IPSY GLAM BAG 🍯 AUGUST 2018 🍯

IPSY GLAM BAG

🍯 AUGUST 2018 🍯

The August Ipsy bag is a bright orange honey bag with a cute little yellow tassel at the zipper. Ive got five products inside mostly leaning towards the warm shades as we are gearing on for the Fall season. And the motto of the month is, Confidence level: Selfie with no filter.

Hikari eyeshadow in Fierce

It has been awhile since I received any products from Hikari, I used to receive a lot of their lip products from another previous subscription bag. I think it’s a good move for Hikari to tone down on the all out products in subscription bags to give consumers some food for thought on the actual products. 

Fierce is a bold cranberry red with a satin finish. When swatched, the colour turns abit subdued and appears much more rustic with hints of burgundy in the red. A perfect shade for the creaseline and outer v, or a one shadow look swept across the entire lid. It has a consistency of smooth butter and can easily be blended in without leaving patchy marks, it is very pigmented so a light hand is recommended.

Pixi by Petra blush in Beach rose

I love tearing the plastic safety seal off because it makes me feel like im picking out a fresh product from the factory. Pixi by Petra is a brand well known for their mineral formula. This blusher is in the shade Beach rose and it perfectly named as it is a dusty nude rose shade which is pretty much universal and fits for most skin tone. Because it is on the nude side, the colour stands out more on the cheeks if you apply more layers on top for a longer lasting blush. 

Ciate glow to highlighter in Moondust

In singapore, the sephora stores here don’t stock the makeup section for Ciate, they only carry the nailpolishes. So its super exciting to receive their makeup products like their liquid lips and highlighter. Moondust is a glistening pearlescent pink, with specks of glitter. It is a creamy powder formula. Upon opening the packaging, i noticed that there is a slight dent in my highlighter pan but I’m not too bothered by it. 

This is honestly a really really pretty highlighter shade and it is also very creamy and pigmented. I depotted the pan from the plastic casing and placed it in my ofra magnetic palette, however i do have to stick a magnetic sticker since this pan isn’t magnet. 

Half Caked Lip fondant in Girl crush

This would be my second time receiving this lip fondant from Ipsy, previously i received the shade low key, this time round i got the shade Girl crush, which is a warm tone red. I love the brand image of the donuts and the sweet desserts, even the lip fondants smells like vanilla and cake. I like how this is a full size item and not a mini deluxe size. 

However, this liquid lipstick does dry matte so it does tend to make lips drier. So do prep your lips up with some moisturising balm before applying or add a gloss over to retain the moisture. 

Swatches:

Hey Honey Youth boosting honey & copper peel off mask

Yay for peel off masks!! I really love peel off masks because it gives me the satisfaction of peeling the remains off and watching as each impurities gets sucked out. This mask exfoliates and lifts away impurities and drama from the skin. It has a gel consistency with a shiny copper texture. It looks like i have chocolate spread out on my face when i wear this mask. After 10minutes of wearing the mask, i removed it by slowly peeling off the sides. The most satisfactory part i must say, would be the nose area as that is where my pores are the largest and cluttered. I don’t really see any visible youth boosting results, but i like it as a peel. 

Overall i actually really like this month’s bag because of the fact that it is mostly makeup products inside. I also enjoy the variety and array of different products like blusher, highlighter, lipstick, eyeshadow and skincare provided in the bag. It makes the bag feel complete when there are different types of product included, if only the rest of the bags have similar choices. 

BORN PRETTY STORE BONNIE CHOICE CONCEALER REVIEW + SWATCH

BORN PRETTY STORE

BONNIE CHOICE CONCEALER 

REVIEW + SWATCH

If you dont know yet, Born pretty store actually does carry makeup products too other than their extensive range of nail art products. Not only are they affordable and easy to ship from, they also stock beauty essentials like your regular makeup sponges and even magnetic lashes like the ardell ones. Today i have the concealers to review and swatch test.

Bonnie choice concealer #42607:

Shade 15 & Shade 25

There are 6 shades available ranging from fair, light to medium tan. Unfortunately because the brand is catered more to a chinese/korean audience, there is a lack in deeper shades ): however do bear in mind that concealers can be worn lighter for a highlighting shade. 

The packaging is sleek and simple, housed in the same box as the liquid lipsticks. With a clear plastic tube and long doe foot applicator for the concealer. The concealer weighs approx 7g and is only USD$2.99 (whattttt!).

I chose the shade 15 & 25 for myself as i am not entirely sure from the screen swatches which shade would suit my skin tone more. #15 is a neutral shade suitable for fair-light skin tone while #25 is a warm shade suitable for light-medium skin tone.

For reference, i am a NC15/Fenty 140, with neutral undertones (sometimes warm works on me too). I find #15 a better match for my concealing and highlighting due to it being 1 shade brighter whereas #25 pulls abit too warm on me hence i look much more tanned. Below are the swatches against a white background and also on my hand.

As seen on my arm, #25 is far too warm and yellow on me whilst #15 is a shade lighter and perfect for my shade. 

How do they perform? Well my first impression on the concealers were that they were cheap so im sure the quality wasn’t going to be that good and they were probably gonna break me out - I was wrong! These were so creamy and blendable without totally disappearing on the pigmentation. And they were also not oily/greasy like most of other cheaper concealers. They actually remind me so much of colourpop’s no filter concealer (but with a lesser shade range). With that in mind, i think its a good buy if you are looking for a dupe concealer with a lower price range. 

DISCOUNT CODE: MANARK31 

(10% off regular priced items, no expiry date!)

ALLURE X KVD X JUNE 2018

ALLURE X KVD X JUNE 2018

June’s allure beauty box was curated by kat von d and the allure team (before the kvd baby drama), so i was pretty excited to receive a box curated by her and with full size kvd products. 

Olehenrikson Transforming walnut scrub.

I was hoping the box would be entirely her products but there happened to be a full size of a walnut scrub inside by olehenrikson. Scrubs are great, they’re always around when you really need one on days when your pores are so rough and needs a good clean down. However I would’ve been happier if i got a face product by kvd instead, like maybe the mini size lock it powder.

KVD wax seal mirror.

A very cute black wax seal mirror that is perfect for on the go in the purse or at work.

KVD Tattoo liner in Trooper black.

This isn’t a new one, I’ve probably received this in my sephora/ipsy bag a few times. And if you got some insider points to redeem, you can get this at sephora too. I got a few of them at home which are still sealed and unopened. But they’re very handy little sticks for travelling or when you need an emergency liner tucked away in the bag. I love how the brush of the liner is precise and sleek that it gives you a clear distinct line like a brush would. The liner has a highly pigmented ink and is also waterproof and smudge proof. That is why it wins the best pen liner Ive ever had and I won’t be replacing it with anything else yet. 

KVD Studded kiss bullet lipstick in Double dare.

I own the shade double dare in the liquid matte version but have never tried the bullet form, i know the shades are mostly the same to each other, except for the formula. This is the mini deluxe size at 1.0g. Double dare has a lot of different variation description but personally its like a rosy terracotta shade to me, much like Colourpop’s bumble.

I am very awkward at applying lipsticks in bullet form eversince the existence of liquid lipsticks that makes application such a breeze with the doe foot applicator. Altho i love the colour but i dont see myself wearing it often simply because i already have the shade in the liquid form. But this lipstick is a cream-matte formula so it is not as drying or budge proof as the liquid version.

KVD Everlasting lip liner in Lolita.

This item is a full size product and i have seen spoilers of subscribers receiving either this or the full size liquid lipstick instead in lolita. Since i already own the liquid lipstick and know how it performs, its a treat to get the lip liner instead and wear it together with the studded kiss lipstick. Lolita is the best selling shade from kvd’s  lipstick range and its easy to see why with the universally flattering shade that works as a nude for deeper tones and also lighter skin tone.

Here are the swatches for the liner, lipstick and lip liner:

Overall this box was an exciting one and all tea and shade aside, i really love the collab and the black box with the white frame that screams kvd signature trademark. Altho I’m unsure why the olehenrikson product was inside the box.

ALLURE BEAUTY BOX 🌙 JULY 2018 🌙

ALLURE BEAUTY BOX 

🌙 JULY 2018 🌙

This has got to be my most worthy Allure beauty box I’ve ever received, this month there is a total of 9 products in the box and I got quite a shock when i opened the package. Here’s the product breakdown:

Olay regenerist whip face moisturizer.

This is the first item that i saw in the box when i opened up the wrapper, i was slightly surprised to see this inside as it wasn’t in the spoilers lists nor was it in the booklet. I guess its supposed to be a bonus item. The sample jar is half the size of the box packaging, i think it would’ve saved some space in the box if there’s not so much empty space in the package. Nevertheless i love trying new moisturisers. 

This whipped moisturiser has a very strong scent, it smells fresh and reminds me of a shampoo i used to own. The texture is light and airy which reminds me of drunk elephant whipped cream. These type of whipped creams are great for my combination skin because they’re light and not heavy on the face, hence it doesn’t turn greasy. So this was a great bonus item.

Derma E sun protection mineral powder spf 30.

I have a soft spot for powder samples in tiny sifter pots, I find that its a great way to sample something that is usually quite costly when full sized and takes quite a while to finish up. This translucent non-nano mineral powder has SPF30 and can be worn on its own or over makeup for a natural, flawless look. The product itself is a collab with Instagram Influencer Ash Deleon, @iheartmakeupart!

It says translucent but i find the powder in the pot looks more on the brown side than white (if that makes sense??) however once applied it does seem to vanish into a translucent finish. I like that it doesn’t leave a white cast on the face and isn’t cakey. Lets not forget that the spf in the powder also protects you from the Uv ray sun damage.

Feel beauty Harmony rose petal facial mask.

A facial mask pack in a jelly bag, i find tube bags like this are much more convenient to apply rather than in jars where it gets unsanitary sometimes as we continuously dip our fingers in. (The full size is in a jar) This facial mask is clear in colour and is rose scented. It is a concentrated toning gel to be applied after the normal cleansing routine. Leave it on for 10-20minutes and it will do wonders for your skin. My face actually feels cleaner and clear after the mask. 

The organic pharmacy Antioxidant lip balm.

Technically this balm is a gloss/gel type but it works the same, its a balm infused with shea butter & rose hip to keep lips soft and smooth. It has antioxidant-rich pomegranate and rose hip that works together to provide powerful protection from environmental aggressors and decrease the damage caused by free radicals. This is great to prevent chapped lips, and can also be worn on top of lipstick or under. I could always use another lip balm because i always lose mine when i change bags and purses. 

Doucce ultra precision eyeliner in Blue.

According to the web, there are only 2 shades for this liner and that is Black and Blue. It seems rather odd that there are no browns or other colours available. This eyeliner has a semi matte finish, and is in a very bright sky blue shade. Its a new one for me to get something bright from Allure but i like the variation. On some days i tend to use Nyx’s navy or green pen eyeliners and Im known by my colleagues to use Kvd’s green lemmy brow pomade too. So im fine with wearing a bright eye out. This is super super pigmented and also glides so smooth and creamy. Removing with a oil based makeup remover is recommended as it it budge proof. 

Makeup Forever artist color pencil in Full red.

This line of makeup forever’s artist color pencil legit looks like a real collection of color pencils, there are so many shades to choose from! Allure packed the Full red in the july box and other than being worn as a lipliner, it is actually multi purpose and can be worn as eyeliner or smudge it out as a cream shadow. It glides super smoothly and can easily be blended too. This is one of the few pencil lip/eye liner that I don’t mind because it’s versatile. 

Ouai Leave in conditioner.

This would be the first I’m seeing a cream product in a botlle with a spray nozzle. You would expect the cream to get stuck in between the holes but in fact it spritz out quite easily without any clump. This makes it much much easier to evenly spray the hair with the conditioner and to spread product out. The conditioner leaves hair smoother than before and works great in detangling too. The scent is fresh and nothing too fancy or strong, so it leaves your head smelling pretty in the morning train ride. 

Sunday Riley Luna retinol night oil.

Sunday Riley is the latest skincare brand on spotlight right now, with the popularity of their other product (CEO), this night oil focuses on repairing your skin at night. This product contains retinol and isn’t recommended for the pregnant ladies out there. Before trying this on i did check out all the reviews and it seems to have a mix of pros and cons. Some people break out after trying this and some claim that it is part of the purging (where the skin pushes out all the bad stuff like acne/whiteheads in order to clear the layer below.) 

I have skin that is very prone to breakouts and cystic acne on the most annoying areas like my forehead and nose. I also have combo skin and the t zone is always the oily part. On my first try i find that the oil absorbs smoothly and doesn’t leave a thick greasy layer, it also doesnt stay blue, it pretty much just disappeared into the skin. I read that some people experienced greasiness and also tinted blue skin, none of that for me. Then as i wake up the next day, i did not notice any miraculous change in face but i also didn’t feel clogged up. I always have pimples popping out so the past few days i got lots of baby pimples coming out but i wasn’t entirely sure if it is due to the oil. I stopped applying for a while and then a huge cyst came out on the side of my nose bridge and on my cheek. So im pretty sure its just my skin doing its thang and not much of the oil interference. 

I will continue using the oil for a month at least to test the effects and if there is any difference at all in my fine lines and wrinkles. 

Bonus! 

Baublebar earrings.

Allure sometimes gives extra bonus items, i previously received a marc jacobs lip gloss, this time round its this cute pair of baublebar earrings. However, because i do have ear plugs and extensions so i cant really wear this. It does make a rather cute gift so that is what I’ll do. 

This month, Allure wins the most number of things in a box, i have never gotten up to 9 items in a single box and that is awesome. It makes the overall box value so much higher than what you paid for. And that is great about Allure, they keep surprising you.