Foundation Review

Because it's summer, and I am a beach addict, I usually get darker during the summer time, so I needed to stock up on darker foundation shades so I decided to try out some new ones.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
This is the main foundation that I was using during winter time and spring time. It's a really great foundation. The finish is really nice and matte. So if you have oily skin is is a good foundation for oily skin. It is medium coverage and of course build-able. It also did not cause me to break out and really proved that there is a big difference between drugstore make-up and higher end make-up. However, the lady a MAC was right, it is not good for taking photos. So maybe its perfect for everyday wear.

MAC Matchmaster SPF 15
I found my match! I love this foundation. Debbie did a mini review on it in a previous post here, so I decided to try it out, and she was so right, its really a nice foundation with a lovely finish. The lady in the MAC store that helped me out told me that this foundation is her 'special occasion' foundation, and I can surely see why.

Revlon ColorStay
Everyone and their mama is raving about this foundation...except for Debbie. She told me that she didn't have a good experience with the foundation because it would oxidize so I was quite skeptical about purchasing it. But because it was not really expensive I said what heck and I was glad I did! The finish is similar to that of the Studio Fix Fluid, which is really nice. I think this would be a good everyday foundation. What I like the most about this foundation is that I don't feel like I am wearing anything on my face when I have it on. Warning! when you go to purchase the foundation, please read the label because if you have oily skin you should get the formula for combination/ oily skin because this will prevent/ reduce oxidization.

Sephora Perfecting Cover Foundation
This foundation is light - medium coverage. The formula is somewhat thin and leaves my face feeling greasy after a few hours. I was also not impressed with the finish and is very disappointed with the fact that it oxidizes. I really do not have anything good to say about this foundation.

Which foundation is your current favourite?
Shannon xoxo

OOTN: Short & Printed

The other night I went clubbing with a bunch of my girlfriends and this is what I decided to wear. I planned my entire outfit around these gorgeous printed shorts. I am a sucker for gold accents, so of course I had to accessorize with gold pieces, then I completed the look with a pop of colour on the lips.

Top: H&M
Shorts: F21
Clutch Bag: Guess
Shoes: Steve Madden
Earrings and Cuff: H&M

Rings: F21

Until my next post
Shannon xoxo

My Travel Companion

Every girl needs to have her things organized when she's travelling, I mean who likes to have to search at the bottom of their suitcase to find an eyeliner right? I bought my cute and trusty travel companion from Sephora a while back and I just decided to use it on my recent trip to Ft. Lauderdale, have a look...

It has three main compartments as you can see and a small detachable mirror, the middle compartment is detachable as well and behind it there is a hidden section which houses your makeup brushes. All the compartments are clear so there's no guessing where everything is. Another great feature of my travel bag is that it has a hanger/hook at the top so it makes it that much easier to take it out of your suitcase and hang it in any closet whether you're on a cruise, in a hotel room or spending time at a family member's house, then at the end of your trip just fold it back up and pop it back into your suitcase... so easy and convenient! It survived the airplane ride too everything was in in place and nothing had broken so I'm definitely recommending this to anyone who's looking for a perfect travel companion for your makeup.

See ya later guys!!
Debbie

Black Radiance Blushes

I recently picked up two baked blushes from the Black Radiance line at Walmart while I was in Miami and I must say I am quite pleased with them both. They cost a little below USD$6.00, which is reasonable. The blushes are really pigmented so you have to use them extremely lightly or else you'll end up looking like a clown. These two colours are also perfect for ladies with deeper skin tones. Black Radiance also has another new blush shade called Plum Sorbet, but I decided not to get it because I am sure I wouldn't wear it. Also, they do have some lovely bronzers if you are interested.

Raspberry

Warm Berry

These are the blushes side by side:

Which is one is your favourite?
Shannon xoxo

OOTD: Is it Valentine's Day?

It took me forever to find the perfect pair of red denim pants. I was on the hunt to find one that was the perfect shade of red and also the perfect fit...and I finally found it!!! So, of course the first opportunity I got I had to wear it. I combined it with a cream blouse to help tone down the intensity of the red pants. I really wanted to rock red lips, but I decided not to because I've been over doing the red lips a lot lately (but can you blame me, it's hot!). 

Denim: Ross
Blouse: H&M
Shoes: Steve Madden
Collar Neck Piece: Cotton On
Bangles: Bershka & F21

Hope you're having a fantastic day
Shannon xoxo

China Glaze Polishes Review

There has been a lot of rave about China Glaze polishes on beauty blogs, and being a nail polish junkie I was really anxious to try them out. I wasn't able to find them in HK so I ordered six polishes and two nail treatments online in order to see if all the raves are warranted. Here is what I think of each polish...

Flip Flop Fantasy

OMG! The colour of this polish is AMAZING!!!! It has to be my favourite nail polish colour of ALL time. It's perfect for summer and looks amazing on toe nails, and comes with lots of compliments. I could go on and on about how much I love this polish. Anywho, in terms of application it can be a bit streaky. You will need about two to three coats to get it opaque. A negative is that it doesn't last very long on my finger nails. Despite using China Glaze's base coat and top coat the polish did start chipping at about day three, so I think I will just stick to using this polish on my toes.

Peachy Keen

Peachy Keen is really a nice peachy pastel orange colour. I was excited about this polish until it arrived, because I didn't realize that I actually had a perfect dupe for this colour already in my collection. The application is good because it was streak free. You will need about three coats to get a nice finish and it also dries a bit darker than it appears in the bottle; as you can see in the above picture.

Sunshine Pop

This is a nice summery colour because it's so bright. It applied streak free and was also true to colour as it appears in the bottle. To get a nice opaque look, you will need about three coats. This polish also has a shimmery finish.

Kiwi Cool

This polish is bright! With a capital 'B'. The formula is really thin and because of this it's difficult to achieve an opaque look. You need at least five coats. It's true to colour and can be removed easily. It also has a matte finish.

Towel Boy Toy

To me, this colour is blah because I have seen this colour many times before. It was not what I expected. However, it applies nicely also you need a couple coats to achieve the opaque look. It is streak free and has a shimmery finish.

Crushed Candy

I really wanted to try out their crackle polish so I bought this one; but what a disappointment! I HATE it. I have tried a lot of other less expensive crackle polishes that had wayyyy better results. This polish took forever to start crackling and the finish is simply hideous. I am not sure if I got a bad formula, but I am sure I will never buy another China Glaze crackle polish.

 I also got their Top Coat and Base Coat. Can you really ever tell if a base coat really is working? I am not sure, but all I can say is that the polishes didn't stain my nails. The top coat really did add a nice shine; however it did not prevent my flip flop fantasy from chipping like crazy.

Final Thoughts
Is China Glaze really worth the 6.99 USD retail price? I don't think so. I do believe that they have some unique colours that are lovely and you probably won't ever find a dupe for, like Flip Flop Fantasy. However, I have used many other polishes that are way cheaper and have similar quality results and even longer lasting qualities. So I think that China Glaze is simply all about the hype.


So tell me which China Glaze Polish is your favourite,
Shannon xoxo

Summer 2012 Bikini Collection

A haul of the bikinis that I purchased for Summer 2012.

Thanks for watching!
Shannon

Beginners' Brushes

Let's face it, make-up brushes can get really pricey. So, if you have recently started getting into make-up, like myself, and is interested in purchasing an inexpensive brush set that will get the job done fairly well I would recommend the Coastal Scents brush set and also the E.L.F Studio brush collection.

Coastal Scent 22 Piece Brush Set
In this set you will get 22 brushes, so you know there will be a brush there for whatever it is that you want to do. Also, on the Coastal Scents website they give you a full description of each brush which is very useful. I like this brush set because the brushes are soft and seem durable; the faux leather brush pouch is also a bonus! I don't think you can go wrong with this set because you will be getting 22 brushes for around 35USD, and right now Coastal Scents is having a massive sale with 35% off brushes. So you will be able to purchase the set for 22.71USD...come on, you cannot beat that!

E.L.F Studio 11 Piece Brush Collection
These are another inexpensive brush set that would be perfect for a make-up beginner who really just needs the basics. It comes with 11 brushes, including face and eye brushes, and also a pouch to hold the brushes. It also comes with a little leaflet describing the brushes and their possible usage. The brushes are soft and I am sure they will get the job done. The set also includes the EXTREMELY popular E.L.F Studio powder brush. This brush is really popular with a lot of make-up gurus. The set retails for 30USD on E.L.F website. But you can always wait for them to have a sale, because they are ALWAYS having one, or you can google E.L.F discount codes to see if you get lucky.

Hope you're having an amazing day
Shannon xoxo

Summer-ize Your Makeup Routine

With the hot summer days quickly approaching, I figured I would give you guys a couple tips to help prevent against the dreaded makeup meltdown and smudges so here we go....

 

• If you REALLY want to wear heavier makeup during the summer, opt for foundation, concealers, etc that either have a prolonged wear time or are water resistant. From the drug store to high end department stores, you are bound to find a suitable brand of makeup that is formulated to give you the long lasting effect that you need for the sweltering heat and sweating.

• Use a makeup finishing spray which helps to lock in your makeup. There are brands such as Urban Decay, Skindinavia and Sacha Cosmetics which offer great makeup setting sprays which act as a sealant for your makeup.

• Prime Up! I can't stress this point enough, using a good face and eye primer will help your makeup to stay put throughout the day and help to stop your makeup from smudging. Many people swear by Milk of Magnesia as being a great primer as well, as it helps to combat excessive oiliness throughout the day.

• If you find that no matter what, you still get oily, which may make your makeup smudge, carry some oil blotting sheets with you or an oil blotting powder in your purse to help banish your oily woes and leave your makeup looking fresh.

• Opt for non oily or water based moisturizers before you apply makeup. You probably won't be needing too much oil based products during the summer,unless you have very dry skin, so switch up some of your skin care items for the hot summer months.

 

• Go light on the makeup. Packing on too much foundation during the summer is not suggested, instead try using a good tinted moisturizer and setting it with a very light dusting of powder and if you want you could make your own tinted moisturizer.

• Try wearing lip stains instead of lip gloss to ensure you have a longer wear.

 

Hope this helps guys, and if you have any other tips or suggestions on any of my pointers just drop me a comment.
Debbie

OOTD: Sheer Denim

Just a quick OOTD for you lovelies. I was heading to dinner and decided to wear my sheer denim top that I bought from Maples in Hong Kong. I also went with neutral eye make-up and of course a pop of colour with my new obsession... MAC's Russian Red.

Later darlings,
Shannon