace & Love!