L'oreal RevitaLift Double Lifting Eye Cream [Full Review]

L'oreal RevitaLift Double Lifting Eye Cream and its Full Review

this may be the worst review i can ever do. worst in terms of quality because i realized i finished the bottle before i took any photos of the actual product, threw away the packaging that contains the list of ingredients.. and this was quite a while ago, so i have to recall based on memory.

from its website, it claims to

"Smoothes wrinkles under eye. Instantly lifts the eyelids."

" RevitaLift^® Double Eye Lift is L’Oréal’s first double-action eye treatment that combines two exclusive, complementary formulas: fortified Pro-Retinol A^® to minimize under-eye wrinkles and puffiness and Pro-Tensium E to instantly firm and lift the upper eye area." 

claims are but claims.




even though i already threw out the packaging, nothing is impossible with google.

from paula's choice,

Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Isocetyl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Isohexadecane, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Triethanolamine, Retinyl Palmitate, Polysorbate-80, Polycaprolactone, Methylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Butylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Yellow 10, Red 33, Fragrance, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Limonene, Coumarin, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional

looking at the ingredient list, this thing should hydrate the eye area at the very least. after sifting through the ingredients that makes up the bulk volume of the cream and gel, what's left is probably the active ingredients: retinyl palmitate, which is probably the pro-retinol a. i have no idea where is pro-tensium e. but you know what? it doesn't matter at all.


the cream comes in a double tube packaging. one pump is sufficient for both eyes unless you have eyes as big as the big grey wolf.

the colour of the pump corresponds to the colour of the product.

the white cream is meant for the under eye to get rid of wrinkles. it doesn't have a fragrance, but it has a scent to it. it's a scent that's quite off putting because it smells like chemicals. it has a texture of a rich cream.

the red gel cream is meant for the upper eye to give it an instant lift. it doesn't have a fragrance too, and is unscented, unlike the white cream. this is a gel based cream which will dry up to reddish gel balls when left in the air for excessively long period of time.

IMHO

remember i said that the ingredients doesn't matter at all? because this thing didn't work for me. so there's no point in trying to point out the ingredients that make it work. i got this cream with the intension of helping with my puffy eyes. obviously, i have gotten the wrong product for this purpose. i admit i got carried away when it claims to get rid of "under-eye wrinkles and puffiness". they must be talking about a different kind of puffiness, like, saggy kind of puffiness. mine are water retention, what i needed was probably a product loaded with caffeine.

i didn't experience any eye lifting action too. i thought i can see myself transform into mulan, but no.

as this product didn't meet my needs, i won't be repurchasing this.

i purchased this for ~SGD$16.

Kate Colorcious Diamond BR-1: MakeUpDiary #11C Femme Fatale

MakeUpDiary #11C Femme Fatale Featuring Kate Colorcious Diamond BR-1

i saved the best for the last - my last look with colorcious diamond palette is called FEMME FATALE because i love how sexy this eye look makes me feel. that contrast of dark and shiny colours makes every batter of my eyes seem like i'm sending a morse code to my other secret agents who're aiding me in my mission. wanna feel sexy? this look is for you.

the main point of this look is the striking eyes and a seemingly pale face in contrast - well, it's not pale, it's just toned down so that it doesn't steal the spotlight away from the eyes. the face and lips were kept to a minimum - rosy and nudy shades were used. the face will have to depend on contours and highlights to make it stand out in harmony with the eyes.

to prepare your canvas for the makeup, you can refer to my base makeup steps (complete with pictorials and instructions).

watch the video here!



PRODUCTS USED____________________________________________________________


from left to right, clockwise:
1. maybelline eye studio gel liner (black)
2. canmake highlighter 05
3. maybelline volum'express hypercurl cat eyes mascara (black)
4. dollywink long mascara (black)
5. revlon just bitten balm stain 050 precious
6. za pure shine lips (RD-1)
7. kate colorcious diamond (BR-1)

COLOUR LEGEND___________________________________________________________


A: high light colour
B: shiny colour
C: medium shiny colour
D: medium colour
E: dark colour
(they have been swatched)

COLOUR MAP______________________________________________________________


1. apply A over entire lid.
2. apply D to the outer half of the lid and blend inwards.
3. apply E to darken the outer corner, blend well to smoke it out.
4. dab B onto the centre of the lid and blend out the sides.
5. dab C onto the centre and concentrate the product there.


1. apply E to the outer third of the lower lashline before and after lining the eyes.

PICTORIAL_________________________________________________________________ 

i just love how the pictorials look, i couldn't stop making them.

for the brows, it's the same style as the previous tutorial.


click on image to enlarge!


click on image to enlarge!

(NOTE: for step 3 (the eyeliner step), ONLY line the waterline in part 4, this is very important because you want to make sure your inner half of the lower eyeline is only confined to the waterline, or you'll look like a racoon. racoons are not sexy. and in part 5 where you line the lash line, you can only do this for the outer third of the lower lash line for the same reason - racoons are not sexy!)


click on image to enlarge!

i also made an instagram version :D


click on image to enlarge!

FINISHED LOOK____________________________________________________________








hope you like the look! it's much darker and heavier than my usual looks (just look at the number of steps for the eye look this time round..), and it's very suitable for night time events. if you're hitting the club, make sure you use a waterproof foundation and you may want to prime your lids so that your makeup don't melt! i really love this look, it's so sexyyyyyyyyy!

xoxo
karman

Skin Care Haul #1

Skin Care Haul #1 from Hong Kong

it's just a mini haul when my friend went back to hong kong last year. this post is so overdue because i kept thinking of sharing the haul after i tried everything so that i can add in bits and pieces of my opinions on the items, but i realize i can always add them in after i shared this entry! and you get to know what products i'll be trying/are using currently too :D



1. white formula extreme hyaluronic acid essence (HKD$110)
for that extra boost of hydration. it's really cheap considering it's a serum. it's alcohol free, and i love using it so far! feels very moist as it's very slippery (almost like the snail mucin kinda slippery-ness). still testing it out!

2. white formula intense brightening laser toner with arbutin (HKD$88)
this toner received really good reviews in the taiwanese beauty review website, urcosme. didn't even think thrice (i always think twice ;P) before deciding on getting it because it's 88HKD for 290ml of products. holy cow!? that's a lot! still testing it. loving its hydratioin so far.

3. organic rose moisture cream (HKD$78)
haven't used it too, but i tried it on the back of my hand and it is a much richer type of gel based cream. love how it felt on my hand, can't wait to use it on my face. love that faint rose scent too.

4. organic rose skin conditioner (HKD$79)
haven't started using it yet, but i got it because it clams to serve as an astringent, and is able to return the skin to a silghtly acidic pH, as well as some hydration capabilities. sounds promising huh? supposed to be used before toners/lotions.

5. carmex soothing lip balm (?)
my friend threw this in as a gift for me. haha! i usually just use vaseline as my lip balm, so i'm quite curious how this will make my pout feel.

catrice made to stay highlighter pen 010 eye like

Catrice Made To Stay Highlighter Pen 010 Eye Like!

this is my first try at catrice's cosmetics. this highligher pen caught my attention as i have been looking for a pink coloured pearly highlighter pen for a long time!!!

it comes in 3 shades, 010 is slightly pink, with 020 is more of a golden pearly shade, and 030 a silver pearly shade. the plastic pen casing matches the colour of the product within which makes it an easy way to identify the different colours easily at one if you tend to have a huge collection of highlighter pen/pencil liners.

i would prefer them to print the product code on the casing itself instead of the barcode sticker on the cap though.

the highlighter pen is a twist out pen, making it a breeze to use this pen instead of shaving it with a pencil sharpener! (this is definitely a plus point for me, because this is the reason why i didn't get the nyx jumbo pencil instead)

Skincare Empties (and a short review)

Skincare Empties #1 and a very short review

feels a slight sense of accomplishment when i've collated these empty bottles! i find myself purchasing things at a rate faster than me using them up. so it's a good feeling to finally purge some of the items off my skincare pedestal to make room for the new. :P and it feels right to call my little beauty corner the "pedestal" because it's where i do my daily "skin worshipping".


hadanomy collagen lotion

finally used this up. i couldn't wait to finish it because i find it to be increasing losing efficacy the longer it sits on my desk. it didn't hydrate my skin that well, so i ended up using it for my body instead. the slightly gel-ish formula will turn watery upon contact with my skin temperature. it is mildly scented. everything feels nice about it, really, right down to the packaging, but it didn't deliver the results i was hoping for. not going to repurchase this!


simple kind to skin hydrating light moisturizer

i've run through bottles and bottles of this. if i have to put a number to it, this is probably my 7th bottle. this is everything the name states it to be, hydrating and light. absorbs very quickly, smoothes over my skin easily and i'm able to do some light massages as it's that smooth. keeps my skin well hydrated unless i enter an extremely dry environment (like air conditioned rooms). i always fall back to this whenever my skin turns sensitive as i know this product won't irritate my skin. currently using my 8th bottle, and will probably keep purchasing until i find something that's more effective than this at the SGD$6.50 price point.


shiseido senka whitening lotion (fresh)

it may have brightened my skin at first, but after i cut down the usage to once daily, i couldn't really tell a difference anymore. it's hydrating and affordable, i can totally see myself using this with cotton pads as a instant face mask for intensive moisture surge with whitening effects. i may repurchase this, after i go around trying a few more other whitening lotions. there are a few other options at similar price points that i would like to try before deciding which may be the best for me. even though it didn't brighten my skin the way i wished for it to, it's still a very affordable hydrating toner.

Kate Colorcious Diamond BR-1: MakeUpDiary #11B Romantique

MakeUpDiary #11B Romantique Featuring Kate Colorcious Diamond BR-1

here comes the second look i created with the colorcious diamond palette! i called it ROMANTIQUE because it's a soft and romantic look to me. what can look more romantic than rose gold, brown eyeliner, and pink blush!? this look is perfect for day time, a first date, or for anyone who's middle name is "sweet".

the key to this look is the feminine eyebrows that are skinnier and longer than korean eyebrows, and it has a slight arch. the entire eye look is kept very soft with the help of brown eyeliner. since rose gold is actually brown with a slight reddish undertone, it pairs really well with a pink, hence i used it for both my cheeks and lips.

if you're interested in the base makeup steps, it can be found here (complete with pictorials and instructions).

watch the video here!



PRODUCTS USED____________________________________________________________


from left to right, clockwise:
1. media cheek color A (PK-1)
2. kate colorcious diamond (BR-1)
3. maybelline volum'express hypercurl cat eyes mascara (black)
4. kate designing eyebrow N (EX-4)
5. nature republic by flower triple volume tint (05 peony)
6. canmake highlighter 05 (product is not shown in this video or pictorials, but you can refer to my part 3 of my beginner makeup guide where i show you how to highlight)
7. maybelline eye studio gel liner (brown)

COLOUR LEGEND___________________________________________________________


A: high light colour
B: shiny colour
C: medium colour
(for swatches, you can see them here)

COLOUR MAP______________________________________________________________


1. apply A over entire lid.
2. apply C to the outer half of the lid and blend inwards.
3. dab B onto center of lid for added dimension.


1. apply A on the inner corner of the eyes and the inner half of the lower eyelid.
2. apply C on the outer half of the lower lash line.

PICTORIAL_________________________________________________________________ 

for those of you who don't have the time to watch the video!


click on image to enlarge!


click on image to enlarge!


click on image to enlarge!

i also made an instagram version :D


click on image to enlarge!


FINISHED LOOK____________________________________________________________


to add to the feminine look (for it to be categorized as romantic), wing out the eyeliner slightly and keep it thin. the angle should be parallel to the lower lashline (refer to pictorial above to get what i mean). i tried to make my eyes look rounder by drawing a semi circle instead of a triangle in my inner corners. rounder eyes are softer than sharper eyes!



hope you like the look!

xoxo
karman

Lavshuca Melting Eyes BR

Lavushuca Melting Eyes BR

i hope this is the last palette that is being discontinued.
i don't mean to show you something that you can't get anymore!

before lavshuca underwent a brand renewal, they used to be princess-y and elegant (unlike their currently brand image, which is a more lively and playful kind of girly-ness).
can i say i actually prefer the older packaging and brand image?

this palette comes with 4 shades, this is a brown palette, moreover the finish is vastly different from kate's gradical eyes palette.
hahaha you know what, even if they are very similar, i'd find some excuses to justify me owning this palette :P
my girlfriend bought this for me when she was in japan 4 years ago, it was a seasonal special that came with a stick eye base.

Shiseido Senka Whitening Lotion (Fresh) [Full Review]

Shiseido Senka Whitening Lotion (Fresh) EMPTIED!

now that i've emptied this bottle of toner, it's time for another entry on it to give you my full thoughts on this. if you haven't seen my partial review on it before, you can read it here, i wrote that after i've used it for 6 months. 

4 months later, i finally used up the last drop of it.



i didn't take a photo of the ingredients because it's all in japanese.

but i found it from ratzilla:

active ingredients: l-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside and disodium glycyrrhizate

other ingredients: sodium acetyl hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate, royal jelly extract, water, dipropylene glycol, alcohol, butylene glycol, glycerin, methyl gluceth-10, PEG-20, PEG/PPG-14/7 dimethyl ether, potassium hydroxide, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, sodium citrate, triethyhexanoin, polyglyceryl-2 diisostearate, disodium EDTA, benzophenon-5, citric acid, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) oil, lavender oil, methylparaben.

even though the formula contains alcohol, it doesn't actually dry out my skin. it is acting as a "key" to open up the skin so that the ingredients can enter the skin. moreover, the myriad of hydrating agents (sodium acetyl hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate, dipropylene glycol and butylene glycol) already countered the drying effect of ethanol.




i took this photo not just to show you the opening of the bottle, which is a small hole which would dispense enough product for your face when you flip the bottle over momentarily. i wanted to show you the yellow marks on the bottle cap.

i have no idea what is it, but i can tell you that the solution in the bottle is actually colourless. my guess is that it has oxidized over time upon contact with air. somehow it reminds me of my vitamin c powder, which turns yellow over time too. this made me think that the vitamin c in the bottle is actually pretty stable, considering they didn't turn yellow unless they are exposed to the outside world!



this was one of the last few precious droplets of lotion i have before i ran out of it. it is watery and does have a slight alcohol scent to it. other than that, there's a slight sweet smelling scent to it, it's very mild and you won't be able to smell it unless you unscrew the bottle cap and shove your nose into the bottle.

IMHO

this bottle of lotion lasted me for a good 10 months. sometime after the 6th month, i cut down to using it just once a day. i assume if i use it twice daily, it'd have only lasted me a total of 8 months.

because it's so watery, getting evenly on my face was a little challenge, as it may drip if i have too much lotion on my palm. 

i've already mentioned my experience with it in the previous entry. and now.. drum roll please..

VERDICT

the whitening and brightening effect didn't amaze me. at first i did notice a slight brightening, but after my skin tanned a little, it failed to return me my original skin colour. :( maybe it's due to me using it only once daily (at night), but the hydrating effects were ok! and i do like the slightly cooling sensation upon applying this and patting it all over my face.

for HKD$89, it's a good hydrating toner to get, but don't expect it to work wonders.

Kate Colorcious Diamond BR-1 : MakeUpDiary #11A SWEET YOUNG THING

MakeUpDiary #11A Sweet Young Thing Featuring Kate Colorcious Diamond BR-1

i am so in love with this palette, i decided to create three looks with it. this is the first look, which is the lightest of them all, and very suitable for girls of any age, especially if you wanna look young and energetic.

the essence of this look is the straight and thick brows which instantly took like 3 years off my age. pair that up with super bright eyes, take another 2 years off. that glowing cheeks that looks like my own probably took another 2 years off my age too. not forgetting the lightly tinted lips. everything here is kept to a minimal for that natural look.

of course, the canvas is very important in helping to achieve the -7 years effect. i didn't mention about my base makeup in the video because the steps are basically the same as my usual foundation routine, which is showcased in part 1 of the beginners make up guide. you can read up more over there. the key is to go light handed with the foundation, and do spot concealing (especially for the undereye circles) to correct any signs of tiredness and aging.

watch the video here!



PRODUCTS USED____________________________________________________________


from left to right, clockwise:
1. canmake cream cheeks 05
2. kate designing eyebrow N (EX-4)
3. revlon just bitten balm stain 040 rendezvous
4. heroine make volume and curl mascara
5. maybelline eye studio gel liner (black)
6. kate colorcious diamond (BR-1)

COLOUR LEGEND___________________________________________________________


A: high light colour
B: shiny medium colour
C: medium colour
(for swatches, you can see them here)

COLOUR MAP______________________________________________________________


1. apply A over entire lid.
2. apply C to the outer half of the lid and blend inwards.
3. dab B onto center of lid for added dimension.


1. apply A on the inner corner of the eyes and the inner half of the lower eyelid.
2. apply B on the outer half of the lower lash line.

PICTORIAL_________________________________________________________________ 

for those of you who don't have the time to watch the video!


click on image to enlarge!


click on image to enlarge!


click on image to enlarge!

i also made an instagram version :D


click on image to enlarge!


FINISHED LOOK____________________________________________________________


both ends of the eyeliner are pointing downwards for the smiley eye look. the cheeks look as though the colours are seeping out from within my skin, and the shiny candy like lips puts everything together in the right place.

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter 080 Strawberry Shortcake (Swatches & Review)

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter 080 Strawberry Shortcake

a highly pigmented lip butter, that's what the revlon colorburst lip butter is. you get the best of both worlds - highly moisturized lips, and a splash of colour. an additional bonus for me is its lovely packaging. i love the quilted design, and that the cover matches the shade of the lipstick. it makes it a little darling to admire.






1 swipe on the left, 2-3 swipes on the right.



080 strawberry shortcake is a milky baby pink (a little cool/blue toned). the colour is intense, not one would associate with a lip balm or lip butter that's meant to moisturize and hydrate the lips.

even though it's called a lip butter, i can't associate it with the lightweight feel of a butter. this thing applies like goo. the bullet clearly has a lower melting point than other lipsticks, it deposit quite a lot of product on my lips. it has a slight sheen after application, and is lightly scented with a sweet scent (that may or may not be vanilla).

IMHO:
if i were to redescribe this lipstick, it's a highly nourishing lipstick. i wouldn't call it moisturizing or hydrating, as i would associate the latter with a more lightweight formula. the lip butter is THICK, like guacamole kinda thick. perhaps it's the ambient temperature in singapore that made this lipstick softer than it should be, i find it difficult to control how much product i want to have on my lips at any given time. this gives rise to uneven application, but i can fix it with some good lip smacking. i really love the fact that the colour is so intense, it's good for people who don't have the time to apply lip balm prior to lipstick application. but the heavy formula isn't entirely my favourite. there's always gotta be a trade off some where.

nonetheless, i wearing this lipstick as a lip balm. however, i don't think this colour suits me the best as it is too light for me (i bought this so i can use it to create the japanese gyaru looks), so i usually pair this with a darker colour to create gradient lips.

i bought this in HK sasa for HKD$78.

MAKEUP LOOK