Benefit Hello flawless oxygen wow petal

Today's review is on Benefit's Hello flawless oxygen wow liquid foundation in shade "I'm plush & precious" petal.

I received this in a sample size of 5ml and it came in a really cute and small pump bottle.

The claims:
-oil free
-spf 25 pa+++
-brightening makeup
-light to medium coverage

Okay so I tested this on my face first before doing the hand swatch and this is the verdict:

Pros:
♡true enough light to medium coverage so if you're looking to go hard and all out coverage this isn't for you. It does give you a natural dewy kind of look tho.
♡I actually hate the runny consistency of the liquid. But when applied to face with a stippling brush it helps blend out evenly.

Cons:
♡staying power isn't that great and tends to get oilier later on in the day.
♡runny consistency.
♡still need to touch up or set with powder if you have oily skin.

So overall i give it a ♡♡♡
I like the packaging and I like the outcome of the foundation. I would purchase the full size bottle of this but I wouldn't wear it for a long day out just cause of the oily thingy at the end of the day and the light coverage that tends to fade towards the night.

Apart from that i have also heard that this foundation oxidises like crazy on some people and turns super orange on them. That hasn't happened to me before no matter what foundation I use. I'd recommend bare minerals face time primer to prevent that from happening as so far it works for me.

Thanks for reading! Tried it before? How did you find the foundation? Do share with me your experience. (:

Benefit "They're Real!" Mascara review.

It's everywhere! If you're a fan, I bet you've heard all the rave about Benefit's "They're real!" mascara and it's wonders. Well I managed to get my hands on a sample size to try it out before I really burn a hole in my pocket for the retail size. Here's my thoughts on it! (:

The sample size is super cute and looks exactly like the rts just a mini version. It states the percentage claims of the mascara and the ingredients list on the packaging box.

Actual tube size.

And this is how the brush looks like. 

I love the spiky brush and the many tiny stiff hairs as it helps to separate my lashes evenly so that the mascara can evenly coat all my lashes. However I've heard that the rts brush has a spiky ball at the end to help reach the inner lashes and lower lashes more easily. Seems like the sample size doesn't have that ball at the tip or did i totally not notice it?

I have thin and short eyelashes which looks close to bald due to some freak accident that happened when i was younger. I tried to cut my own fringe and ended up cutting my lashes off too. The scissors was so close to my eyes that it got half of my lashes and they never grew back since.

So this is one coat on:

The verdict:

♡Yes i saw dramatic change in the length and volume. It looks naturally long and thicker now but with one coat of course it doesn't look like you're wearing fake lashes. A few more coats would do the trick.
♡Not too sure about the curl as i didn't use a curler before applying.(I always forget this step) But I do see a lift in my lashes.
♡It lasted for the whole day without smudging or flaking off on me. I tried sleeping overnight without removing them and they're still there in the morn but smudged. (I guess from rubbing my eyes in my sleep.)
♡Great for a natural look in the morn. And also great for a night out look with more coats. (2-3?)

So overall I give Benefit's "They're real!" Mascara ☆☆☆/5. It works fine like how i expect other mascaras to work like as well, so other than that i think it was just meh okay, does its job but nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe it'll turn to 5 stars once I feel the wonders of the spiked ball?

Any of you tried the mascara before? How was your experience with it? Would love to hear from you lovelies. (:

COTTON ON NAIL POLISH REVIEW //

Cotton on(clothing) is an Australian brand that has many other chains under the company such as Rubi(shoes & accessories) & Typo(stationeries). Their nail polish sets are available at most Rubi stores tho I do wish they have a beauty store under their company. But no, so I tried their trio nail colour sets just because the mini paint pots looks damn cute and it was just $4.95 a box. They don't have a name for this polish collection compared to the rubi nail enamel collection. So I'll just describe them according to the colours.

Left to right: indigo, lime, peach, nude, white.

Indigo:
-2 coats till opaque.
-Formula is not too runny nor is it too thick.
-good coverage & chips in 5 days.

Lime:
-3 coats but still sheer.
-quite runny formula, too thin.
-bad coverage & chips in 3 days.

Peach:
-3 coats till opaque.
-normal formula.
-good coverage & chips in 3 days.

Nude:
-3 coats till opaque.
-quite sheer.
-good coverage tho & chips in 3 days.

White:
-2 coats till opaque.
-normal formula.
-good coverage & chips in 5 days.

Left to right: baby pink, coral, hot pink, clear sequins, clear sequins on white.

Baby pink:
-2 coats till opaque.
-normal formula.
-good coverage & chips in 3 days.

Coral: hard to rate as this particular pot was quite dry and thick when I opened it. So i added a bit of non - acetone polish remover to make it thinner.
-2 coats till opaque.

Hot pink:
-2 coats till opaque.
-slightly lighter than normal formula.
-thin but not sheer and has really good coverage & chips in 5 days.

Clear sequins:
-1 coat depends on how much sequins you pick up on the brush.
-easy to remove.
-variety of colours & sizes sequins.

So there you go, my honest opinion on cotton on's paint pots. Of course the formula and colour will never be as awesome as OPI/ China glaze etc. But for $4.95 a box of 3 pots, nothing much to complain about.

Overall rating: ☆☆☆/5

NAIL WRAPS //

For the first time ever I am gonna try nail wraps/ foils/ patch/ stickers or whatever you call it! :D

I always thought it was like cheating on a test when you use this stuff on your nails because then your whole collection of nail polishes would seem pretty useless. Well I've come to realize that sometimes when you don't have the time to paint your nails perfectly, these wraps works like a charm plus saves your valuable time.

You can get affordable nail wraps at bornprettystore.com (long wait tho) or qoo10/amazon/eBay.  I got these at a sale at my local mall, they were 5 sets for $10 + a free nail file and there's 12 pieces in each pack.

However the quality of the cheaper kind varies and some can be thin like real polish while some can be very thick like normal stickers.

As I was saying, this was my first attempt and so there was quite a few hiccups along the way. If this is your first try, don't worry, you'll get better in time.

STEP 1: Clean and buff your nails and make sure they're not oily or it'll be difficult to stick on your nails.

STEP 2: Push your cuticles back so that it's easier to stick the wraps straight and centered. 

STEP 3: Find the sticker size that fits your fingernail the most.

STEP 4: Some wraps tell you to stick the rounded side of the sticker on the cuticle side. But I find that for some fingers that just aren't rounded, you can stick the slightly straight side on the cuticles too. So choose which end fits your cuticle shape and stick that firmly into place.

STEP 5: Press the sticker slowly and firmly on your nail from the middle of the cuticle to the tip of your nail. Then work your way out on both sides of your nail.

STEP 6: If there are some uneven surface and wrinkles slowly peel off and adjust the sticker.

STEP 7: Lastly once everything is in place the way you want it, use a hair dryer and blow at your nails. The heat will set the sticker in place on your nails.

And that's it! I always do all my nails and keep the leftovers for another accent nail manicure as they always have extra pieces. It is entirely up to you on how you want to use it.

Good luck and have fun! :D

NAUTICAL NAILS //

When you hear the word nautical, it's always associated with colours of the sea, anchors, stripes and fishes. Who says it has to be navy? I decided to use a lighter shade of teal for my nautical theme. Here is my take on the nautical nails:

STEP 1: Paint a coat of white for the base of all the fingers. And let it dry. Then paint a coat of teal on all the fingers except for the ring finger. 

STEP 2: As the other fingers dry. Use a striping tape or masking tape to create stripes on the ring finger. (I used approx 4 striping tapes across the nail at random positions.)

STEP 3: Paint from dark to light on the sponge to make a gradient effect. I mixed the darker green with a bit of white to get the middle shade. Then quickly sponge the colours on the nail.

Like this:

After sponging the colours, quickly remove the tapes and you'll get this cool gradient effect on top of the white layer.

STEP 4: While waiting for the ring finger to dry. Proceed with making polka dots for your thumb. Paint white dots against the teal nail for a light contrast. Let it dry.

Once all your fingers are dry it's time to stick the anchor decals onto your fingers.

STEP 5: how to apply your decals? click here

I applied the 2 different anchors on my thumb and ring finger. (If you don't have any anchor decals you can also be creative and draw your own anchor using black acrylic paint, nail polish or even a pointed tip marker.)

Lastly seal all your designs with your favourite top coat and you're ready to sail the seas!

Have fun :D

WATER DECAL NAIL ART //

Water decals are the simplest and easiest thing to use if you haven't got the time or skills to create a design using your polish and brush. There are many different patterns and designs available out there that you can easily get. I mostly get mine online from bornprettystore as they have the widest and cheapest range of decals compared to local stores, not to mention they have free worldwide shipping.

So here's how to use water decals:

*You will definitely need a bowl of water (duh) tap water is fine.

STEP 1: If you are using your decal to fully cover your whole nails then prepare by cutting them into the size of your nail bed first. If you are using it for the particular image then just cut out the image. Be careful not to remove the plastic film covering the pattern when cutting. They are now ready to be used. 

STEP 2: Trim and clean your fingers first. Then paint the base colour you want and let it dry.

STEP 3: Remove the plastic film and plunge the cut out decals into the bowl of water for about 10 - 20 seconds using tweezers for a better hold.

STEP 4: Remove the decal from the bowl and stick the pattern in position on your nail. Moisten your nail with a bit of water so you can adjust the decal on your nail.

STEP 5: Dab with paper towel to absorb the remaining water on your nails and let it dry.

Lastly seal your decal onto your nails with a top coat and you're done!

Have fun trying! :D

ABSTRACT FOIL NAIL ART - PART 1 //

I just received my order from bornprettystore and this time round I decided to try nail foils! I've heard alot about these foils and they do have a pretty finish when done right. I purchased #18 and #23. #18 is a multi colored rainbow foil. #23 is a silver metallic holographic foil. However I didn't get the foil glue when I purchased this hence the different parts. So I'll update the post when I receive my foil glue around 2 weeks time and I'll try to do another set using the foil glue. 

In the meantime, here's my take on the nail foils without glue. (:

So here I've already prepared the foils by cutting them in small rectangles so it would be easier to place on the fingers and stick them on. You can measure accordingly to the size of your nails to get a good fit. At first I thought the foil was just a small square, but was surprised when I opened it and it was pretty long, 30cm x 10cm.

I don't have any photos of the process but I think it's pretty straightforward. 

Step 1: first paint one coat of the base color that you want and let it dry.

Step 2: paint the second coat and leave it until it is tacky. Because we aren't using any foil glue, we need the polish to still be tacky to stick the foils. If you wait till it dries the foils won't stick. (you can also try using a top coat to stick the foils, tho you still have to wait till it is tacky too.)

Step 3: once it is tacky, you can start to stick the foils. (Remember, it's dull side down, shiny side up.) I find that without using glue, no matter how you try, the foils won't fully stick to the whole nails. You can try to cover the whole nail if you want to but i doubt it'll work.

Step 4: So instead I made abstract nail art using the foils by dabbing the foils on the still tacky nails. I let the foils randomly stick on the tacky nails to create an abstract random pattern.

This is the result: 

 This was my first try:

This was after many many MANY tries:

I tried several times to get it right and fit the whole nail but no matter what I do it won't happen. So in part 2, I am gonna try to cover the whole nail and this time using the foil glue. I guess the only way to find out is to do trial and error. Lastly, using a top coat at the end after sticking the foils will make the foil a bit crinkly but it will seal the design in place.

With that said, enjoy trying out your abstract foil nail art! :D

COOKIE MONSTER NAILS //

My little one has arrived hence the hiatus. Been too tired and busy to even switch the laptop on! Well here's what I did on my break, Cookie monster nails!! I've been meaning to do these nails for a while now but never did have the time or confidence to do some so here is my take on the many other tutorials available out there. Enjoy my Cookie monster nails.

Here's how:

((YOU WILL ALSO NEED BLACK POLISH))

((go to bornprettystore.com for more awesome // free shipping worldwide // affordable nail stuffs!))

STEP 1: Paint the base colour white on your index, middle and pinky finger. Then paint the base colour light brown on your thumb and ring finger and let dry. I only did one coat each as I do not like too thick nails but you can do two coats if there's not enough coverage. like so,

STEP 2: Let's start with the cookies first. For the index and pinky fingers, dab the tip of a cotton bud into the light brown polish and paint small dots on the white nails. This will be the cookie shape. It doesn't matter if the dots are uneven size as cookies normally vary in sizes. Now leave it to dry.

STEP 3: Next, using a toothpick, dip in the dark brown polish and make smaller dots in the cookies, this will be the chocolate chips. Again, the size of the chips doesn't matter, it can be big or small. Leave it to dry.

STEP 4: Now move on to the thumb and ring finger for the cookie monster's face. Paint half of your nails with navy blue polish for cookie monster's head. To create the hairy monster effect, I used a toothpick and make small strokes outwards on the still wet navy polish. Then let it dry. 

STEP 5: Then using the same cotton bud technique that you made for the cookie dots, do the same for the monster's white eyes, right in between the middle of your nails. like so,

STEP 6: Finish cookie monster's head by adding a small black dot on the white eyes for the pupils using the toothpick. Then finish with the mouth, I made a black dotted outline for the mouth first by using the toothpicks and then used the black nail polish brush to fill it in. 

As you can see I first left the middle finger empty as I wanted to do something different for it but I had no idea what to do. So I finished the rest of the nails first and then decided to make a letter C, to make it more interesting I added caviar beads!

STEP 7: So for the caviar letter C, I painted white for the base colour and let it dry. Then, using the navy polish I created the letter C free hand and while the polish is still wet, I dipped my finger in the royal blue caviar beads. (or sprinkle the beads instead but make sure you do it over a tray or plate so you can easily collect the unused beads and reuse it.) Then let the beads dry so they stick well. 

STEP 8: Now once all your nails are dry, finish with a top coat, I like to use matte top coats for almost everything I do but you can go ahead and use a normal top coat. 

(it is optional to put a top coat on the caviar beads nail as the top coat makes the colour of the beads bleed and you may end up with runny colours on your nails like I did. lol)

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!

:D

NEWSPAPER NAILS //

So I have recently started doing nail art to keep myself occupied while waiting for the little one to arrive. I'm not a professional or an expert on this but here's some ideas to try. 

The first one I tried to do is the newspaper nails. 

Here's how:

Step 1: paint your nails with the white nail polish (white will make the newspaper image pop out better.) Do two coats and let it dry.

example:

Step 2: Pour some rubbing alcohol in a small bowl (big enough to dip the newspaper clippings in with tweezers.)

Step 3: When your nails are dry, choose the newspaper clippings you want to use on your nails and dip it in the bowl of rubbing alcohol with your tweezers for 10-15 seconds. 

Step 4: Place the soaked newspaper clipping on your nail and press for 5 seconds covering the whole nail, remove the newspaper when the image has transferred to the nail.

(*important* do not leave the newspaper too long on your nails as it dries fast and the newspaper will stick to your nails. If it happens, dip a q-tip in rubbing alcohol and rub on the dried newspaper then remove it from the nails.)

example: 

Step 5: Proceed to do the same for the rest of the nails. Clean up by removing any excess newspaper or nail polish spilt on the side of your fingers with a q-tip dipped in nail polish remover. 

Step 6: Lastly, add a layer of top coat to seal the image to your nails and you're done! 

example:

Have fun! (*however the image from the newspaper transferred to your nails will not be as vibrant and clear as the image on the newspaper itself.)

:D

// DISCLAIMERS //

• I created this blog with the intention of expressing my creativity, inspirations, freedom and LOVE for art & makeup & beauty.
• I currently do not profit or benefit from any company or organisation by doing reviews and tutorials. Reviews are from my honest opinion and I decide whatever inputs I have on the product I use. Products i used are purchased with my own hard earned money.
• If the designs I use is inspired by someone else's designs I shall give credit to them with a link so I do not cross the lines of plagiarism.
• However, great minds think alike, so if I do have a particular design that looks like yours I apologise in advance and please do not think I stole the ideas. Believe it or not that happens a lot too.
• Lastly if I have inspired you in any way from my designs please don't forget to give credit where its due.

With all that serious stuffs said, happy blogging and nail polishing and war face painting, follow and support for more!


:D