Swatches: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil

Ever since I've jumped on the cream eyeshadow/base bandwagon, I've been searching for a cheaper alternatives that might be MAC paintpot alike. It always doesn't hurt to save my pocket from burning a big hole. Nevertheless, I'm still itching to add Chanel's Illusion D'Ombre into my makeup collection. The cheaper alternative that I feel has comparable quality so far is none other than NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil.

The colors that instantly caught my eye was Iced Mocha, Milk and Yoghurt. The eye pencil's consistency is creamy and they really make perfect eye bases especially for Milk when I'm trying to pull a colorful eye makeup. Iced Mocha and Yoghurt are both colors that can be worn by itself. Remember I was sharing about how MAC's Bare Study paintpot is able to brighten up my eye lids? Well, Yoghurt does the exact same thing, albeit at a much cheaper price tag. Furthermore, the pigmentation of this product is surprisingly good, something that I did not expect from a low-end brand.

From Left to Right: Iced Mocha, Yoghurt, Milk

I guess the only thing that I didn't enjoy about this product is the lasting power and the fact that it creases.  However, with really light colors such as Yoghurt (my most used champagne base), the creasing effect doesn't really show up that much. If you are looking for the more economical option, definitely take a look at NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil.

Happy Weekend!

xx

Monthly Favorites #3: 2012 Quarterly Favorites

I've always not been a really close observer of monthly favorites post. Simply said, I just do not see a point for myself  as I'm always spending weeks/months to decide whether I really like a product. Furthermore, I also always seems to be enjoying similar products especially now that I'm on a tighter beauty splurging budget. With that in mind, I decided to do a quarterly favorites (slightly late still ;P) instead, just to showcase some of the noteworthy products that I've been really enjoying.

Recent obsession with bath & body products

So yes, I am pretty much addicted to natural handmade bath and body product now. I remember that I used to be so addicted to purchasing makeup and skincare but I guess I have reached the saturation point of purchasing more, especially after trying so many brands, I now know what works and what don't. Lush Vanilla Dee-Lite is one of my very first 'natural handmade' body lotion. I love the scent and find that vanilla scent is one of those that really relaxes me after a long day of stressful work. The texture is non-stickey and more watery as compared to body butters. More importantly, it absorbs into my skin almost immediately, leaving my skin soft and smooth.

However, after more exposure to the natural handmade community, I've come to a realization that Lush's contain Parabens, an ingredient shun away by the natural & organic conscious community. Since then, I begun my search for alternatives, which led me to stumble upon Nikory Bath Treats. I ordered a bunch of products from their website and Honey Vanilla Dust Body Butter Cream is the first that I tried outta my entire order. I must say I am very impressed by the quality, texture, scent and pricing and absolutely am in love with this baby. With the thicker consistency, I only use this before going to bed around my feed (the roughest area) and will usually wake up to a smooth feet the second day. Hallelujah to that!

Staple everyday makeup 

By now, almost everyone who frequents this blog would have already known about my holy grail combination, Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation & NARS Sex Appeal. The former is one of those foundation which gives me my desired coverage and staying power while the latter is awesome for everyday subtle glow for the office. I have heard complains about double wear being cakey but I beg to differ on that. The tip to remember would be that 'a little goes a long way'. However, I do not dismiss the fact that it can be rather drying especially on a poorly prep/moisturized skin.

The rather recent favorites would be Maybelline The Falsies mascara & Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre. I have been using both for quite some time now and I can safely vouch for their quality. Maybelline The Falsies adds volume and decent length to my lashes, yet it does not clump up at all which is the main criteria I look for in mascaras. Though the Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre does not give very good oil control, I love this for the finely milled texture and the finish that it provides my skin. This is perfect with the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation as it counteracts the really matte finish of the foundation by adding a soft glow to the skin. Wonderful finish I would say, but not so wonderful price tag!

Ikea Brush Holder?

This is one of my really good finds from Ikea. It's meant to be a flower pot but I decided to use it as a brush holder instead. It fits all my face brushes perfectly and add a touch of cute element into my current set up. Most importantly, my face brushes doesn't fall everywhere when I'm rushing to grab it in the morning. If you happen to drop by Ikea, do keep a lookout for this at the gardening section. 

That's pretty much a wrap for my favorites in 2012's first quarter. Let me know if you would like a detailed review of any mentioned.

xx

Bath & Body Haul: Nikory Bath Treats

So I finally received my Nikory Bath Treats haul. I am pleasently surprised by all the products that I've received. Thanks Aissa for the lovely packaging as well as going out of the way with the extra goodies!

Upon receiving the parcel (I'm not really sure which day it came in as I was out of the country for work), I already couldn't keep my hands away from the body frosting as well as the really lovely scented hand sanitizer. Just a sneak preview over here, the hand sanitizer is sooooooooooooooo moisturizing...OMG..

A separate review will be featured on this blog soon once I've tried out all the products and cut up my soap bars. Do let me know which product review you would like to see featured first.

Have a good week ahead & Happy Easter!

xx

Guide to Naruko: am Wakeup Skin Smooth Washing Powder

As opposed to any facial wash I've tried, the Naruko [ampm] am Wakeup Skin Smooth Washing Powder is my very first powder format facial cleanser. I have always been skeptical about such products and by now, you must be wondering why I even bought it in the first place.

Answer is, I got this as a free gift from purchasing the Naruko skin care guide.

According to Naruko's site, this product contains papaya enzyme, vitamin E, bifidus ferment filtrate, micro-dermabrasion crystals and etc. (bunch of stuff in chinese that I don't recognize). The papaya enzyme is said to be able to remove dead skin cells while the microbeads promote cell turnover rate. Both ultimately combats dullness which will lead to a more radiant and healthy complexion.

The method of use is rather straightforward; just pour a walnut size amount of powder to the palm and work out a lather by mixing the powder with a small amount of water. The product is also recommended for use in the morning instead, as it supposedly wakes up the skin.

My 2 cents: 

After consistently using this for a few months, I came to a conclusion that this product this product do works well as a morning cleanser. However, I find that the main 'waking up' factor for my skin is the strong herbal scent rather than any other abovementioned ingredients. I also do agree that it provides gentle exfoliation and brightens up my skin, especially on days that I'm deprived of sleep.

Yet, this is one of those cleansers that I find myself rarely reaching out for on my bathroom counter (I prefer the rose & botanic aqua cubic cleanser). Main reason is that I find that it can be a lil' drying for my liking (I have combination skin type) and the strong herbal scent sometimes gets to my nerve.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this as a must try among all the different cleansers by Naruko. Especially for those with dry skin, you might want to get a sample before buying the product.

xx

Guide to Naruko: Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Foaming Wash

Ever since started using Naruko products, I've been meaning to share some of my product experience here. However, owing to the reason that I do own quite a number of products from Naruko, I decided that I would do a Naruko review series this whole month instead of combining the reviews in one post.

The first product on my review list is the Naruko Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Foaming Wash. This facial wash is part of the Rose & Snow Fungas collection that is recommended for dry, dull or sagging skin. From what I know, this line of products is also one of the classic best seller from Naruko due to the intense hydration benefit.

Each line by Naruko offers a holistic regime ranging from cleanser all the way to sleeping mask. Amongst the different lines, I decided to purchase this cleanser due to its claim of providing gentle cleansing experience and intense hydration.

This cleanser comes in a dense and creamy formula. It is strongly scented with a rose scent due to having rose essential oil as one of the ingredients. Though I'm not a fan of scented facial care, I enjoyed this product especially at night as it gives a really soothing feeling after a long day at work.

Aside from the rose essential oil, the product contains amino acid, hyarulonic acid and snow fungas extract; all of which are ingredients which enhances hydration, ensuring that moisture is not stripped away from the skin. Even though facial cleansers are usually my least concern in my daily regime, I do notice that the cleanser leaves my skin soft after each wash and my pores condition is also improving by the day.

Overall, I do not have any complains regarding this product and would definitely recommend anyone to try out if you are looking to purchase from Naruko. The product retails at price below and can be purchase from their official distributor site in Malaysia and Singapore.

RM29 (Naruko Malaysia Official Site)

SG$15 (Naruko Singapore Official Site)

TW$199 (Naruko Taiwan Official Site) - For international customers

p/s: This cleanser alone does not remove makeup hence make up remover is a must to ensure all makeup is removed fully.

xx