Eyes Archives - Page 2 of 5

November 9, 2015

UD Vice 4 Review & Swatches

I posted a picture of this UD Vice 4 palette last month on my Instagram, but didn’t get the chance to post it on the blog nor to swatch this palette. So, today I decided to post this UD Vice 4 Review & Swatches. I’ve posted a tutorial using this vice 4 palette on my previous post, please check it out! I’ll be posting more tutorials using this palette in the near future.

YES THIS PALETTE IS LIMITED EDITION! So, if you want it you better get it before it’s gone! Actually at this moment when I’m writing this post, this palette is already out of stock in Sephora. I was lucky to have bought it right when it was released in Sephora’s website, along with my KVD Mi Vida Loca Remix palette.

What is UD Vice 4?
“A limited-edition palette packed with 20 gorgeous, never-before-seen shades, a huge mirror, a double-ended brush, and a chic bag.

These shades are filled with rich, deep jewel tones in a wide range of finishes—from velvety-smooth mattes and shimmering metallics to shades infused with micro-glitter. Each Eyeshadow in Vice4 is formulated with Urban Decay’s own Pigment Infusion System™, a proprietary blend of ingredients that deliver rich, velvety, blendable color that lasts and sparkle that stays in place.”

Sephora, 2015

First Impression

Gorgeous palette, with beautiful shades. You get some colorful shades, you get neutral ones, some with sparkles, some are matte. The packaging is breathtaking, I absolutely in love with the cover. Very pretty! The eyeshadows are very vibrant in color, very pigmented. Knowing how the UD palettes are, I expected these shadows to be smooth and blendable, and they are!

Shades

There are 20 shades in this palette, and I categorize them according to their rows (across from L-R). The first row seems to be where the “Party” shades with all the pearls and glitters. The second row is the “Reds”, most of the shadows on this row has a red/pinky undertone. The third row is the “Greens” since the majority of the shades on this row is green, while the other 2 is more on the taupe-brown shade. The fourth row is the “Orange” since the shades on this row is very warm. I find that this palette doesn’t really have a pattern, but oh well going across makes more sense than going down the column.

First row
- Bones (oyster satin with pearl)
- Grip (taupe matte with iridescent micro-glitter)
- Deadbeat (black satin with micro-glitter)
- Beat Down (deep metallic violet with blue micro-glitter)
- Pandemonium (no description from Sephora, so my description of this shade is deep plum with micro-glitter)

Second row
- Framed (light neutral matte-satin)
- Fast-ball (metallic peachy pink with micro-glitter)
- 1985 (metallic fuchsia with fuchsia micro-glitter)
- Underhand (burgundy-brown satin)
- Harlot (metallic lavender)

Third row
- Discreet (soft dusty mauve matte)
- Grasshopper (metallic emerald w/green micro-glitter)
- C-Note (frosted green with micro-glitter)
- Arctic (bright teal with tonal sparkle)
- Robbery (deep metallic brown-gunmetal)

Fourth row
- Bitter (reddish brown matte)
- Flame (bright orange with gold micro-glitter)
- Low (brown matte with iridescent micro-glitter)
- Crowbar (black with golden metallic pearl/micro-glitter)
- Delete (deep chestnut brown matte-satin)

Pros

20 shades x 0.6 oz
Variety of shades and textures
High pigmentation
Easily blended
Buttery and smooth
Long lasting
$70 for 20 shades, which come down to $3-ish/shade
Can be used wet to create an even more intense shine

Cons

Limited edition
Some shades have a lot of fallout, esp. the ones with sparkles!

September 15, 2015

Shu Uemura Metal:Ink Liquid Liner

Couple weeks a go, I bought some stuff online from Shu Uemura, which include these Shu Uemura Metal:ink Liquid Liner. I cannot stop raving about these 2 liners! My new obsession is the red liner, such amazing color which I never thought I could pull off! What makes it even better, is the fact that I was chosen as Shu Uemura 4th week and last winner for “Haute Couture” Instagram competition, after I posted a picture of my eyes with these liners!

As you all know, I have been a huge fan of Shu Uemura products, and have a great relationship with Shu Uemura Indonesia. I’ve participated and was chosen as one of their top 10 winners in the Brave Beauty competition last year. During that competition, I was given a wide range of products to try. I did not get to play with the liquid eyeliners, but I did get to play with their Calligraphy:ink liner. I was in love with the Calligraphy:ink liner so much that I decided to buy it after.

Knowing how great the Calligraphy:ink liner is, I have high expectation for the Shu Uemura Metal:ink Liquid Liner. Of course, that expectation was met above and beyond! Both the Metal:ink liquid liner and Glitter liquid liner are heavily pigmented. There was no need to layer the liner, 1 swipe and you get the intensity needed.

I find, personally, that the liquid liners are very easy to use. Although, there are people who find that this liner is hard to use (from the review on Shu website). The trick, I think is to wipe excess product on the side of the tube and getting just enough on the tip. Talking about the tips, the metal:ink liner comes with a felt tip whereas the metal:ink glitter liner comes with a brush tip. Both are very thin, yet sturdy, making it, as I’ve said before, easy to apply. I didn’t have any issue with the application whatsoever.

The metal:ink liquid liners have the right consistency to make it easy to apply, and it’s very smooth. It does not have weird texture, just a pretty metallic finish. The metal:ink glitter liner is slightly runnier than the metal:ink, it dripped on my canvas. However, when applying to my eyes, I didn’t notice if it was too runny, I find that it has just the right consistency. The Metal:ink Glitter Liquid Liner, also, does not feel sticky. I don’t know if you know what I mean, but I’ve tried another brand which left me with a sticky eyelid and the glitter was hard to remove. This metal:ink glitter liner is not sticky at all, and the glitter removes pretty easily even with a wet wipe.

I do find that the liquid liners are not waterproof nor smudge-proof. It does stay pretty well on the eyelids, though. I have quite oily lids, but the liners didn’t budge for the whole day. However, I can remove it easily just by using water or wet wipes. The swatches I did on my hand were easily removed just by rubbing my fingers on it. The other downside is probably the price – CA$38/each, but then again it’s Shu Uemura, a luxury brand, I quite expect the price to be quite premium. I don’t really mind it, though, since I know for that price, I get a high quality. Not to mention, last time I bought a glitter liner from drugstore brand, I had a bad reaction to it. So, I definitely rather pay a bit more as long as I get a great quality for it.

Pros

Heavily pigmented
Long-lasting
Beautiful metallic finish
Glitter can be removed easily
Applicators are sturdy and easy to use
Smooth consistency, making it easy to create a clean line
Metal:ink liquid liners come in 10 shades

Cons

Not waterproof
Not smudgeproof
Pricy

July 30, 2015

UD Naked Smoky Palette Review

Here’s my UD Naked Smoky Palette review! It is not a surprise that I’m a huge fan of Urban Decay, but not many people know I actually am not a big fan of the UD naked 1 and naked 2 palettes. I do like some of the eyeshadows in the palette, but the naked 1 and naked 2 weren’t always my favorite. However, when they released their UD Naked 3 palette, I was head over heels for that palette. I absolutely adore Naked 3, particularly because I am obsessed with anything Rose Gold tones.

I did not plan to buy the UD Naked Smoky, in fact, I thought it was just another hype. However, since I do not own the naked 1 and 2 palettes any longer, I thought why not give this Naked Smoky a try. No harm done, and I thought if I didn’t like it, I can just return it anyways. So, I bought the UD Naked Smoky palette from Sephora, and 3 days later it arrived at my mailbox.

When I took the palette out of the box, I was already impressed with the packaging. Then, the rest is history. I am in love with this palette! Yes, you can get other nude palettes with similar shades for a lesser price. However, the quality of this UD Naked Smoky is far more superior than any other eyeshadows, and much better than the other 3 naked palettes. Keep reading to find out why I love this palette!

What is UD Naked Smoky Palette?

“Sweep on popular smoky eye looks with Urban Decay’s Naked Smoky. Packed with all the essentials needed to create the perfect neutral smoky eye, it offers an array of shades, a double-ended brush, and a detailed lookbook that breaks down four amazing ways to nail any smoky look. The eye shadow pans offer a smoky, transparent base, the magnetic closure on the case prevents shadow from spilling your bag, and the full-size mirror makes it easy to get a sultry look whenever the urge strikes.”

Sephora, 2015

Packaging

The case is gorgeous. It’s much better than UD Naked 1 and Naked 2. Much sturdier plastic packaging, and it looks luxurious with a cool smoke effect. It actually has a latch to close the palette, similar to the tin packaging from Naked 3. It’s not some flimsy magnetic clasp like the Naked 1. Gorgeous packaging!

The palette comes with a dual-ended brush, and an instructional booklet, which contains 4 looks you can follow. I’ve done the Iconic UD Smoky Eye look in my previous tutorial, so please check it out! I’ve also done a slightly less smoky look using this palette in my MAC D for Danger post.

Shades & Finish

The UD Naked Smoky Eye palette comes with 12 eyeshadows

High – champagne (shimmer micro-glitter)
Dirtysweet – medium bronze (shimmer)
Radar – metallic taupe (iridescent micro-glitter)
Armor – metallic silver-taupe (tonal sparkle)
Slanted – light metallic gray (shimmer)
Dagger – medium charcoal (micro-shimmer)
Black Market – jet-black (satin)
Smolder – deep plum-taupe (satin)
Password – cool taupe (matte)
Whiskey – rich brown (matte)
Combust – soft pink-taupe (matte)
Thirteen – light beige (satin)

Pigmentation & Blendability

The eyeshadows are very pigmented, even if you don’t apply eyeshadow base/primer, the shades are still pretty amazing. However, if you apply a base/primer, the colors are even more vibrant. On the swatches picture, I applied Urban Decay Primer Potion (original) as a base since I always wear my eyeshadow with primer anyways.

There are 3 shades that are quite similar to the other Naked palettes – Dirtysweet, Dagger, and Smolder. Dirtysweet is quite similar to Half-Baked (Naked 1) but with less sparkle fallout. Dagger is very similar to Gunmetal (Naked 1), but with less shimmer. Smolder is similar to Hustle (Naked 1) but cooler in undertone.

Price

CA$64 from Sephora Canada, for 12 x 0.05oz.

(L-R) High; Dirtysweet; Radar; Armor; Slanted; Dagger; Black Market; Smolder; Password; Whiskey; Combust; Thirteen)

Pros

Gorgeous packaging
High pigment pay-off
Easy to blend
Less fallout than the other eyeshadows from other Naked palettes
Wide range of textures
Wearable shades – can create day to night look
Beautiful shades that fits almost everyone

Cons

Some shades are very similar to other Naked palettes.

June 15, 2015

KVD Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette Review

Finally, eh?! About time I write a little something about my current favorite neutral palette. I’ve used it on my KVD Shade + Light post, and I absolutely love it! So, here is my KVD Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette review! If you are a makeup artist who works in TV/Film, this palette is one of the best product you can have in your makeup kit. The palette consists of only matte eyeshadows with neutral, cool and warm undertones!

This KVD Shade Light eye contour palette is also a great investment for everyone and makeup artists. It really is a great palette for pretty much anything involving the eyes. It can be used as base, eyeliner, contour, brows, transition shade, etc. For CA$55, you get 12 eyeshadows ranging from light to dark. This palette is one of the best investment I’ve made!

I do apologize for missing last week, if you followed me on Instagram, you’d known that I was having a terrible sinus allergy, a couple eyelash extension jobs, and a new puppy! More on that on Instagram!

What is KVD Shade & Light Eye contour palette?

“It’s specially-designed for eye contouring, a groundbreaking technique once used only by beauty experts to define and enhance eyes. This palette features a gorgeous, versatile array of true contouring shades, arranged into three color quads—neutral, cool, and warm—to flatter every skintone.

Three large base shadows are arranged above three coordinating powders for contouring, defining, and highlighting. The palette includes an easy-to-follow contouring guide with step-by-step instructions for creating three different eye-opening techniques. Each velvety powder is blendable and buildable, and it features Kat Von D’s signature high-pigment, long-wear eye shadow formula, created to deliver rich color that lasts all day and all night.”

Sephora, 2015

Packaging & Content

The KVD Shade & Light eye palette comes in a sleek black cardboard palette. The palette comes with a huge mirror on one side, and 12 eyeshadows on the other side. These 12 eyeshadows are divided into 3 quads – neutral quad, cool quad, and warm quad.

It also comes with an instructional pamphlet. The pamphlet shows how you can use your eyeshadows to create 2 different looks from each quad.

Pigmentation & Blendability

The 12 eyeshadows are very pigmented, and a dream to blend. As you can see from my swatches below from all the quads, the eyeshadows have great pigment pay-off even with no primer. I used Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original for the “with primer” swatches.

One thing to keep in mind, if you are having difficulty blending the eyeshadows with primer on, you might want to apply a base shadow first all over the entire eyelid area on top of the eyeliner. This will allow your other eyeshadows to go on smoothly and to blend easily. You can use the base eyeshadow as seen in this palette “Laetus”, “Lazarus”, or “Lucius”.

Tips: If you do not own this palette, you can still use a shadow that closely match your skin, or your face powder will do the trick as well.

Shades & Finish

There is 12 matte eyeshadows divided into 3 quads – Neutral, Cool, and Warm. Each quad consists of a “Base”, “Contour”, “Define”, and “Highlight” shades.

“Base” is what you’ll use to apply all over the entire eye area, all the way up to the brow bone if needed. Base eyeshadows for me can be used as transition shade as well, or to blend the harsh edge of the crease.
“Contour” is used, usually, on the outer V/C and crease area. If you have a deep darker skintone, you can also use the “Contour” shades as transition color.
“Define” can be used as eyeliner, or to deepen the crease even more.
“Highlight” is used to add light to the eyes, usually applied on the inner corner, and/or on the brow bones, or the center of the lid.

Price

CA$55 in Sephora Canada.

Neutral Quad
- Base – Laetus (creamy nude)
- Contour – Samael (dusty fawn)
- Define – Solas (espresso brown)
- Highlight – Lucius (soft beige)

Cool Quad
- Base – Lazarus (cool taupe)
- Contour – Saleos (smoky brown)
- Define – Shax (jet black)
- Highlight – Liberatus (pinkish ivory)

Warm Quad
- Base – Ludwin (peachy bronze)
- Contour – Succubus (rich rust)
- Define – Sytry (chocolate brown)
- Highlight – Latinus (golden bisque)

Pros

Great range of shades and undertones.
Price wise it’s pretty reasonable ($4.50 per eyeshadow if you break it down).
Great pigment pay-off.
Easy to blend.
Suits every skintones.
Great product for those who want to learn how to contour your eyes.
Beautiful packaging

Cons

Lots of fall out if you don’t pick up the eyeshadow properly.

February 23, 2015

Smashbox Double Exposure Review

As promised, here’s my Smashbox Double Exposure Review post! You all know how much I love this palette already, right?! If you are in between the Full Exposure and the Double Exposure, please check out this post and my Full Exposure review to see which one is for you. They are 2 different palettes, with different shades. I’d suggest the Full Exposure for those who prefer neutral shades, and the Double Exposure for those who want to experiment with colors.

*update – another blogger mentioned that she couldn’t get a pigmentation like what I get on my previous tutorials (Valentine’s Day Soft Makeup and Smashbox Double Exposure tutorial #2). I’d like to mention that I applied Urban Decay Primer Potion (as mentioned on the product list), and I applied my eyeshadow with a dense brush (especially on the tutorial #2).*

Anyways, let’s get into the review! If you don’t care about what I write, just scroll all the way to the bottom to see the pros and cons of this palette, and my summary for it.

What is Smashbox Double Exposure Palette?

This innovative eye palette features coated pigments formulated with coating technology to create multiple effects when wet, allowing the shadows to transform in one of four ways—allowing these 14 shadows to become 28 shades in just one palette. When wet, these colors amp up vibrancy, become deeper, turn metallic, or create sparkle for endless, customizable eye looks.

Sephora, 2015

Packaging & Insert

Gorgeous packaging! Beautiful rose gold cover against black background with white lettering. Similar to the Smashbox Full Exposure Palette, it seems that it’s made from a carton/box-like material. It also comes with a big mirror.

It contains 2 leaflets: 1) dry/wet eyeshadow transformation booklet, and 2) a #shapematter booklet – a leaflet that shows where to apply your eyeshadow depending on your eyeshape. It also comes with a sample size Full Exposure mascara (not in picture).

It also comes with a double-ended eye brush – flat dome eyeshadow brush and an angled “fluffy” brush. I love the flat dome brush because it does apply the eyeshadow nicely, especially when it’s wet. The angled brush, not a big fan. I expected the angled brush to be more like a blending brush, but mine was super stiff. I might have to wash it several times and see if it’ll get softer, but as of this moment I’m not liking the angled brush end.

Pigmentation/Blendability

I love the shades that come in this palette, however, I do have to say that some of the shades are not impressive. I absolutely love all the shimmers, I think they have great pigment pay-off wet or dry, and they blend easily.

The satin shades are buttery and creamy, amazing colors. Veiled, however, is the same shade as my skintone, so it doesn’t really show up when I apply it dry. Veiled is a good eyeshadow for me to blend out any harsh edges.

I’m not quite sure what happen to the matte shades. Out of all the finishes, the mattes were my least favorite. They aren’t quite as pigmented when applied dry, quite sheer actually. Also, a lot of fall out. Nevertheless, it’s still workable, and blend easily.

Shades & Finish

14 eyeshadows (0.042 oz/each)

Top
- Silver – shimmer (dry); metallic (wet)
- Mauve – satin (dry); metallic (wet)
- Peony – shimmer (dry); metallic (wet)
- Blanc – shimmer (dry); metallic (wet)
- Quartz – shimmer (dry); amps up vibrancy (wet)
- Flushed – shimmer (dry); gets deeper (wet)
- Veiled – satin(dry); amps up vibrancy (wet)
Bottom
- Midnight – satin (dry); add sparkles (wet)
- Temper – satin (dry); add sparkles (wet)
- Haze – shimmer (dry); gets deeper (wet)
- Noir – matte (dry); gets deeper (wet)
- Copper – shimmer (dry); metallic (wet)
- Fig – matte (dry); gets deeper (wet)
- Espresso – matte (dry); gets deeper (wet)

Price

CA$60 in Sephora Canada

Pros

Can be applied dry and wet
Eyeshadows do not get glazed after wet application
Great mixtures of colors and texture
Includes both warm and cool undertone shades
Beautiful packaging
Comes with a double-ended brush and a sample size mascara
Reasonable price
Very little fall-out

Cons

Matte shadows have poor pigment pay-offs

Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated/endorsed by Sephora nor Smashbox. I do not earn any money from the links, and I am not paid to do this review. This palette was not sent to me. I bought this palette out of my own pocket, and my review is based entirely on my own experience with this palette. This review is honest and is based on my own opinion.

November 11, 2014

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Review

I’m back with a new post ya’ll! Today is my Bioderma Sensibio H2O review! Apologies for the late update, been super duper busy with work, and my health condition wasn’t at its best. However, if you have followed me on Instagram, you would have known that I was recently featured on a talkshow called Ping Me at RTV in Indonesia. Just a small segment, but it was a pretty cool experience. Photos are over on my Instagram!

Anyways, let’s get back on today’s topic: Best makeup remover ever! If you have not heard of this makeup remover, shame on you! Let’s take a look at the before and after photos below shall we?

On the left, my face was filled with makeup products from my “Dr. Who the Waters of Mars” makeup tutorial.
- I have foundation on, eyeshadows, eyeliner, and face paint.
On the right, my face after I removed all the makeup using Bioderma Sensibio H2O makeup remover.
- 2 cotton pads somewhat half-soaked in the makeup remover.

So, I’ve used Bioderma since 2010, and when I returned to Indonesia in 2012, I couldn’t find any. However, in 2013, Bioderma entered the Indonesian market, and I was thrilled! I was even more excited this year when Bioderma’s Brand Manager and Marketing Director invited me for a coffee break last month! Amazing! So awesome to have meet both of them, and they were so kind as to give me their 2 best-sellers! Thank you and thank you and thank you Bioderma Indonesia!

Let’s get back on track a little, shall we? What exactly is Bioderma?

” The Laboratoire Dermatologique BIODERMA, based in Lyon, France, develops and markets, in close collaboration with dermatologists and renowned institutional research centers (CNRS. INSERM, CHU, Universities,…), dermo-cosmetic products intended for medical prescription and medicinal consultancy.

BIODERMA is among the most frequently prescribed laboratories by French dermatologists. Present in more than 70 countries, BIODERMA is growing very fast at international level. (…)

Bioderma’s reserach is performed by a team of highly qualified scientists and extremely reputable operators. (…) These works gave birth to numerous innovations which since became references:

The 1st non detergent shampoo : NodéFluid.
The 1st cleansing waters : the micellar solutions Sensibio H2O and Sébium H2O.
The 1st biologically-active sunscreen ingredient that counters the long-term damaging effects of UV exposure : Photoderm and the patent Cellular BIOprotection^®.
The 1st skincare product that corrects the quality of sebum : Sébium AKN and its patented ingredient, Fluidactiv^®.
The first skincare who acts directly on the main cause of skin redness : Sensibio AR and its patent Rosactiv^®. “

Bioderma, 2014

As you all can see, Bioderma is the pioneer in creating “Cleansing Water”. The micellar technology comes from Bioderma, and they are still the best at it. I’ve tried other micellar-based makeup remover, but none of them are as superior as Bioderma’s.

What is a micellar technology?

(…) Micelles (…) effectively micro-emulsify impurities while maintaining the skin’s balance (soap-free, physiological pH).

Bioderma, 2014

So there’s 2 actions in the Micellar technology:

Break down impurities
Restore skin to its optimal condition

This makeup remover has these tiny molecules called Micelles. What micelles do is to break down any impurities (dirt, oil, makeup etc) as soon as it touches your skin. However, instead of breaking down your skin cells along with all these impurities, it detects and recognizes your skin cells. The micelles molecules will then restore your skin’s condition to its optimum balance.

Isn’t Science amazing?! Awesome!

So, I was given 2 products – the Sensibio H2O and the Sebium H2O. I’ve only been using the Sensibio H2O, so I cannot say much about the Sebium. However, I’d have think that the Sebium would give similar result to the Sensibio.

There’s 2 main difference between the Sensibio and the Sebium:

The Sensibio is catered towards sensitive skin, while the Sebium is for oily skin.
The Sebium cannot be used in the eyes and lips area while the Sensibio can be used in those areas.
- The reason why the Sebium cannot be used in the eyes and lips area is because those areas are more sensitive. Since the Sebium is made for oily skin, it’ll absorb excess oil on the skin. However, since the eye and lip areas aren’t as oily as the skin, using the Sebium in those areas might cause it to be dried out and thus irritated.
- Please do avoid using the Sebium on the eye and lip areas.

Below is a list of pros and cons for Bioderma Sensibio H2O

Pros

Removes makeup without the need to rinse.
Will remove even the hardest waterproof mascara and eyeliner.
- Soaked the remover on a cotton pad, leave it on eyes for 3-5 minutes and wipe away.
Suitable for every skin type.
Does not dry out skin.
Does not leave any weird sticky or oily residue on skin.
Does not irritate the skin and eyes.
PERFECT to clean up the edges of your WINGED LINER.
Fast and quick makeup removal, especially for makeup changes.

Cons

Removing mascara and eyeliner might take a few minutes for the remover to break it down. I prefer using Shu Uemura cleansing oil for this instead, since I always rinse my face after removing my makeup anyways.

July 24, 2014

Benefit They’re Real Push Up Liner Review

As you guys probably know, I made a trip to Sephora this past week when they just opened their first store in Jakarta. I purchased couple stuffs, and one of them include Benefit’s latest eyeliner. I’ve heard many praises about this liner, so I decided to take it out for a test drive. Keep reading if you want to know more about my Benefit They’re Real Push-Up Liner review!

My 2 favorite eyeliners are Kat Von D Trooper tattoo eyeliner and Kanebo Kate Super Sharp eyeliner. It’s very hard for me to love any other eyeliners beside those 2 since they’ve proved to be the best in the market. Smudged-proof, water-proof, and I can create thin or thick line depending on what I want. So, will this Benefit They’re real push-up liner measure up to the standard?

Let me mention that I have tried Benefit They’re Real Mascara and I absolutely hate it. It made my lashes clumpy, it doesn’t hold any curls, and it’s flaky. I’m not a fan of they’re real mascara, I don’t get what’s the hype is all about. I actually bought the mascara twice because I thought the first one that I purchased was a faulty product. Nope, turned out the mascara doesn’t work for me. Don’t get me wrong, I do love Benefit products, like their blushes and highlighters. However, their They’re Real Mascara ended up to be on my “crappy product list”.

Anyways, let’s talk more about the eyeliner! What is Benefit They’re Real Push-Up Liner?

What it is:
An innovative and waterproof lash-hugging gel liner pen.

What it does:
Benefit They’re Real! Push-Up Liner is the first foolproof and budge-proof gel liner in a pen. A gorgeous way to open up eyes, this matte black gel formula won’t dry out, and its cutting-edge tip ensures a precise line every time.

What else you need to know:
This eyeliner’s soft AccuFlex™ tip is custom-angled to draw an easy line. Its flat, wide guard gently pushes lashes aside to get close to lash line.

(Sephora, 2014)

At first glance, this eyeliner look quite different than most of the eyeliners that I’ve used. It’s definitely bigger, almost like a mascara tube. The tip is quite the curious part. It has a beveled tip, I’m guessing to make that perfect “wing”. If you look at the tip closer, you’ll realize that there’s a hole in there, for the gel to come out . You have to twist the end of the tube so the gel gets pushed out of the tip. Pretty cool, eh?

Keep reading to find out how I feel about it!

So, I took this eyeliner for a test drive yesterday from 10.30am till 5.30pm. During my initial application, I realized that if I click the base too much, and there’s too much product coming out the gel becomes clumpy, and it lumped into tiny balls. No good! If you don’t have enough of product, the eyeliner becomes too thin and not dark enough. It takes some time before you can get a good consistency. So, definitely NOT as “fool-proof” as they claimed.

Within 1.5 hours of wearing this eyeliner, keep in mind I don’t wear any primer, this eyeliner starts to smudge a little. What concerns me the most was the fact that within 1.5 hours, the eyeliner started to flake. I’ll post the picture on my Instagram to show you what I meant. Imagine how surprised I was to check my car’s mirror and realized there were little flakes of eyeliner all over my lower lid.

After a solid 7 hours, this eyeliner had smudged the inner corner of my lower lid. As you can see below, the eyeliner has moved quite noticeably, and noticed how the eyeliner has cracked. Absolutely disappointed! Definitely NOT smudge-proof!

I do have oily lids, however, on my day makeup I usually don’t wear any primer nor eyeshadow. I rely on my Kanebo Kate Super Sharp eyeliner, or Kat Von D Trooper tattoo eyeliner. Those eyeliners do not move at all for the whole day! I’ve worn them for up to 8-10hours, and they don’t flake at all.

Packaging

Sleek black tube. Slightly bigger than Kat Von D Trooper tattoo eyeliner, and Kanebo Kate Super Sharp Eyeliner.

Longevity

Without any primer, started to flake and smudged within 1.5 hours of application. Bear in mind, I’m living in a hot tropical country, and I do have oily lids.

Ease of use

Not that easy to use. The accu-flex tip is not sturdy enough. Like I said, it takes a while to get used to this product. The amount of gel that comes out of the tip will effect the application process. I find it hard to create a thin line using this product.

Price

USD$24 in Sephora website. I don’t remember how much it is in rupiah.

Pros:

Cool, innovative design.
You don’t have to carry a gel liner and a separate brush.
Produced a very black and matte eyeliner.

Cons:

Not smudge-proof.
Takes a while to learn how to use this product properly – will get lumps of eyeliner if you use too much product.
Flaky.
Does NOT last all-day.
Tip isn’t sturdy.
Hard to create thin line.
Expensive (USD $24) compared to Kat Von D Trooper Tattoo eyeliner (USD $18).

May 17, 2014

Urban Decay Electric Palette Review

Finally, I managed to upload this Urban Decay Electric Palette review! Since my week starts on Monday, this is still counted as being posted on this week! I tried to upload it earlier today, but my internet at home wasn’t working. Anyways, let’s get back to this review, shall we?!

From Urban Decay website

“Chaos-inducing color—in ten VELVETY shades. Inspired by Chaos (a brilliant matte blue from The Vice Palette), we created the ultimate fix for color addicts—packed with ten of the brightest, most amazing shades you’ve ever laid eyes on, plus a double-ended brush. In addition to Chaos (yes, it’s back!), this palette marks the return of Revolt (a silver standout from our Anarchy Face Case). All the other shades are NEW!

From ultra-smooth mattes to highly dimensional shimmers, each VELVETY shade delivers insane color payout. Why do a Pressed Pigment Palette? Using pressed pigments was the only way we could create heavily saturated brights with the intense pigment load we craved. Traditional pressed pigment formulas just wouldn’t cut it. To achieve shades like these, we had to develop an entirely new formula!

We carefully crafted the formula on every shade to make sure each one would apply with a soft and creamy texture and deliver serious color payout. Each shade features our Pigment Infusion System™, the proprietary blend of ingredients that gives each shade its velvety texture, rich color, serious staying power and blendability.

The case is as cool as the shades inside. Emblazoned with “ELECTRIC,” this slim, sleek palette features a vivid, dimensional, multilayered smoke-screen print reminiscent of the shades inside. And the mirror is huge!

Electric Pressed Pigment Palette also includes a cruelty-free, double-ended pressed pigment brush (an all-black brush with bright purple synthetic brush fibers). On one end: a compact precision brush that’s perfect for applying color with amazing control. On the other end: a small pigment brush.

(WARNING: Slowburn, Savage, Jilted and Urban contain a colorant that is not approved for the eye area in the US, Canada and Brazil.)“

Packaging

I absolutely hate the packaging. I love the cover, and its beautiful artwork, however I hate the bulkiness of it. This is one of the bigger, heavier palette in my kit. Not to mention, this one doesn’t have a latch/clasp when the palette is closed. I can’t actually place one of my little kitchen mat to protect the eyeshadows when I travel – the magnet is not strong enough to hold the palette together when I placed the mat in between.

Longevity/Blendability/Pigmentation

Worn with Urban Decay primer or NYX Milk Jumbo pencil, the shades last for around 8-hour with very minimal creasing. Colors stay well on the lid with primer on. I’ve never tried it with no primer, so I can’t say anything about that.

All of the eyeshadows blend very well, very smooth, and I have no problem whatsoever. They are so pigmented, that even with no primer, you can still get the true colors on your eyelids. However, I find that the matte shades are slightly thinner than the shimmers. The matte shades need a real good packing if you don’t use primer underneath (check out my swatches below to see what I mean).

Also, just FYI, a few of my blending brushes (my MAC 217s) are now permanently stained with Savage and Slowburn. I’ve washed them several times with a Beauty Blender solid soap, no luck in getting rid of those stain. Oh well, just know that you’ve been warned!

Shades & Finish

Top row (L-R)

Revolt – bright metallic silver shimmer w/silver glitter.
Gonzo – bright turquoise matte w/ floating tonal pearl.
Slowburn – bright red-orange matte w/floating pearl.
Savage – bright hot pink matte.
Fringe – bright metallic teal.

Bottom Row (L-R)

Chaos – bright blue matte w/floating tonal pearl.
Jilted – bright metallic fuchsia w/blue shift.
Urban – bright metallic purple.
Freak – bright green w/gold shift.
Thrash – bright lime green matte w/floating gold pearl.

(All shades/finish info is taken from Urban Decay, 2014)

Price

USD$49 for 10 shades (0.04oz)

Pros

Great pigmentation
Smooth and easily blendable
Bright, bold, fun colors
Can be used as hair-chalking pigment
Long lasting
Colors stay true (what you see is what you get)
You get a good mix of matte and shimmer
Price is pretty good compared to other UD eyeshadows

Cons

4 out of the 10 shades cannot be used on the eyes
Packaging is not optimal for travel
A little bit pricy compared to other brand

So, I know everyone has been raving about this UD Electric Palette, even I was raving about it before the palette was released. When I finally bought it couple weeks a go when I was in Toronto, I thought it was an over-hype. I saw the colors, and I thought to myself that there’s a lot of other companies that make similar palettes to this, for example, the Sleek Makeup iDivine Snapshot palette, which honestly cost a lot less than the UD Electric palette. You can definitely find similar shades in other brands, like MAC, Sleek Makeup, NYX etc.

If you can’t get this palette, don’t worry too much about it. You can definitely find similar shades by other brands. If you are a fan of Urban Decay’s products, then by all means get this palette, esp. if you love bright, bold colors.

My personal opinion is that this is a great palette (plus it’s cruelty-free) to have if you have the extra cash. Not necessarily needed, but nice to own. Since 4 out of the 10 shades on the palette aren’t recommended for eyelid application, really and truly, if you are worried, I say don’t bother getting it. Go to MAC, and you’ll find eyeshadows that are very similar in shade with this.

March 21, 2014

Kat Von D Esperanza Palette Review

Happy Friday (or Saturday depending on which time zone you are in), everyone! I wanted to actually do a tutorial today but the Sun is hiding behind the cloud, so I decided to fulfill my promise from my last post to put up my Kat Von D Esperanza Palette review. I hope when the Sun decides to come out again, I can do a fun tutorial for the upcoming week! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter to find out what I’m up to daily, and also like my Facebook page so you can get notification on facebook whenever I upload a new post (or subscribe if you prefer email notification!).

Anyways, let’s get down to the review!

What is the Kat Von D Esperanza palette?

“A fresh palette of eight long-wear, full coverage shadows that deliver matte, pearl, and high-glitter finishes, plus one transformative color veil.

Inspired by the transformative spirit of spring, this luxurious eye shadow palette contains a variety of shades ranging from subtle mattes to bold shimmers and pearls. The transformer shade, Dayglo, can layer on to each color to add a unique dimension. A built-in mirror helps you create an abundance of on-the-go eye looks.

Palette is infused with rose extract to moisturize delicate eyelid area.”

(Sephora, 2014)

First impression – what a gorgeous coveeeer! I want it! I have to have iiiit! *while standing in front of the cashier, and without any shame asking her if she can get the palette from behind her*. Pretty much that sums up how I felt about the palette when I first saw it at Sephora…hahahaha…So, yeeep! There you go, I’m a sucker for any pretty packaging!

I actually have owned several Kat Von D products before – liquid eyeliner (Trooper), and Beethoven palette. I’ve loved those products, and have re-bought them several times, especially the Trooper liquid eyeliner. So, I expected quite a few things from this palette – great pigments, long-lasting, easily blendable etc. I’m pretty happy to see that Kat Von D finally released a palette with pastels and colors for Spring. However, this palette is just OK. I think you’ll be better off buying her True Romance palettes than this one, unless you like the pastels in this palette.

Keep reading to see why this palette didn’t make it to my Product of the Week!

Packaging

The Esperanza palette comes in a carton box. As you can see, there’s a beautiful art work in the cover, very reminiscent of the Sugar Skull. Inside, you get a mirror on one side, and 8 eyeshadows on the other side.

To be honest, I’m quite disappointed with the packaging, since I find it quite flimsy, considering the other True Romance palettes come in a hard plastic package with a clasp.

Longevity/Blendability/Pigmentation

As with most of the other Kat Von D palettes, the shadows in this palette last really well. I’ve worn it with UD Primer Potion for 6-hour with no creasing.

The eyeshadows are so soft and buttery; it blends so easily. I do have to say that if you have a skin tone like me (or darker), Archangel might look a little chalky (although I love this shade so much!). I find that Santeria and Dog Roses have the most pigment pay-off out of all the 8. I also love Dayglo, which can work really well as a transition color on the eyelid if you have 2 or more shades on the lid. It also gives a nice iridescent finish whether you wear it alone or on top of any shadow.

I do have to mention that there’s a significantly more fall-out from this palette compared to the other Kat Von D palettes.

Shades & Finish

Top (L-R)

Selena (glitter purple)
Dayglo (transformer shade, iridescent white)
Galore (pearl peach)
Placebo (matte peony pink)

Bottom (L-R)

Santeria (glitter greenish grey)
Archangel (sparkle seafoam green)
South (matte beige)
Dog Roses (sparkle bronze)

*shades description taken from Sephora*

Price

CA$43 for 0.035 oz x 8 eyeshadows. It is a limited edition palette, so I’ve expected it to be a bit more expensive. The other Kat Von D palettes (the True Romance) are also $43/each, but you get 0.05 oz x 8 shades (with better packaging). I think this palette is slightly more expensive, but if you love pastels and light colors then this would be a great palette for you.

Pros

What is so great about this palette is that the colors work with each other very well in any combination!
Love all the soft, spring colors.
Easily blended and great pigment pay-off.
Beautiful cover.
Paraben free.

Cons

Flimsy packaging.
Some of the lighter shades might look chalky on medium to dark skin tone.
Quite a few fall-out.
Pricy considering you pay the same price as the other Kat Von D palettes, but you get less product and flimsier packaging.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated nor sponsored to do this review. I bought this palette out of my own pocket, and I do not gain any monetary profit out of it.

March 4, 2014

Product of the Week:NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette Review

I’ve been asked to do a NARSissist eyeshadow palette review ever since I posted a picture of the palette on Instagram couple weeks a go. I’m so sorry that this review is up a bit late, I’ve been having too much fun here in Jamaica (as you all can see on my Instagram..lol). Not to mention, last week I was celebrating my birthday, so sorry but not that sorry…hehehe..

Anyways! Here’s my NARSissist eyeshadow palette review! I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

What is a NARSissist eyeshadow palette?

A palette of 15 NARS signature eye shadow shades for creating unlimited artistic effects.
Connect with captivating colors that will have all eyes following you. Ready to wear every day, every way—15 signature eye shadow shades every NARSissist adores.

(Sephora, 2014)

At first glance, this NARSissit eyeshadow palette is not as eye catching as the Urban Decay’s. It doesn’t have anything rosy, the packaging is black, it doesn’t stand out much. However, since it is NARS, of course I have to walk on that aisle to admire it. The simple and sleek design of the packaging is what makes this palette look so very elegant! To be honest, I didn’t even stop to take a look closer, I just grabbed it and go.

With all the neutral palettes that are out in the market (i.e. UD Naked, UD Naked 2, UD Naked 3, Smashbox Full Exposure) I felt that perhaps NARS was just jumping in the bandwagon. However, the more you look at this palette, the more you’ll realize there’s quite a difference between the rest of the palette and NARS. I find that this NARSissist palette has more of a “grown-up” feeling to it. There’s some sort of elegance to the range of shades in this palette. I love the mixture of cool and warm neutrals, and I find that the darker shades are slightly more on the sultry side compared to the other 4 palettes that I mentioned earlier.

This palette consists of eyeshadows that are available in singles or duos, with the exception of Bad Behavior. However, the palette in itself is a limited edition. If you do like the shades in the palette, but can’t buy the palette anymore, you can still purchase the eyeshadow in singles/duos. This palette is so worth the price. I’ll talk more about the value of this palette under “Price” below, so please keep reading or scroll down if you are curious!

Packaging

Like I’ve mentioned above, the packaging is simple and sleek. Very NARS. This palette comes in a black case. Inside you’ll find a big mirror on one side, and 15 eyeshadows on the other.

Longevity

I have worn this eyeshadow with Urban Decay Primer Potion and it has minimal to no creasing after a 10-hour wear (in a warm climate)

Shades & Finish

Please note that I and II indicate whether the shade is on the Left or Right side of the duos, since these shades are also available in singles/duos (for more info read under Price).

Top Row (L to R) –

All About Eve I – flesh toned neutrals.
Madrague II – matte caramel.
Fez – velvety cocoa.
Bali – neutral.
Coconut Grove – deep brown infused with reflections.

Middle Row (L to R) –

Madrague I – matte cream (pretty much non-existence on my skin tone. It matches my skin color exactly)
Nepal – soft sheer rose.
Ashes to Ashes – shimmery violet based brown.
Brousse II – black violet.
Mekong – espresso infused with gold.

Bottom Row (L to R)

Bellissima I – shimmering beige with subtle glitter.
Lhasa – lavender grey.
Bad Behavior – deep pewter. (Not available in single/duos)
Dogon II – charcoal black.
Pandora II – matte black.

*shades description taken from Sephora*

Price

CAD$85 for 15 eyeshadows (0.03 oz/each).

Keep in mind that each singles are CA$28 (0.07 oz), while duos are CA$39 (0.07 oz/shade). If you only like a couple of the shades from this palette, I think buying the singles/duos is far more worth it than buying the whole palette.

However, if you have to have this palette, it’ll come down to CA$5-6/shade compared to $28 each (singles) or s20 each (duos). You pay significantly less for half the amount, so I think it is a good deal.

Pros:

Great for makeup artists or beginners who want more neutrals in their palette without breaking the bank.
The eyeshadows in the palette are very smooth and easily blendable.
Great value for money.
The eyeshadows are not limited (except for Bad Behavior), so if you’ve finished a shade on the palette and want more you can buy it in singles/duos.
Highly pigmented and easy to work with.
Great mix of matte and shimmer.
Would be a great alternative to the Naked palettes.

Cons:

You have to prime your eyelid with an eyeshadow primer – dry skin will find it’ll help the eyeshadow to stick to the lid better.
Without primer, some of the shades end up looking a bit more sheer.
The color range is so-so. You can find similar shades from different brands.

I’ll try to do a tutorial using this palette soon! 😉

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated nor sponsored to do this review. This palette was bought out of my own pocket, and I do not gain any monetary profit out of it.

Kirei Makeup

Category: Eyes

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Urban Decay Electric Palette Review

Kat Von D Esperanza Palette Review

Product of the Week:NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette Review