A Giveaway that is not to be missed! :)

Hey girls!

Ever since I have introduced myself to MUA which stands for Make Up Academy hailed from the United Kingdom, I have never looked back ever since.

THE PRICE TAG GOT ME HOOKED!!

So affordable yet they manage to uphold the quality of the items. It's a seriously great base to explore and experiment without burning a BIG hole in my pocket. (Which I already did by purchasing so many items from their site. Heh.)

The products which I have used before or currently using are :
1. MUA Undressed Palette
2. MUA Pretty Pastels Palette
3. MUA Matte Foundation in Shade 1 - Soft Sand
4. MUA Face Primer
5. MUA Extreme Metallics Quad Eyeshadow in Starstruck
6. MUA Intense Color Eyeliner Pencil in Rich Brown
7. MUA Lip Liner in Softly Lined
8. MUA Lipstick - Shade 15 Juicy
9. MUA Blusher - Shade 2
10. MUA Extreme Volume Mascara in Shade 2 Black/Brown
11. MUA Blusher in Shade 5
12. MUA Lipstick in Shade 16 - Nectar
13. MUA Lipstick in Shade 11
14. MUA Lipstick in Shade 13

The products which I have but not yet used/tried are :
1. MUA Trio Eyeshadow in Innocence
2. MUA Every Lash Mascara in Black
3. MUA Mega Volume Mascara in Black

And... The list shall continue to GROWWWWWWWWWWW! <3

I am so itching to start reviewing all these items. Pictures have been taken but I have not been able to bring myself to blog about it yet as these coming 3 weeks is crucial because its the end of my semester. Not forgetting, I still owe you girls a review on the Rapid Lash Serum!! *guilty*

Ok, I will try post up my review on the awesome lash serum soon :)

Anyway, this post is just to let you girls know that there's a giveaway by a fellow beauty blogger : Mary. 

Link to GIVEAWAY : http://happinessthatlasts.blogspot.com/2012/11/mua-palette-giveaway.html

She's giving away a brand new MUA Undressed Palette!! How cool is that??

Go, join now! Its a MUST-HAVE palette :D

Now, back to my overdue assignment on Literary Texts for ESL Learners. Oh, Dr PK. Please don't kill me.

Toodles!
Sarah <3

Review : COMING SOON :)

Hello!

Yep, I purposely chose a BIG & CLEAR picture to show you what's coming up next on this blog ;)
About 3 weeks ago, SHINS Malaysia gave me the opportunity to review this product. 

So, I am in the midst of editing photos and hopefully to update all of you in 2 weeks time.
* Assignments are my priority. Have too. (T^T) 

Thank you, SHINS!

Brought to you by : 

Malaysia

Review : the Balm Frat Boy Shadow/Blush

Hi girls,

Finally got to post these pictures and the review for this blush.

Took the pictures about a month or two ago & haven't got around to review it yet.

Boo, Sarah, Boo.

Alrighty, o chaps!

Let's start, shall we? :) 

I purchased this blush from my local cosmetic store, SaSa during their 15% off sale.
Not much price difference but I was so into the brand, the Balm. The love story with the Balm began when I first got my hands on their palette, Shady Lady Vol 2.

It was LURVE (love) at first swatch.

Pigmentation :

Very pigmented.
I have to use my Ecotools Blush Brush specifically for this blush because the brush is so soft that it picks up just the right amount. No overkill here.

Formula :

Matte. Contains no shimmer which I LIKE. Excellent for oily/combination skin girls like ME :D

Longevity :
Air-conditioned surroundings - approximately 8 hours.
Sun & sweat surroundings - approximately 6 hours.
Average wear time - 8 hours tops.

It's packaging is made out of cardboard just like most of their products are too. I love the cheeky names that the Balm has labelled their products. Especially the line "So many men, so little time...", makes me go all  giggly in cheekiness!

It comes with a usable mirror intact just above the blush. Noticed the word I used here, usable. Nothing so innovative about it but it will come in handy when you wanna do some touch-ups. I personally prefer a bigger mirror so that I can see where and how much I am applying. (not so pro yet)

without flash under fluorescent lighting. 

with flash. (almost true to color)

Of all the Balm cheeks collection, this was the only powder blush I dare put on my face. Ha.
Nothing wrong with the other colors. It's just that this was the only shade that suited my skin tone without making me look like a clown =P

Their cheeks collection consists of :
the Balm Down Boy , the Balm Cabana Boy, the Balm Hot Mama, the Balm Stainiac

And they have a highlighter & bronzer too!
the Balm Mary-Lou Manizer AKA "The Luminizer" (Which I have and love it! #tobereviewedsoon)
the Balm Betty-Lou Manizer AKA "The Bronzing Bandit"

Conclusion : 

Overall rating - A+ 

So, what are you waiting for? It's hard to ignore the beautiful peachy pink blush which will give a healthy flush to the cheeks making it look so irresistibly cute!

*Just for references purposes, I am a NW25-30 :) 

Review : Insta-Dri, yes. Awesome, no.

Hey girls!

My review on Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color is mainly a comparison about its claims and my personal experience with the product.

“Nail color covers in just one coat, brilliantly. The Perfectionist Brush contours to any nail, so color always glides on precisely, quickly, flawlessly. And, the exclusive Flexiglass Complex combines beautiful, brilliant shine and super-strong wear. So simple, so Sally”

Sally says : Nail color covers in just one coat, brilliantly.
I say : The color, Pronto Purple is beautiful. I thought the color was in a way too matured for my taste but it turned out quite pretty. (I have this fear of being passed-off as an 'aunty' due to my ‘matured’ look. #firstworlddilemmas.)  Awesome if paired with a black nail polish. But, the color didn’t show up brilliantly with just one coat as claimed. My picture shows one coat of Pronto Purple. Kinda weak but the color is only brilliant after two coats.

Sally says : The Perfectionist Brush contours to any nail, so color always glides on precisely, quickly, flawlessly.

I say : Dislike the brush. Its too thick and slightly too wide which causes clumping in the middle of the nail during application. Yes you have to be quick when gliding it on as the formula dries up pretty fast. I experienced clump-land on one or two nails but its even worse if I use my left-hand to paint my right. Urgh!

Sally says : And, the exclusive Flexiglass Complex combines beautiful, brilliant shine and super-strong wear.

I say : Nay on the super-strong wear, unless you have someone shampoo your hair for you.
The edges faded/chipped a day after my daily rituals. I found it quite disappointing as I expected highly from Sally Hansen. My RM8.90 Essence nail polish dries a second-slower but lasted 5 days or more.

Great for :
 - Students who love changing nail colors according to their outfits.
 - Busy, working ladies who want a complete the look for a night out after work ;)

Conclusion :
I would recommend for anyone who wants a SUPER, QUICK fix.
It does dry extremely fast. Too fast for my liking as I am slow-poke in painting nails (It’s a leisure time activity.)
All in all, at least it does live up to its product name. Insta-Dri!

Review : Elite Paris Fantastic Primer is FANTASTIC!

 

Hello dudes & dudettes! :)

As you can see from the first picture above, today's post is about this little awesome thing where anyone with oily/combination skin can JUMP FOR JOY!

Yep, no kidding.
AND
this post is not for faint hearts.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Seriously.

Moving on!

Below is my face.. bare.. without.. huhuuhu.. Make up.. ~(T^T)~ 

*My skin has not been at its best lately. Very bad. Probably my insides are all screwy because of the opt.

**Pictures in this post has not been modified or edited except some slight adjustment to the lighting.

Yes. Here is my beautifully flawed skin.
But heck, I'd like to believe no one is perfect :)
You were already warned!

Left picture, is my face with freshly applied foundation! I used Revlon Colorstay in 200 Nude SPF6. Right picture, I used Skin Food Banana Concealer in #2 to conceal the remaining scars & pimples which the foundation missed. Lastly, I set my foundation & concealer with ELF Mineral Booster in Sheer.

AND... I was in the rush this morning. Which I totally forgot to take my complete look.

Phail.

Okay.

Before I start off with the tests, here's what has happened.
I put on my make up at 9am and it was 8pm when I took the AFTER pictures.

                             { OIL BLOTTER CHALLENGE! }

Aim of this test :To see how well does Elite Paris Fantastic Primer controls facial oil secretion.  

Problem : I have very oily skin and if I put on my make up in the morning, most of it would be gone by noon. It wouldn't last till night. To control the excessive oil secretion, I regularly use Clean & Clear Oil Control Film to keep the shine in check. Normal usage, about 2-4 oil blotters depending on weather. 

Left picture, is the oil secretion from my nose after 12 hours Elite Paris Fantastic Primer. 

Right picture, is the oil secretion of my whole face after 12 hours using Elite Paris Fantastic Primer.

BEFORE using Elite Paris Fantastic Primer :
- I usually use about 2-3 facial oil blotters to blot out the shine after 3-4 hours after putting on make up.

WHEN using Elite Paris Fantastic Primer : 

- I used only 1 facial oil blotter to blot out the oil from my whole face after 12 hours.

{ PHOTO CHALLENGE! }

Left picture, is taken without flash after 12 hours of wear. I still look fresh!
Right picture, is taken with flash after 12 hours of wear to test for SHINY spots! Which there are.. none! :D

Ladies! Please welcome,
::: ELITE PARIS FANTASTIC PRIMER :::

Packaging : 

• Hard plastic front cover and matte glass body. 
• Sturdy.
• Compact.
• Travel friendly.
• It has a pump which helps to control the amount of product used.
• Lid closes tightly.
• 15ml - 0.507 fl.oz
• Made In Italy

Product :

• Has a pleasant scent.
• Smells like fresh face cream/soap.
• No shimmers or glitters.
• Satin, semi-matte smooth finish.

Price :

RRP : RM34-ish? Can't remember.
* This item is on discount now.

Place :

Available at all Watsons Outlet in Malaysia.

Summary : 
Longevity
As I am typing this review, I am still having my make up on. It beat the 12hours mark flat! :D

Texture
Personally, I love the scent of this primer! And I was skeptical at first about using primers, especially face primers after browsing through countless of reviews of face primers which caused breakouts, cysts, etc. It sounds scary and my skin is BAD enough already :(

So I decided to take it on its first test run with my one and only Dr. G Brightening Balm SPF30PA++ because the life span of the BB Cream on my face is short. I repeat, short.I am glad to say that it worked well with my BB Cream giving a superbly smooth, almost flawless skin! It felt that I wasn't wearing any BB Cream at all. From here, it worked well as a make up base but I was eager to know how does it fare as a primer? 
Yesterday was the best day to bring this baby for a test drive since I was out from 10am till 7pm and boy, I am blown away. It doesn't claim to last 12 hours but it did! This made me love the product even more :)

Pros :

• Long-lasting freshness
• Lightweight feeling
• Lovely scent
• Don't have to use so much product. A little goes a long way!
• Has a pump head - Easy to control the amount of product used.
• Small, easy to bring around. Travel friendly!

Cons :

• Can't think of any at the moment.

Would I recommend this to a friend? 
Heck ya!

Will I repurchase it? 
A confident YES.

Well, that's all from me. Hope you find the review useful & please do comment if I forgot to mention something or you would like to know more about the primer.

Thanks for reading !

♥
Sarah :) 

Note :

*This product was bought with my own money and I am not affiliated with the company. The review is based on my personal experience and information provided is accurate at the point of time.

Random Post #1

Hello!

I am still editing pictures for my next post. So I am gonna add a random one today :)
Was browsing through Facebook and one of my friend's reminded me of my forgotten make-up tutorial.

It has been exactly 1 month & 1 day since the Watsons YOU Awards Season 5 ended. Wow.. It seemed like a year. Okay, maybe not but it felt distant. HMM.

Anyways.. here's my very FIRST make up tutorial! :D Enjoy!

oh. and another one for the contest. 

A mock Maybelline advertisement which was put together by a good friend, Joshua Lim. 

Check out his vids! A blooming talent, I'd proudly say :)

That's all for today. Meh. 

♥

Sarah :) 

Swatches : Stila Snow Lilies Palette

Swatches & Review: Elite Paris Sweet Cheeks Blush in 03 Epice

Hey there! :D

Meet Elite Paris Sweet Cheeks Blush in 03 Epice!

I just got this pretty sturdy blush yesterday from my local pharmacy Watsons and haven't got to try it yet.

Will update this post with a review and maybe a FOTD :)

So all I have now are swatches because the color of this blush is something different and L-O-V-E-L-Y.

Gotta to share it!

Hope you'll enjoy the swatches.

Sole Importer is Watsons!

Elite Blush applied heavily but blended out. 

Elite Blush after 6 hours wear!

Me & my Elite Sweet Cheeks Blush in 03 Epice! Love it! 

Packaging : 

• Hard plastic front cover and a hard rubber-like body. (Think anti-slip!)
• Sturdy.
• Flat but wide. 
• Easy to open. 
• Lid closes tightly.
• Brush... - To be reviewed. Edited 14/8 : Its usable but I'd go for my Ecotools Blush Brush.  
• 6.3g - 0,222oz
• Made In Italy

Product :

• Satin, almost matte finish (YIPPIE for oily skinned girls like me!) 
• No shimmers or giltters
• No prominent scent. Smells like powder? 

Price :

RRP : RM34-ish? Can't remember.
* This item is on discount now at RM32.31.

Place :

Available at all Watsons Outlet in Malaysia.

Summary : 
Longevity
I wore this blush last Saturday to Times Square to help vote for my lil' sister's designed outfit for Diesel. Had it on at 6pm and it was still visible at 11pm when I got back home. To be honest, I was amused because my skin is naturally OILY (Think of a frying pan!). As you can see from the pictures, I have a pimple prone skin which is a pain in the a**.

Texture
The texture is slightly chalky but it doesn't affect the pigmentation. Based on my pictures above, the blush was swatched twice to obtain an acceptable amount of color that can be seen on photos. What I like best about this blush is the formula. It's matte. WOOT! PLUS POINT. Shimmery blushes tend to make me shine more obviously & I don't fancy shimmer much as I personally like wearable textures for daytime.

In a nutshell, this is one of my favourite blushers I own :)

Would I recommend this to a friend? 
Heck ya!

Will I repurchase it? 
A confident YES.


Well, that's all from me. Hope you find the review useful & please do comment if I forgot to mention something or you would like to know more about the blusher.

Thanks for reading !

♥
Sarah :) 

LOTD : All things Pink, Orange & Coral :)

Hello! :D

This is my first LOTD. (As what I have gathered from fashion blogs. HEE!)
Its something I want to share as I made the effort to look.. nice? Haha! Hope you guys like the assemble and if you spot something you like, I have jolted down where I got the items from so you can grab those goodies for yourselves.

Anyway, would like to thank my lil' sis for bringing me along for this event. Oh how I felt OUTOFPLACE.
It was fun and totally new experience but I didn't manage to mingle around as much as I wanted too.

Read more about it here : ALDO Shoes Pre-Fall Collection Preview 2012

Place :  ALDO Shoes Pre-Fall Collection 2012 Preview @ Bridge Bar, GTower

Look :
Peachy coral Feather earrings from Day24
Easy Chiffon Cardi - Pink from su-estilo.com
PS1 Med in Tangy from glossyaddiction
Orange Belt from this&that

White Sleeveless Top from F21
Grey Skinny Ankle Jeans from F21
Shoes.. from Mom. LOL!

♥
Sarah

[Review] Paul Frank Lip Smacker Original Lip Balm in Cotton Candy

I used to have this in Watermelon flavour which I love the smell :D


The texture is just nice, not too soft like My Lip Stuff Lip Balm which is good but it seeps through your lips/teeth and you can taste the lip balm. Not yummeh! 

Upon applying, it’s not too sticky which is a plus point for me. My lips stay moist for about 3-4 hours without eating/drinking. But will have to reapply after eating. 

It helped reduced the flakes on my chapped lips. I apply this at night before bed and in the morning I'll brush my lips gently with my toothbrush and VIOLA! Smooth & soft lips ready for lipsticks! I always use it alone or with my Revlon/NYX Round Lipsticks/Silkygirl lipsticks.

The scent is an acquired scent and doesn’t really smell like Cotton Candy. It smells more like yogurt strawberries instead, so it’s not overpoweringly sweet. This is a plus point for me. 
I thought I was going to dislike this flavour because it’s called Cotton Candy but it’s okay :)

So don’t let the Cotton Candy fool ya, if you are afraid the scent is overpoweringly sweet. Not many would like the smell but personally, it doesn’t bug me. 

Personally, if compare this scent with Watermelon, I’d go for Watermelon more. Hehe! 
Priced at around RM9.90 – RM12.90. 
It’s super affordable to achieve soft and kissable lips! 

*Sorry, no picture of me wearing the lip balm as I look horrible now due to bad cold. Will update when I am well again. Thank you :) 
* Product was given by Yuberactive for reviewing purposes. This review is based on my personal opinion and not influenced by any parties.