Nature Republic Super Origin CC Cream Brightening (Swatches and Review)

my first and only CC cream, courtesy of my lovely gf who got it for me while she was in korea. i was debating with myself whether or not should i get my hands on a CC cream.

1. it is merely a sunscreen with some added skin care benefits. i've my own sunscreen, i've also got my own skin loving moisturizers/serums/toners, do i really need it?
2. the whole "colour changing" thing sounds very very gimmicky to me. not everyone knows that the product only "matches" your skin colour because of it's sheer pigmentation. that colour changing beads is like a illusion to make people believe that it really changes to match your skin. am i going to succumb to the marketer's lure?

she decided that i should give it a try and gifted me the nature republic super origin complete control cream - brightening. there are 3 different types in this selection: colour change, tint, and brightening. the other 2 has some tint in it, making them like a watered down BB cream. the one i have has no colour at all - something that i really like about it.

from its official website, it has 3 promises to deliver - dewy looking skin, skin care and sun care, as well as brightening your skin.



comes with a pump head on the tube. nifty, i like.


comes with SPF 25, PA++ and a slew of korean instruction on how to use it. it roughly says to use after your skin care. and that's all i can make out of it!


swatched on my face: fresh off tube on the left, blended into skin on the right.


colour: white but blends into nothingness.
texture: light yet creamy. feels oily.
fragrance: has a wonderful floral scent.




slight white cast along my hairline after i perspire.

white cast: no white cast on my face in general, but i can't say the same for my hairline where i tend to perspire a lot.

IMHO
this product is like a sunscreen + moisturizer to me, a 2-in-1 product that is designed for people on the go.

the formula is definitely very moisturizing as my face really gives off a shiny and dewy look (it makes my skin glow). while it's perfect for dryer climates, it may be a little too much for me (in singapore). i still like to slap this one and blend it out before i have to head out for a short while for that sun protection. i can live with a bit of that dewniess on a cooler day, but it gets kinda messy when i perspire like a pig because my face turns a little sticky.

while it's oily, it doesn't actually feel oily on the face. this works as a wonderful makeup base thanks to the moisturizing capabilities.

as for brightening, i think it's partly thanks to the sunscreen that imparts a slight and subtle white cast that can be passed off as brightening. it's looks pretty natural on me, so i'm loving it.

just don't expect this to give you any coverage because a CC cream isn't supposed to give you that much coverage in the first place. think of it as a makeup base and you won't be disappointed. ;)

my gf gifted this to me, she claims that it only cost her 5000 korean won when it was on sale. i think she lied to me.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. no coverage but it brightens
2. sunscreen + skincare
3. gives you a dewy finish
4. slightly oily but doesn't feel oily on skin
5. scented

Tosowoong MakeOn Princess Eyeliner (First Impression Review)

tosowoong contacted me about 2 weeks ago asking if i'm interested in trying out their products in exchange for a review. after a few email exchanges to confirm that i will be able to have complete autonomy in my opinions and style of reviewing, i picked out season 1 and season 3 of the makeon princess eyeliners as i was interested in their eyeliners. they come in a huge selection of colours, about 30 colours in total spanning from two series (the original series of eyeliners are called super long lasting waterproof gel pencil liner). given how indecisive i am, i decided to just go with a coordinated set to relief my brain of some decision making. since there are only 3 sets of the princess eyeliner, it's easy to pick 2 products out of 3 (as opposed to picking 2 eyeliners from the 30 available).

as this is the first time i'm reviewing a product that was sent to me (with the expectation of a review in return), i have to make all these clear:

1. i only picked these items because i am genuinely interested and would personally pay for it.
2. while the company expects a review (and some exposure), i am not obliged to give a positive review - all views are my own, and i'm a very honest person. ;)

here's my first impression video on the products! this is amazingly long (my longest video yet, at 16 minutes) because i've included about 4 minutes worth of extra footage into it (waterproof and oil proof test). i've tried my best to cut out the unnecessary parts, but if i cut any more i can't capture the entirety of my review.



the original footage was about 2 hours long. the rest of the information that got cut away from the video will be written below.

i received the package from korea about 10 days later. i was sort of expected a full 2 weeks based on my past online shopping experience. i guess the mailman is happy :D


in the package: makeon princess season 1 (pink box), makeon princess season 2 (yellow box) and some samples.


season 1 comes with the little mermaid, while season 3 comes with an egyptian queen.

from the name of the eyeliner, you may already guess it's functionality - long wear and waterproof. makeon's eyeliners have some really bold claims on their website:
1. waterproof
2. oil proof
3. comes off easily with makeup remover
skeptical me just gotta test them out. i mentioned in the video that makeup can't be waterproof and oil proof at the same time, because if it were, it's probably gonna stay on your skin permanently like paint.

on the wishtrend website, they listed another 4 claims of these eyeliners.
1. creamy and soft
2. waterproof
3. pigmented colours
4. useable as eyeshadow
i've addressed them in the video, but i'll mention them again in the summary below if you're too time tight to watch the video.


on the back of the tin case are a bunch of product description in korean. thankfully the names of the colours are in english. i mean, i can read some hangul, but it's just easier and faster to read english!


each set comes with 5 colours, well coordinated with each other for convenience.

these eyeliners contain 0.8g of product each (FYI, maybelline colorshow eyeliners contains 0.3g of product). they are slightly shorter than the single eyeliners (at 1.2g per eyeliner). the black part at the end of the eyeliner pencil IS NOT twist-able, as these requires sharpening with an old school sharpener.



season 1's colour coordination: a mixture of basic dark and highlighting shades. 

season 1 is a selection of colours from their basic eyeliner series, with several familiar colours like black, brown, gold, purple, blue, and beige. the only colour in this selection that i find slightly hard to incorporate into daily looks would be the sexy vampire burgundy, since most people probably wear black or brown most often, while using the beige and gold as a highlight is pretty normal too. but i must confess, i got season 1 instead of season 2 because of the burgundy. i couldn't find a shade like this anywhere else other than korean brands, and etude house in singapore did not bring in the burgundy shade of their play 101 eyeliners. :( plus they cost twice as much as korea's price over here. no thanks.



season 3's colour coordination: a beautiful blend of different shades of brown

i seriously had a problem describing these shades in the video because.. they are all browns. hahaha 50 shades of brown!? season 3 is a selection of colours from their relatively new release, the bronze spectrum. if i could i would have gotten all the shades because they just look so good together - not that i'll wear them all at once - i just like to admire the complementary shades as it is. maybe i should buy some paint swatch cards instead.


season 1's colour selection, from left to right:
#S02 party tonight pearl black | #S03 lovely espresso brown | #S04 sexy vampire burgundy (love its name) | #S05 secret princess gold | #S06 look at me lovely beige


season's 3 colour selection, from left to right:
#BS01 dark brown | #BS02 glam brown | #BS03 deep bronze | #BS04 blonde | #BS05 sunshine


photo at three different viewing angles to show you the finish of each eyeliner.
top row: season 1 - #S02 party tonight pearl black | #S03 lovely espresso brown | #S04 sexy vampire burgundy | #S05 secret princess gold | #S06 look at me lovely beige
bottom row: season 3 -  #BS01 dark brown | #BS02 glam brown | #BS03 deep bronze | #BS04 blonde | #BS05 sunshine

SEASON 1:
#S02 party tonight pearl black is a black with silver shimmer, satin/matte finish.
#S03 lovely espresso brown is a dark chocolate brown with gold shimmer, satin/matte finish.
#S04 sexy vampire burgundy is a wine shade with very very fine reddish shimmer, satin/matte finish.
#S05 secret princess gold is a frosty light gold shade, packed with nothing but gold shimmer.
#S06 look at me lovely beige is a frosty off white shade, has a pearly/frosty finish.

SEASON 3:
#BS01 dark brown is a milk chocolate brown, metallic finish.
#BS02 glam brown is a copper hue brown, contains more orange/red than dark brown. metallic finish.
#BS03 deep bronze is a yellowish bronze shade, contains more yellow than dark brown. metallic finish.
#BS04 blonde is a yellowish gold shade, metallic finish. compared to secret princess gold, this is yellower and slightly darker, not frosty at all.
#BS05 sunshine is a vibrant orange, metallic finish. very similar to my etude house look at my eyes OR205 eyeshadow in terms of colour.

all eyeliners are very creamy.

IN A NUTSHELL (TL;DR)
1. waterproof and oil resistant
2. long wearing on the eyelids, not so long lasting on waterline
3. vibrant colours
4. creamy and soft from pen to eyes
5. not as blendable as i thought, gotta act fast as they set fast (the satin/matte shades are harder to blend)
6. requires a sharpener

IMHO
i'll start with the things that i'm happy with first!

1. long lasting and waterproof
the eyeliners are indeed very long lasting and waterproof as they have stayed on my eyelids for a good 8 hours before i finally removed it with an eye makeup remover. this part wasn't covered in the video as i removed my makeup after recording - but i was really quite surprised at how easy it is to remove the eyeliner. as usual, i place the cotton pad on my eyes for 10s before swiping it off - they're mostly gone after that. i'm taken aback because i had to rub so long with the vaseline to get it off, i didn't expect it to come off so easily with the eye makeup remover. i'm using the bifesta one (with two phases), in case you're wondering. i also tried it with the cleansing lotion and it also came off really easily.

2. high pigmentation and vibrant colours
the pigmentation of the colours lived up to my expectation - i do have high expectations for eyeliners as they are supposed to be more pigmented than powder eyeshadow in the first place! what i love the most is probably the gold shade that remained vibrant at the end of the day. if i were to use powder eyeshadow as my highlight, it may wear off throughout the day as powders just don't adhere that well, especially when i perspire so much.

3. ooh-so-creamy
just as they have claimed, the eyeliner pencils are indeed very creamy. i feel like they're of the right consistency - soft enough to deposit a layer of product, but not overly soft to deposit too much product (like my catrice made to stay highlighter, but that's the way it's supposed to be because it's meant for blending out with a finger).

4. possible to use it as an eyeshadow, if you act fast enough
i'm also liking the fact that i can use these as eye shadows, but this will definitely need some practice and techniques because they may end up looking really uneven on my eyelids if i don't blend quick enough. plus, the colours are already coordinated for me, rids me of the decisions.

i notice that the season 3 eyeliners blend a lot better than the darker colours from season 1. i believe it has got something to do with the finish, as the darker colours tend to be matte/satin finish. all other metallic/shimmery shades blends out a little easier.

and here is where i'll start talking about the little improvements that could be made.

1. it doesn't stay on my water line
the eyeliner isn't setting fast enough on my waterline, but sets too quickly while on my eyelid!? not sure if it's the product for the nature of my eyes. the eyeliner doesn't stay on my waterline (but then again, i haven't found one that stays after 8 years into making up). i noticed that the gold shade i used on my inner half of my eyes sets way too quickly, by the time i try blending it out it sort of fragmented.

can't have it all, i guess! if it were too soft, it may have taken too long to set and wouldn't have made a good eyeliner. since these are meant to be eyeliners, i'd be understanding and not expect too much out of it as an eyeshadow. eyeliners are probably a good way to intensify powder eye shadows to enhance the look though.

2. not an auto-type eyeliner, will require a sharperner
lastly, the packaging of the pen itself..... i'm definitely a spoilt brat, because i've shown my mom these eyeliners and told her about the lack of a twist mechanism, you know how she reacted?

"isn't this normal? just use a sharpener!".

i guess i'll suck it up and count my blessings instead - these products are wonderful on my eyelids irregardless of its packaging. i can live with that considering the price point and colour selection. but i still wish for that day to happen - when these eyeliners are all twist up style.

since i said i wouldn't have done a review if i didn't like it.. now that i did, you know what that means. ;)

MAKEUP LOOK_______________________________________________________________





BEFORE YOU GO
if you're interested in these products, you can check out the following links according to your region (as they have different websites for different countries?). all prices exclusive of shipping.

USA:
wishtrend USD$28.87
amazon USD$25.90
tosowoong 39800 won (their english site is supposed to be up soon? either way, just get it from amazon because 39800 won = USD$39.8)

SINGAPORE:
qoo10 sg SGD$12.80 (i think it's currently on promotion, not sure how long this will last)

HONG KONG:
qoo10 hk HKD$121.50

xoxo

karman

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Matte 010 Wine Not


i got this lipstick when i was in the fall state of mind, even though singapore does not have autumn, but my mind was obsessed with the typical fall colour - wine. some call it ox blood, or a deep berry shade. but wine suits it to a T, it's a deep reddish purple shade, and this is in a matte formula! SO FALL.

the revlon super lustrous lipstick line needs no further introduction i guess. it's supposed to be super moisturizing, as the name suggest.






one swipe on the left, 3 swipes on the right.



010 wine not is a deep raisin shade - reddish and purplish, with a hint of brown. it resembles the red velvet cupcake's interior colour. this lipstick is in matte finish, and boy, it really is matte.

application is pretty smooth - it doesn't tug, neither does it glide like butter. it deposits a thin layer of pigments, which can be built up based on your liking. it doesn't glide like the matte balms do, maybe that's why it only deposits a small amount of product with each swipe. the colour may emphasize dry skin, and may apply uneven on dry lips.

the lipstick is unscented.


IMHO:
i love this colour, that's the reason why i bought it in the first place. it took me some time to get used to the application as it wasn't as smooth as the other lipsticks (but it's still pretty smooth consider it's a matte lipstick. and i was comparing it to the creamy and shine formula that i own), once i got used to it, there's nothing to stop me from loving this lipstick. the matte formula makes it harder to transfer to cups (due to the lesser oil content), which means the lipstick stays on my lips much longer than the shine formula lipsticks. the other thing i like about it's smooth (but not buttery smooth) application is that it won't over deposit the products, which gives me more control over the colour and intensity.

but it may apply unevenly (after i blot my lip balm off). i don't know if it's my lips or the product :/

i usually have some lip balm on before i apply any lipsticks, and how much i have on will affect the colour that gets transferred to my lips. hence, it's best to blot off any excess lip balm prior to applying this lipstick if you want a fuller look.

however, this is not going to be moisturizing enough if i intend to wear this throughout the entire day. reapplication would be much appreciated by your lips, especially with a thin layer of lip balm before applying the lipstick again. i did try to add a layer of gloss over it, which defeats the purpose of it being matte, but sometimes i like to switch things up :P

each product have their own drawbacks. i love its long lasting power and the colour, and will love it even more if it is a little more moisturizing. i'm greedy, i know.

i bought this when guardian was having a sale for $13.90.

MAKEUP LOOK




worn lightly as a tint.



also worn lightly as a tint.

Maybelline Lashionista Mascara (Swatches and Review)

another lengthening mascara! this time it's a film type lengthening mascara from maybelline. i heard how it's able to create endless length (without clumping) so i got it when i saw it on sale just to try it out. this mascara contains fibres, but what's so special about it is the lightweight formula.

i believe this mascara is only available in asian countries, as the american maybelline website didn't have any information on this. i found it on the japanese website though.

i can't really read too much japanese, but it claims to create "long upward" lashes, thanks to the formula!


i picked up the mascara in black.

THE BRUSH__________________________________________________________________


the brush has a spoon shape (but they didn't call it the spoon brush on the website). apparently the brush design is made to fit the japanese (they called it a "just fit brush") population! i don't know about that.

the tip of the brush has shorter bristles, so it's easiest to get more product from the tip of the brush than from the other end, where the bristles are longer.

according to the instructions, you're supposed to use the concave part against your lashes.



visible fibres on the brush. maybelline claims that they're 4mm. a micrometer, anyone?

THE BEFORE AND AFTER______________________________________________________


naked lashes vs 1 coat vs 2 coats vs 3 coats, lashes curled prior to mascara application.


comparison with eyes opened.


see my lashes grow!


five freaking coats of mascara later - lashes still looks natural (NOT spidery or clumpy), but much more visible and longer. note: lash was not curled prior to application.

THE CAPABILITIES___________________________________________________________

the lengthening power is pretty amazing, because it really does live up to the claims of "endless length". i don't usually go over 2 coats because beyond that as there's a clumping alert (even if i were to layer it on before the previous coats dries out compeltely). but this mascara never clumps, i can keep going on if i want to. from the gif you can see that it lengthens the most in the first coat. the subsequent ones starts to add a little more volume to the lashes than length.

my lashes are still soft even after 5 coats.

as the brush does a good job at separating the lashes and coating them fully. my lashes actually look like they're one-by-one even after the 3 coats.

even though i forgot to curl my lashes before taking the "before" photo, i curled it right before i applied my mascara. my experience with it is this - the mascara will straighten any curls that i achieve with the lash curler. BUT, if i push my lashes upwards with my finger, they actually stay in place and becomes curled! of course, it doesn't stay that way too long, but i'm quite amused by the fact that it does that. i think it's partly because half of my new found lashes are actually fibres, and since they are so lightweight, they are able to hold a curl just by me pushing them. if you look at the photo of me wearing 5 coats of mascara, you can see that curl in effect as i didn't curl my lashes before that. by brushing the mascara in an upward motion, it deposits fibres and build it upwards too. i think that's what helped it create this 'curl', and i assure you, whatever curled part you see are actually fibres.

as this is a film type mascara, it washes off in the shower with warm water. it does come off when i use an eye makeup remover, but that will take some rubbing, whereas in the shower, it's almost effortless.

the first film type mascara i used was deja vu's fiberwig and that little thing melted off my eyes. lashionista DID NOT MELT!!! WOOHOO!


IMHO:
what i love most about this mascara is that it doesn't clump even after many layers, which is essentially the key to getting really long lashes with any fibre type mascara. i feel that the draw back for most lengthening formula is the threat of clumping from the repeated layers of mascara being applied, since the fibres are built by layering them upon each other. this mascara solved that problem for me. i can go 5 layers with this mascara and my lashes still look natural (instead of spidery).

the only thing i didn't quite like is that it straightens my curled lashes. yes, i can push it with my fingers to point it upwards, but i like strong curls. however, i don't mean that it creates a kink. there is a curl, just a very smooth one that looks extremely natural. i just prefer stronger curls especially when i have eye makeup on.

in fact, the first few times i wore this, i really feel like they look so natural to the point that they look like my own lashes. this departs a little from majolica majorca's lash expander frame plus, because that mascara don't give me this kind of smooth curl. i like that i'm able to control the impact of this mascara by controlling how many layers i wear. usually i wear 2 coats for no makeup days just to lengthen it a bit, and when i want to go gungho, i go for 3 coats, very seldom 4. but now i'm wearing 5 coats (because i'm curious just how many layers it can go before it starts to clump) and it still looks great as hell.

i can see why this mascara rose to be the best selling mascara (in japan). the natural length it creates is really like no other. but it does take a bit of patience if you want really long lashes, just keep in mind that there's really no limit when you're using this mascara :)

IN A NUTSHELL
this mascara is good for you if you want
1) natural looking lashes that are long and light weight
2) a mascara that doesn't melt in the heat
3) natural curl
4) your mascara to come off in the shower

i would really recommend this mascara to people who already have full (or semi full) lashes to begin with. if you have very sparse lashes, it'd be better to use a set of natural falsies and build this mascara on top of it if you desire more length.

i bought this for SGD$15 when it was on sale in watsons.

Bifesta Eye Makeup Remover (Review)

eye makeup remover is a need for me because i use waterproof mascara. this makes it so easy to remove my eye makeup without tugging. there's no magic to this, you just have to press the cotton pad against your eyes and count to 10 before swiping it downward to bring everything away with it.

this is a bi-phase remover, similar to most eye makeup remover in the market. the oil-water mixture helps remove waterproof and non waterproof makeup at the same time! as there are surfactants in water based makeup remover which will strip away your oils, the oil in this mixture sort of help to replenish a little bit of it so that it doesn't leave your delicate eye area overly drying.


suggested usage instructions on the back of the bottle, but it's in japanese.
1. pour a sufficient amount on cotton pad
2. when removing mascara, press cotton pad against eye for a few seconds before swiping it off
3. remove contact lens before using
4. you can also use this for the lips and mouth area.


two-phases (water and oil)! it comes in a 145ml bottle.


as you need to shake the product before using, the most practical kind of bottle opening would be this.

my experience with it so far is rather pleasant. does the job well at removing my waterproof mascara. this is actually a little bit oily if you use it alone, but i always use the bifesta cleansing lotion to remove away that oily feeling afterwards anyway, saves me the hassle of washing my face with a cleanser :P (i still wash my face though, just that it's not immediately after i remove my eye makeup).

IMHO
i like this eye makeup remover because it's affordable, and does what it is supposed to do. it fits my simple needs well - to remove waterproof eye makeup.

i can only compare this to the only eye makeup remover i've used before, which is the l'oreal gentle eye and lips makeup remover. that is also a bi-phase makeup remover. they have similar price points, and does the job equally well. one thing that the bifesta eye makeup remover can improve on is probably to decrease the stinging feeling when it gets into my eyes no matter how tight i try to shut my eyes. somehow it still manages to sneak in. it doesn't burn, but it's pretty unpleasant as that sensation stays for a while.

the pains we go through to look pretty.. haha!

IN A NUTSHELL
1. affordable
2. efficient in removing eye makeup (especially waterproof mascara)

i will probably go back to the l'oreal makeup remover since they don't have much differences in terms of capabilities, but i know where to get it really cheap (SGD7!!!). :P much cheaper than the bifesta in singapore.

i purchased this for HKD$45.5 in HK watsons when it was having a 30% offer.

3 Steps No Heat Korean Style Wavy Hair Tutorial

this is so easy and unoriginal, after you watch it you'll probably go "what!? this is nothing new at all!". i say it's unoriginal because it's the classic french braid. but it's quite "new" in a sense that.. i don't remember seeing anyone doing a french braid to get wavy curls like i do. i actually discovered this method by chance because i usually do my hair into a french braid before i exercise so that my hair won't be all over the place. i feel like a pony tail is going to strain my scalp too much with my little tail swishing in air from left to right periodically.

there was this particular day when i went out for an extended strolling session that left me entirely soaked in my own sweat. by the time i got home the sweat has evaporated, and right before i went to shower i noticed just how beautiful my hair has become - those waves! exactly what i've been trying to recreate with my three barrel tongs!

while i love my heat tools, i try not to use them too often as heat will damage hair. i can try my best to condition it after, but prevention is always better than cure. this no heat method is as good as it can get! the only caveat - you need time, and you need to know how to braid.

don't worry if you don't know how to do a french braid, i got you covered ;) scroll down for an illustrated pictorial! or you can watch the video below to get the hang of how i coordinate my fingers when i braid my own hair.



PRODUCTS USED______________________________________________________________


left to right, clock wise motion:
1. water
2. vidal sassoon magic style activator for curls (leave in conditioner, this is optional)
3. lucido l hair spray (very hard)
4. rubber bands

you really only need 1, 3 and 4. if you have super fine and straight hair, replace 2 with a curling mousse or curling cream, whatever that can give your hair more grip and hold to maintain the waves.

PICTORIALS:

STEP 1: WET YOUR HAIR

in the world of hair styling, there are two methods to change the "shape" of your hair - going from wet to dry, and going from hot to cold. we're obviously employing the wet to dry method here, so dampen your hair (if you started out with dry hair) or dry it a little (if you started off with wet hair). it should be damp but not dripping wet - being able to hold a curl/twist is a good gauge.

keep the roots dry because a wet scalp is not that great for your head (my mom says).

i threw in a conditioning step because why not? i bought the product a while ago but seldom use it. thought my hair could use some extra nourishment, and this is also me trying to show you a way to help your hair be less frizzy if you happen to have frizzy hair - "moisturize" your hair.



STEP 2: FRENCH BRAIDING

as i mentioned in the video, the beauty of the french braid is that it allows us to customize our curls/waves.

if you want tighter curls: make your braids smaller by sectioning your hair into 2 or more sections

if you want looser waves: stick to the one braid that i'm doing

if you want your curls to start nearer to the roots: also make your braids smaller so as to reduce the distance between the side of your head and the main braid (please refer to the video for annotations if you are unclear)

if you want your curls to start further away from the scalp: also stick to the one braid, but feel free to play around with the position, you can let it be on your left side of the head (so the waves would start closer to your scalp on the left side and further from your scalp on the right side)

just braid and carry on with your stuff until your hair is fully dry. i go to sleep once my hair is less damp, i try to factor in the additional 3-4 hours so that i can braid much earlier before my sleeping time.



tutorial for french braiding! YOU'RE WELCOME! ;)



STEP 3: LOOSEN AND SET

once your hair is fully dry, you can remove your rubber band and loosen your hair. set it with a hair spray for extra hold so as to ensure the waves stay curled all day!



STEP OPTIONAL: DRYING WITH HAIR DRYER

if you're out of time, there's a way to speed up the drying : heat. just make sure to let your hair cool down completely before releasing the curls, this is because curling hair with heat is just like making jelly. if it's not completely cooled, the hair won't set and will just straighten itself. what a waste of effort!



FINAL LOOK:









BEFORE YOU GO:

the method i share right here is a way to CURL your hair. whether or not your curls stays throughout the day has nothing much to do with the method, instead it's the way you set your curls. use hard hair spray for maximum strength, misting it all over your curls will reduce the tendency for it to stiffening your hair into a plastic wig cap. also, if you stay in a very humid climate (which is well known for reducing the curls to nothingness), prepping your hair with a curling mousse will greatly improve the longevity of the curls.

last but not least, remember to avoid getting styling products onto the roots (unless it's one of those products for volume at the roots), and if you do, make sure you clean your scalp properly to prevent accumulation of products in the hair follicles (which will lead to hair loss in the long run).

that's all for this week's sharing! hope you like this method as much as i do! i really love it SO MUCH because i used to spend 30 minutes curling my hair for events.. but braiding my hair takes less than 5 minutes. whatever time that's needed to dry my hair is spent very productively doing other things as i have both of my hands free.

xoxo
karman

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Polish Glam 2 and Glam 14

you might have already seen this from my sasa mini haul, this is a more detailed review and swatching entry.

these lip polishes are also called color elixirs over in the states. i think the term "elixir" sounds more magical, i can almost picture a glowing pot of lip lacquer filled with pixie dust and iridescent glow. in asia, we only have 10 colours, that's half of that in the states. WHYYYYYYYYYYY!? i hope they release an orange here soon. :(

these lip products (i don't know what to call them, really) are a hybrid of a lip balm, lipstick, and lip gloss. so you can expect it to be very nourishing, high pigmentation and gloss.

i picked up glam 2 (i THINK it's captivating carnation equivalent 065) and glam 14 (should be caramel infused 080), a pretty vibrant pink and a nude colour with a slight reddish undertone.


i am really in love with their design. that's the only reason why i chose them over the za liquid rouge even though their colours are very similar. don't they look like the dior fluid sticks?


the applicator is flat and slightly tapered at the end. it's made of angora fur!?!? whatever, because it does feel very very soft on my lips.


swatched on my arm.


photographed at a slightly different angle to capture the fine shimmer and glossy finish.


GLAM 2//


GLAM 14//

GLAM 2 is a vibrant pink, almost like a watered down hot pink.

GLAM 14 is a brownish colour with some reddish hue to it.

both products contains a load of micro shimmer, and they aren't scented.

IMHO:
i'll address all those three claims point by point! TL;DR - I LOVE THIS PRODUCT.

nourishing like a lip balm - YESSSSS! it's a very amazing feeling. i would describe the feeling to be marshmellow like - puffy and lightweight - yes, there is definitely volume to it, but it doesn't feel heavy on my lips. it feels more like a layer of water wrapping my lips (as opposed to oils), hence it doesn't feel sticky at all. my lips feel really nourished. also, when i smack my lips together to distribute the product, my lips glide over each other almost frictionlessly. this is very rare for a gloss like product because 1. it's usually only this lubricated if it's very oily and has a thin consistency, 2. thicker products usually have a sticky feeling. you can say i'm really amused by the lip polish!

pigmented like a lipstick - 70% yes. it's more so for glam 14 than for glam 2. you can see from the swatches how glam 2 appeared to have a more candy-translucent look even at full coverage mode, while glam 14 looks much more opaque and creamy. but then again, i'm really liking how both colours build up on my lips. i used 2 layers to achieve full coverage.

shiny like a lip gloss - HELL YESSS! just see for yourself! shiny lips make my lips look plumper, as well as erasing my lip lines :P

the first few times i wore it, i thought the colour go on rather uneven-ly, most probably due to the two phase nature of the product. when i try to apply a second later, the additional product tend to stay on top of the gloss for some reason. i realize that i have to really press the applicator against my lip to distribute the product. i didn't do that initially because i thought i'd push away the first layer of the product (if that made any sense), but i realize it will redistribute itself after they finally merge together. so.. just go on and massage your lips with that angora fur applicator if you want an even application. :D

there's something interesting i'd like to note down as well. remember i said the product doesn't feel sticky at all? after i blot off the product, my lips starts feeling sticky. maybe the oils are retained on the surface of my lips? it's not unpleasant, just a vast difference from when i have the product on. also, the micro shimmer will stay on your lips. it's not very visible in photo, but i can see it in person. thankfully, those shimmer are too fine for me to feel it on my lips.

while these lip polishes aren't designed to be long lasting, i've gotten a full 5-6 hours of wear (without eating or drinking though!) from it. by the end of my day my lips are still very moisturized, some of the glossy shine did wear off with time but overall it still look plump and hydrated. worlds apart from the l'oreal shine caresse (which does leave my lips feeling more raisin-ish at the end of the day). they do transfer to cups and glasses. just don't expect them to be long wearing throughout your lunch and dinner, that'd be asking for too much from this moisturizing little things. it's already a feat that they accomplished that non-sticky yet super moisturizing and balm-y texture, let's leave the long wearing part for future developments ;)

my dad got this for me for HKD$89 each.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. very nourishing
2. not sticky (unless you blot it off)
3. colour true to tube, full coverage in 2 coats
4. very glossy
5. soft and comfortable applicator
6. lovely packaging design
7. hydrates for at least 6 hours (without eating or drinking).

MAKEUP LOOK


GLAM 2//


GLAM 14//