WEEK IN REVIEW // 11

A week of...more haulin'. They see me haulin', they hatin'... Well, my bank balance ain't looking too impressed, either. I'd better make more of an effort to shop my now-burgeoning stash!

LUSH It Started With a Kiss lip tint - This has been a lovely alternative to a bright lippie, especially when applied sparingly. It wears comfortably, goes on evenly, and fades well, too. I just hope it doesn't end up drying or going grainy like the last two I've tried!

Sussan Pom Pom Socks - Aaaaaand the pom pom socks have finally come out for Winter! They're a bit of a novelty, too, I suppose, and they keep my feet, and ankles, nice and toasty. I seriously have the worst circulation - can't wait for Winter to be over already!

Lanikai Ukulele - Meet my new baby. She has a gorgeous, warm sound, and is great to play. Perhaps there might even be a musical interlude in the near future...? :O

Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick in 23 Grenadine - Is this...another lip product?! Sorry, I couldn't resist! The glossy/balmy nature of this makes it perfect for Winter, as my lips aren't in the best shape. It doesn't cling to flaky bits of lip skin (sorry, gross!) and has quite impressive staying power for something as moisturising as it is. I like to pat it on to my lips for a subtle wash of colour, like so.

And still going strong from last week:
Mecca Cosmetica In a Good Light - I completely understand if you're sick of seeing this one, given the frequency of its appearances here! But it'd be wrong of me not to include it, when it's the only base I've been wearing as of late... It really is a great 'all in one' - moisturiser, sunscreen, illuminator - a lazy girl's dream!

Nuxe Rêve de Miel - I think this has almost matched Nivea Lip Butter's numerous appearances on here, as well. I am pleased to announce that underneath the hardened top lies a creamier balm, consistent with lemon curd... Mmmmm. This is the only balm I've been using lately.

bareMinerals Correcting Concealer in Medium 2 - Last week I mentioned that I was experimenting with application, and I've found that fingers work equally well for when I'm not overly bothered (lazy girl, remember? :P) It provides decent coverage, and its powder finish gives it lasting power, though I prefer to apply it over something moisturising first, so it goes on smoothly.

Happy Monday! Hope the rest of the week goes swimmingly (: x

ASOS MINI HAUL //

It's a loooong story...but basically ASOS has stopped providing free shipping on all orders - only on orders over $30. And I had a $10 off voucher to spend on 'purchases over $20', so I ended up buying more to take advantage of both $10 off and free shipping... #stereotypicalasian.

Hence, the 'mini haul':

The case slots into the middle / Yup, you can see the lint! (Gross...)

Tangle Teezer Compact Styler 'Feline Groovy' - You may remember this being featured a little while ago, in a list of items that sparked my interest. As I mentioned before, I haven't brushed my hair for years, as my hair is quite thick and naturally voluminous (not the typical sleek-and-poker-straight Asian hair), and often looks worse after I've brushed it! This unique brush has been raved about by just about everyone - from Emma Watson to Facebook friends, so I thought I'd give it a shot. And does it deliver? I'd say it does. Now, I don't really have huge expectations of my hairbrushes - they just have to detangle and smooth and, uh, not make my hair look worse than before brushing... I haven't tried it on wet hair or in the shower, but it did a good job of getting the knots out of damp-ish hair in a relatively pain-free manner. I like that it fits in my hand quite comfortably, and comes with a cover so I can throw it into my handbag without worrying about the bristles getting stuck on things. The only thing I'm not so keen on, is that it collects lint quite easily. After using it less than a handful of times I was already googling how to clean it!

Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Stick in 011 Bluffing - This is a handy little (well, jumbo!) eyeshadow pencil that does last for an impressive few hours (I didn't test out whether or not it lasted for 24 hours). It's easy to apply and blend, and grips to the skin well, without causing discomfort. You can't dawdle when working with this one, though - blend quickly, or there'll be a fair bit of resistance and drag. It also washes off easily with cleanser and warm water - no need to pull out the heavy-duty Swissper Eye Makeup Remover Pads. Bluffing is a pretty mink-pink-meets-mocha shade that works well as a base, or even as a 'one swipe wonder' for minimal effort days. My only gripe with this otherwise-nifty prod is that it requires sharpening. #lazygirlproblems

Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in 010 Silver - I can't say that I've tested this out on my lids just yet, but I've got another one of these in 012 Bronze, which used to be a favourite (I'm a fickle creature, aren't I?) From memory, it does have good lasting power* and applies well.

Ingredients listing

Ingredients listing cont'd

Bourjois Color Edition 24hr Eyeshadow in 05 Prune Nocturne - You know my penchant for burgundy eyeshadow! This one is in a cream to powder formulation - one that I don't have, and can therefore justify purchasing. It really is the most gorgeous shade of plum - the swatches below don't do it justice (it swatches truer to the colour in the pan - see pics above - more purply, rather than a muddy reddish-brown). I've read a few reviews where it's been pointed out that it applies sheerer than it appears in the pan, which is true, and which doesn't bother me, as it means that it can be built up to greater intensity or worn as a light wash of colour.

Swatches L-R: Prune Nocturne, Bluffing and Silver

Swatches on top of hand blended (apologies for my sickly, cold hand!)

*A final note on the longevity of these three products swatched above - yeah, they do live up to their names! Perhaps not '24 hours', but these swatches lasted several hours, and didn't come off fully in the shower, even with body wash and a bit of scrubbing on my part. Impressive.

Have you tried any of these products?
Are you a fan of ASOS for beauty shopping?

HAULAGE // BLOG SALE (+ SWATCHES)

So a while ago I went a bit nuts on Ria's makeup sale site - you can check it out here.
I've used a few of them already, but haven't properly tested out all of them.

Cue haulage...

FACE:
bareMinerals Correcting Concealer in Medium 2 - a creamy concealer with SPF 20

CHEEKS:
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty - a bright strawberry pink
NYX Powder Blush in Desert Rose - a mauvey-pinky-rose

EYES:
TheBalm Batter Up Creaseless Cream Shadow in Triple Play Mae - a warm cocoa brown, and Grand Slam Pam - a browned-lilac

Wet'n'Wild Comfort Zone Palette - a palette of neutral-ish, cool-toned, buttery powder eyeshadows.

Browbone shades

Eyelid shades (left eyelid shade is more of a shell pink in person)

Crease shades (the left shade is more of an olive brown)

Definer shades (the right shade is darker in person, and the left shade is a pretty duo-chrome)

Urban Decay Primer Potion sample
Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler

LIPS:
NYX Black Label Lipstick in 105 Cherry - a cream-finish, pink-based red

Have you tried any of these before?
Did you love them or loathe them?

ARRIVAL // THE MINI HAUL

Hello! Yes, I am back after a painful twenty-four hour flight delay. With several pieces of luggage in tow - and a mini* beauty haul. And along with twenty-one pairs of socks (don't ask), and an embarrassingly large stack of GAP clothes, but more on that later...

As I am also sick (thanks, kid who was coughing his lungs out in the seat behind me the entire trip!), I will leave you with a little snapshot, instead of rambling endlessly - but expect to see them in more detail soon!

The 'mini haul'

The breakdown (clockwise from top left):
- Innisfree cloth masks
- EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Summer Fruit
- Ralph Lauren RALPH EDT miniature
- Burberry Body EDP miniature
- Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina EDT miniature
- Clinique Cheek Pop blushes in 01 Ginger Pop and 03 Berry Pop
- Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief (15ml)
- Revlon nail polish in 270 Cherries In The Snow and 480 Chic
- Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rosé (bought here just before I left)
- Bourjois Shine Edition lipstick in 23 Grenade in (aka Grenadine) (bought from ASOS while overseas...)


...And I also brought this baby back with me, so better quality photos are headed your way.

The newbie

That is all for now, I'm off to blow my nose and open another pack of Strepsils...

Talk soon x

*Given the amount I brought with me, and the ridiculous stash I've been accumulating as of late, a larger beauty haul was really out of the question!