Chanel Le Vernis Sweet Lilac (615) Review

 Hello everyone!

Sorry for the absence of posts these past few months. I was busy with my newborn baby, now that I have a little free time I decided to post a review again in my blog.

This time I wanna review about Chanel Le Vernis in Sweet Lilac 615. It is a lovely lilac shade with pink undertone and has a cream finish to it. It is one of the new product from Chanel summer collection. I only purchase this from the summer collection, and I heard that this nail polish is a limited edition. So if you like it, I recommend to buy it sooner or later.

This shade is flattering for all ages and what I love about it is that it's not too pink and it's not too purple. It's somewhere in the middle. I need to apply two coats in order for it to be fully opaque. The application itself is relatively easy, but I do found that it took quite sometime for it to be fully dried. Bottom line, I really love this shade and happy with the purchase.

What do you think about this color?

xoxo,
Ivana

Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Golden Mink Review

Hello everyone!

First of all, I want to say Happy Valentine's Day to y'all :D

This month is also my birthday month, so I feel that I can treat myself by buying Tom Ford product. His collection of makeup has been released in Singapore for quite some time already (End of December 2012) at Tangs Orchard.

My first Tom Ford product is Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Golden Mink. I chose this quad because I am a fan of shimmer shadow more than matte one. So I cannot resist myself buying this quad :D

My experience with other glittery eye shadow usually involving some dry and chalky texture, not to mention lots of fallout. The only glittery and shimmery eye shadow I love is from Urban Decay, and I'm glad that I found another amazing brand for my love of shimmer eye shadow--Tom Ford.

It contains two shades of glitter (top), and two shades of shimmer (bottom).

It is really gorgeous both on the pan and when swatch. The glitter eye shadows (top) doesn't has any fallout, and the shimmer eye shadows (bottom) has silky smooth texture with great pigmentation. On working days, I like to only wear the two bottom shadows and it work just great.

Look of the day I create with Tom Ford Golden Mink:

Have you tried any Tom Ford product before? Thanks for reading :)

xoxo,
Ivana

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Evasion Review

Last month I went to Chanel counter with my hubby. I swatch some lipsticks, and it's so difficult to choose just one as there are practically hundreds of gorgeous color of lipsticks in front of me. I asked him which color he likes the most, and he chose this Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Evasion. It's a sheer peach color, with some warm coral. There is some hint of golden shimmer on it too. I decided to buy this lipstick as I don;t have any peach lipstick at that moment.

The first pic above is swatched indoor (day time) and with natural sun light. The second pic is swatched indoor (evening time). The color on the tube and the color swatch on hand is basically looks the same. However, do noted when applied on lips, it basically follow your natural lip color. I naturally have pink lip color, so when it applied, it looks like a sheer coral lippies.

When applied it have a hint of color and glossy finish. It does feel like a lip gloss kind of finish, but the texture is very much like a lipstick. Although it is a hydrating lipstick, but for very dry lips like mine, I had to apply lip balm beforehand and wait for few minutes before I apply the lipstick. I've tried applying it without applying lip balm before and it clings to my lips' dry patches even though it gives glossy finish. So if you have dry lips like I do, make sure you moisturize or scrub your lips well before applying this lipstick. But if you don't have any dry lips, then this lipstick texture will be a winner for you! :D

Hope this review has been helpful. Thank you for reading and hope you guys have a wonderful weekend ahead!

xoxo,
Ivana

Etude House CC Cream in No.2 Glow Review

Hello all.

After using Etude House CC Cream for few months, I decided to do a review about it. Correct and Care cream, also known as CC Cream in short form, has been produced by many leading beauty brands such as Chanel, Etude House, Clinique, Origins, Lancome, etc. Since it originally produced by Korean beauty brand, I decided to try the Korean version rather than its "western" counterpart.

As expected, the price of CC Cream from korean brand is cheaper than western brand, I got mine from Etude House for SGD 25.90.

On the box, it is written:

"This multitasking, 8-in-1 formula hydrates, primes, conceals, treats and protect skin at an easy single step for a healthier complexion, inside and outside. It glides on with a glowing finish."

Etude House produced 2 types of CC Cream: No.1 Silky and No.2 Glow. No.1 Silky cater for those who has oilier skin, and prefer matte finish. On the other hand, No.2 Glow cater for dry skin type and create a dewy and glowing finish. I chose No.2 Glow because my skin type is more to the dry side, and I much prefer dewy finish than matte finish.

The tube comes with a pump which is good for sanitary purpose. I usually only need one pump for application. But if you need more coverage, you can always layer your foundation on top of it.

Notice how my hand become brighter after I apply CC Cream on it? The brightening effect is really subtle though.

The pictures above (left side) is my bare face with only Clarins moisturizer applied on it. I got many freckles and redness on my face. The right side picture is my face after I applied CC cream on top of my moisturizer.
There is a little bit difference, but it's very very subtle. The redness has been reduced and skin tone has evened out a bit, but it definitely doesn't cover any of my freckles. For brightening effect, it does brighten my face, I notice my face has become brighter, but my iphone camera can't really capture it.

To conclude, if you are looking for product that offer more coverage, than CC cream is not for you, you should stick with wither BB cream or foundation. As for myself, I found that this product is good enough for me as I don't really need that much coverage.

Have you tried CC Cream before? Let me know about your opinion!

xoxo,
Ivana

Chanel Spring 2014: Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadow in Diapason (92) Review and Swatches

Hello Beautifuls!

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre is one of my most loved formulas for eye shadow. It's a gel-based eye shadows with thickness of a cream. It's long lasting, non creasing, and very easy to blend. For spring, Chanel releases two shades for Ilussion D'Ombre: Diapason (92) and Impulsion (93). Diapason is added to permanent line, while Impulsion is limited edition. When swatch those 2 eye shadows in the store, I definitely knew that I wanted Diapason more than Impulsion. Diapason is a deep purple with a shimmering finish, while Impulsion is a luminous pastel pink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love good purple eye shadow, and Diapason doesn't disappoint me. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Diapason is really beautiful, it has duochrome element to it. Sometimes I saw it as dark purple, other times as plummy brown. It all depends on the light because it has brown-based to it. In my opinion it resembles with other Illusion D'Ombre in my stash - Fatal. I will do quick comparison between Diapason and Fatal.

On the left is Diapason, and the right one is Fatal. Seen in the pot, they're so different with each other.

 

The left swatch is Diapason, while the right swatch is Fatal. Now, once they swatch together, they really do look alike, don't they? However, we can see that the amount of glitter in Diapason is much more subtle than Fatal and it is much darker than Fatal. If you like dark Illusion D'Ombre but want it to be less glittery, then Diapason has your name written on it.

 

What do you guys think of Diapason?

 

xoxo,

Ivana

 







Monthly Favorites #1

It's Friday, and I finally can write a post on the blog today :D I've pulled out some amazing products that I've tried this month.

First up is Oscar Blandi Jasmine Oil Serum, which has been part of my hair care routine. I cannot emphasize more on how I love this serum. My hair type is frizzy and dry. This serum is just amazing, it smells great and moisturizes my hair well. I noticed that the frizz has been remarkably reduced after using this hair serum, and the other great thing that it doesn't even weighed my hair down at all! My hair become more manageable than ever. I plan to repurchase this product right away after I finish it.

YSL Rosy Blush is one of my two favorites blushers this month, beside Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface. YSL Rosy Blush gives my face luminosity that I've been looking for. And Tarte Dollface Blush is just great, it gives a natural pink blush that leans more towards cooler tone base. I've been using these two blushers almost everyday ever since I bought them. I've written extensive reviews on YSL Rosy Blush here and Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush here.

Bifesta Eye Makeup Remover is my most loved product for eye make up remover, simply because it works so efficiently on removing waterproof eye makeup. I accidentally bought it when I was in Japan. I didn't bring my eye makeup remover and I just purchased it there at drug store chain in Japan called Matsumoto Kiyoshi. I was so glad when I found out that Watson's Singapore also carried this product. I've tried many brands, and this one is just simply the best. It's gentle on the skin, yet powerful on removing stubborn mascara or eyeliner. I don't need to rub my eyes while using this product. Highly recommended!

Lastly, I've been using Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion for Stretch Marks. I've been applying this twice a day on my pregnant belly, and also on my thighs and other area as well. I use this lotion to prevent any stretch marks, and I've started using this since on my third month of pregnancy. It really moisturize my skin well, and my skin is very smooth after using this. I also love the smell and the texture of the lotion as well--it's not runny at all. I think I will continue using this even after my pregnancy simply because I love the effect it does on my skin!

This is my first post on monthly favorite, hope you guys enjoy reading it!
TGIF everyone! :)

xoxo,
Ivana

Benefit Hydra Smooth Lip Colour in Air Kiss Review

Hi everyone :)

Today I'm going to share my thoughts about recent lipstick that I wear, which is Benefit Hydra Smooth Lip Colour (SGD 30). It comes in 10 shades and it gives sheer, medium, or full finish depend on which shade you choose. I chose Air Kiss because it gives sheer finish (which I know some people don't like sheer finish). But I like to wear sheerer lipstick when I am wearing "no-makeup" makeup look, or when I am wearing darker eye shadow.

It comes with a rather sturdy cardboard which I like and a cute deco design which is a Benefit signature. However, the lipstick packaging itself is lacking, it seems rather childish and cheap in my opinion.



 





 

As we can see from picture above, it can get a little messy after application around the tube. On the other hand, I really like the texture of this lipstick. It's so creamy and hydrating, and it won't set into fine lines of our lips. It even feels more to the lip balm than lipstick.

 

 

 

The left side is one swipe, and the right side is two swipes of the lipstick. There's only a slight color build between one and two swipes. It's not really buildable, but then it's a sheer lipstick so I don't expect it to be buildable in the first place :)

 

How it looks on my lips:

 

 

Thank you for reading, have a great day! :)

 

xoxo,

Ivana





NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Review

Hello guys!

I was looking for the perfect concealer that will become my Holy Grail for so long since I could remember. I don't use concealer on daily basis, but I do use it when I apply my foundation (which is on special occasion), just to smooth out my skin tone. The concealer that I tried from few brands like MAC or Urban Decay was too cakey for me, I'm just not the biggest fan of their texture. I was so glad I decided to buy this concealer from NARS after hearing so many raved reviews about this little gem :)

The first thing I noticed from this concealer is the packaging, it somewhat remind me of lip gloss since the applicator looks like lip gloss applicator. It makes the application so much easy though, It can be used even in narrow area beside our nose with so much ease. It comes with 10 shades and I chose Vanilla and it's a great match for my NC15 skin tone.

What I really like about this concealer, it has great coverage but also less drying than any other concealer I tried. It doesn't get cakey in humid weather and the staying power is really great, I don't need to do touch up for it.

Overall, it's an amazing concealer to use especially for under-eyes and to cover up blemishes. This is definitely an HG material for me :) I don't know in winter time, but it's definitely not drying at all in humid weather like Singapore. I got mine at NARS counter for SGD 42.00 which is a steep price for concealer, but I think it's really worth it since we don't need to apply much product, I only apply a really small dot for each one of my eyes, and it can covers all the under-eyes area, it's also definitely buildable. And since I only use it for few times in a month, I do think this concealer can last longer than one year for me.

Have you guys tried this concealer before? Do let me know about your opinion :)

xoxo,
Ivana

YSL Spring 2014: Rosy Blush Review and Swatches

Hello everyone :)

When I saw YSL Spring 2014 Collection, I admired this blush particularly than other products in the collection. The reason was simply because it's a very stunning golden pink blush that I don't get to see everywhere else.

Let's start with the packaging. As usual, YSL always have their trademark of gold casing which feels very luxurious and expensive-looking. It is also engraved with matte dusty pink pattern that makes it look chic and feminine.

The blush design is very excellent, it resembles the design of flower petal. It has a soft pink shade with slight gold shimmer. This blush can be used as blush and highlighter because of its sheer pigmentation. If applied lightly, it can give excellent luminescent on the upper cheek bone. If applied heavily, it will give a natural looking blush without excessive shimmer.

I did a heavily layered swatch and as we can see it gives a natural satiny finish on the skin--the shimmer is very little but still there that makes the skin glow. I really fond of this blush, however I think if you have darker skin tone it will hardly shows up much, it will only give a subtle highlighting colour on the cheek.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase as I can see myself reaching for this bush on daily basis. This blush is limited edition, so if you like it is best to purchase it soon.

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo,
Ivana

Liebster Award

Hi everyone!

I'm so flattered that Mariamma from If My Fingers Were Feathers nominated me for this award - thank you, Mariamma!

The Liebster Award Rules:
You must link back the person who nominated you.
You must state 11 random facts about yourself
You must answer the 10 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee before you.
You must pick 10 bloggers to be nominated for the award with under 200 followers.
You must come up with 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
You must go to their blogs and notify your nominees.

Here goes 11 random facts about me :)
1. I'm a very petite girl, I'm only 5 feet tall.
2. I met my husband at Japanese language course.
3. My mood always lifts up when I eat chocolate, it instantly made me happier!
4. My favourite quote will always be: "When there's a will, there's a way."
5. I love good fictions. My favourite author are Sophie Kinsella, Khaled Hosseini and Dan Brown.
6. I have a pet peeve, it really bothers me when people sighs. Unless it is sighing out of relief.
7. I can't ride a bicycle.
8. When I was a kid I hate that my hair is so thick, but now I feel that it's a blessing.
9. I'm incredibly close with my older sister, we practically did everything together until both of us get married and live in different country.
10. Many times I avoid drink tea or coffee so that I won't stain my teeth.
11. I adore people who have good skin.

Eleven questions that Mariamma gave me:
1. What is the funniest childhood memory that pops up in your head first?
When I was in primary school, I was playing with my friend at basketball court. I fell down and my two big front teeth (the "bunny teeth") were broken in half! I didn't realise it, until my friend asked me "Hey what's up with your teeth?" When I realised what happened, I quickly search my teeth on the basketball court and thank God, I found it! I brought it home and I tried to glued it back to my gum.. with Super Glue (ehm...)

 2. If you could only wear different shades of the same color, what color would it be?
White! I like white clothes very much. I have tonnes of them and I like white bags and white shoes too.

 3. If you could have grown up anywhere besides the country you're from, what would it be?
Japan, I've been there and I really love it.

 4. Even if you hate tattoos, what tattoo would you get if you were to get one?
Eternity symbol.

 5. What music or artist have you been listening to most this week?
One Republic - Counting Stars

 6.  If you could instantly know a new language, what would it be and why?
Japanese. Sorry I just love Japan too much :P

 7. What is your favorite thing about your personality? Don't be shy!
I'm an introvert person, but I like the way I am.

 8. Do you have any siblings? If so, how many, and are they brothers or sisters?
One older sister and one younger brother.

 9. If you could change your name to anything, what would it be and why?
Candice. I think this name is adorable.

 10. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Fried rice! But I only eat it as breakfast maybe twice a year.

 11. What is your favorite time of day and why?
It depends. Because I'm working on weekdays, I like night time when I am at home and can relax with my family. But during the weekend, I like morning time because many activities can be done in one day, such as hanging out, relaxing, or just tidying up my stuffs.

Now for my nominations! I choose the following blogs for Liebster Blog Award (It's less than 10, but hey who cares right :))
Naomi Talks Beauty
Mintxrose
Miss Laura Bora
What Taylor Buys
Oh Ruby
Thoughts of Glam
Vivian Stone xo
Lauren's Beauty Stuff

My questions for my lovely nominees:
1. Heels or flats?
2. If you only had 1 minute to do your makeup, what product would you reach for first?
3. Cats or dogs?
4. What did you want to be when you were a child?
5. Why did you start blogging?
6. Do you prefer to wear lipstick or lipgloss?
7. What type of superpower would you want to have?
8. What is your favourite TV Show?
9. What is your favourite season?
10. What is your favourite shop?


xoxo,

Ivana

Chanel: Mousse Douceur, Hydra Beauty Serum, UV Essentiel SPF 50 Review

Hello hello!

I received few samples from Chanel skincare when I made a purchase a while back ago. I'm quite excited to try these samples because I heard that some products from Chanel skincare is really good, although the price is on the steeper side. So it's nice to have the samples to try before buying the actual product :D

1. Mousse Douceur : Rinse-off Foaming Mousse Cleanser Balance + Anti Pollution

On Chanel website:
"A rinse-off foaming mousse cleanser and makeup remover for normal-to-combination skin with the de-polluting power of Tulip Tree Extract and the emollient properties of Mallow Extract. Gently purifies while respecting skin's eco-balance, with moisturizing effects."

The texture:

 

 

 

 

My thought:

After using this to wash my face few times, I can say that this cleanser is not suitable for dry skin. As the website said, it is for normal to combination skin. It is so drying on my skin as I feel my skin is quite tight after I use this. It does leave my face squeaky clean and smell nice, but the cleanser is quite perfumed for sensitive skin. I only need a tiny dab to make a mountain of foam. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this if you have dry skin, but it's suitable for combination and oily skin in my opinion.

 

 

2. Hydra Beauty Serum: Hydration Protection Radiance

 

On Chanel website:

"At the heart of the HYDRA BEAUTY range: Camellia Alba PFA*, an active ingredient that promotes optimal moisture retention within skin cells. When combined with an improved, more powerful version of Blue Ginger PFA, a vital antioxidant, the perfect synergy... More of ultimate hydration and protection is created. With added Hyaluronic Acid, the Sérum immediately hydrates and protects the skin. Fresh and soothing, it comforts and boosts overall radiance. Ideal for all skin types.

*PFA: Polyfractioned Active. An ultra-pure, ultra-powerful ingredient created through an exclusive purification technique developed by Chanel."

The texture:

 

 

My thought:

This is definitely the most heavily fragranced out of 3 samples I got, and I can say I doubt that it would suitable for my sensitive skin. However, it has floral scent that is really pleasant. It feels lightweight and it's hydrating which is a plus point. It's moderately fast to be absorbed into my skin as well.







3. UV Essentiel: Complete Sunscreen UV Protection Anti-Pollution SPF 50

On Chanel website:
"Ultimately defending skin’s beauty all year long, this lightweight sunscreen, specially formulated for the face, offers a range of protection levels to suit any lifestyle. Optimally filters harmful UVA and UVB rays, free radicals and urban pollution as it shelters... More skin from photo-aging and hyperpigmentation."

The texture:

 



My thought:
Chanel offers few types of this sunscreen, depends on the type of protection you need: SPF 20, SPF 30, and SPF 50. I personally prefer sunscreen with higher SPF for ultimate protection. I like this sunscreen as it is not heavily fragranced but still smell pleasant. It's also not so oily like other sunscreen and it feels great on my skin.

Overall thoughts
I think Chanel produce great skincare for not so sensitive skin type. As it's heavily fragranced compare to other brand that I've tried, I am not so sure if this is suitable for sensitive skin. It doesn't cause me breakouts after few days using it, but you can always ask for samples from Chanel SA before you make the purchase :)

Hope this review has been helpful and thank you for reading!

Happy Sunday everyone,
xoxo
Ivana





Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface Review

Hi guys!

Today I'm going to do a review about Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface (SGD 45).

I bought this from my local Sephora. I went to Sephora to look for a pink blush, and I'm eternally grateful that I ended up buying this blush. It's such a pretty blue-toned pink that I reckon I will wear an awful lot. It's actually much prettier applied on the skin than on the pan. The packaging is very simple, and I like to bring this in my pouch since the packaging is not fingerprint or scratch prone like some other higher-end brands do (such as Chanel or Dior).

It's such a perfect Barbie Pink, and so easy to apply and blend even for beginner like me. The colour payoff is matte, no shimmer, and it leaves such a natural glow to my cheek. I applied this very lightly on my cheek and the colour turns out great. It is definitely buildable if applied more heavily. As seen in the picture, I have wear this blush for more than 9 hours and the colour is seriously long lasting, even in humid and sunny weather in Singapore! It didn't fade even tiny bits, it still looks the same as when I applied it in the morning.

If you're looking for a blush, I encourage you to buy Tarte blushes, they're truly amazing.

xoxo,

Ivana