joyful beauty

LANCOME TEINT MIRACLE FOUNDATION REVIEW

Hi everyone!

Today I’d like to share with you a foundation I’ve been using, and loving, for about 2 months. As you might know, I absolutely loved the Lancome Teint Idole 24H foundation, which is a soft, matte, long-lasting foundation. Recently, I have loved using its older sister, the Lancome Teint Miracle, which was launched just before the Teint Idole 24H.

Product description:

Lancôme science discovers the inner light of perfect skin and recreates it.

Pioneer Discovery

Light is not only reflected on the surface it is also naturally re-emitted from deep within the skin. This is skin’s inner light.  At its peak, this surface radiance (1) and inner light (3) constitute skin’s aura.

When visible light reaches skin, it begins a real journey:

• 5% of light is reflected: this is skin’s surface radiance (1)
• 95% penetrates skin and interacts with the epidermis and dermis.  55% is absorbed (2) and 40% is re-emitted at the surface (3) this is skin’s inner light.

Aura-Inside (TM) Technology

A Lancôme exclusive which associates:

• A new generation of bioptic pigments combined with classic mineral pigments.  Together, they reproduce the appearance of inner light of perfect skin, by recreating the intensity and pristine freshness of its radiance. 
• A unique liquid light essence maximizes skin’s surface radiance.

The main differences between Teint Idole and Teint Miracle is that the Teint Idole is more matte in comparison to the Teint Miracle, which is a fresh, dewy liquid foundation which gives a lovely, healthy glow. As such, it does require powder to set, whereas it is optional with the Teint Idole as it’s fairly matte already. The Teint Miracle is for those who are looking for more luminosity.

Being combination dry in skin type, then having used both, I would say that both formulas suit me well - however, I like the Teint Miracle more than the Teint Idole simply because the texture of the foundation is a little more smooth and blendable, like a moisturiser, and because it gives more of a glow. It’s also nice to have the option of using or not using powder, as my T-zone is oiler some days than others.

The packaging is similar to the packaging of the Teint Idole 24H; the differences are that the Teint Idole 24H features a black cap and the Teint Miracle’s is transparent, and just like the formulas, Teint Idole 24H’s bottle is matte while the Teint Miracle’s is made of shiny glass to reflect its luminosity.

The formula is said to oil-free and fragrance-free, while containing 37% pure water and soothing rose extract, as well as SPF 15. I like all these factors about the foundation, except I am not sure about it being fragrance-free - it does have a fragrance, one that I find clean but pretty at the same time. It claims to provide 18 hour hydration, and while I am not sure about 18 hours, it definitely feels hydrating and comfortable for at least my typical working day, which is about 9 hours.

Pros:

• Beautiful, flawless, and luminous coverage
• Smooth and blendable texture makes it easy and pleasant to apply
• Great shade that isn’t too yellow or pink in undertone - mine is 04 :)
• Long-lasting - even more so set with powder

Cons:

• Probably not suited to oily skin types, given it is a foundation for more luminosity, and even on my mostly dry skin can be just a little oily at times
• Can be slightly uneven after several hours of wear

Despite its few cons, I do love this foundation - it is one of the most beautiful foundations I have used, in terms of both coverage and texture, and is definitely a must-try for those with dull or dry skin types that want to look dewy with a healthy glow :)

Bare face, one coat of mascara, and lipbalm

Lancome Teint Miracle foundation

Worn with a few basics! Lancome Teint Miracle foundation, Lancome Teint Miracle Pressed Powder, The Body Shop Carbon Eye Definer, Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara, and a little Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color Cosmic Raspberry with The Body Shop Strawberry Born Lippy.

Wearing Lancome Teint Miracle foundation in both :)

I purchased the Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation from Lancome, Farmers, Botany, for $82.

But speaking of which - I no longer live in Auckland! I moved to Wellington a month ago to become the new Makeup Manager at The Body Shop, Cuba St, Wellington and have been absolutely loving it. The Body Shop’s makeup, as well as its values and ethics as a company, are all things I am very passionate about!

Here is a photo of me, cheesily posing with my makeup area at my new store, The Body Shop Cuba St, Wellington! (Behind me are our values - Protect The Planet, Defend Human Rights, Against Animal Testing, Support Community Fair Trade, Activate Self-Esteem :))

Apologies for less frequent posts recently, but life has been so busy since working full-time, apartment hunting and whatnot. I hope to find the time to update at least once a month or more :)

♥ Joy

NARCISO RODRIGUEZ: For Him & For Her

Hi everyone,

Recently, my boyfriend and I purchased the matching perfume and cologne collection, For Him and For Her by fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez. His is the Narciso Rodriguez For Him 100ml Eau de Toilette, while mine is a gift set of Narciso Rodriguez For Her 50ml Eau de Parfum, scented hand cream 75ml, and a complimentary cosmetics case - the set was the same price as the For Her 50ml Eau de Parfum itself.

Product descriptions:

For Him
Experience the essence of eternal masculinity, charisma, and urban modernity with for him by Narciso Rodriguez. In yet another example of how Narciso takes something modern and makes it elegant, this scent is a classic fougere fragrance that has been updated with three “vibrations”. Centered on the same intoxicating musk heart as musc for him, vibrations of lavender, textured woods, and sensual amber allows one to experience timeless elegance and sophistication again and again.

For Her
Introducing a new fragrance of seduction and femininity - a warm, enveloping way to wear Narciso Rodriguez on the skin. Musc is at the heart of For Her Eau de Parfum. The fragrant harmony of the musc expressed itself through three pulsations; pink floral, soft amber, and voluptuous woods. It develops gently, slowly rounding out into the warm tones, dusted in a soft, velvety sensuality.

As you may know from my review of The Body Shop’s White Musk For Men Eau de Toilette review, I prefer men’s colognes that are masculine, soft and sophisticated, rather than ones that have more of a sporty or casual scent. I find the Narciso Rodriguez For Him to be very sophisticated, and the notes that are the strongest, and most prominent, are amber and woody notes. As such, it is more of a night time fragrance than a daytime fragrance, as mentioned when it was sold to us at Kirkcaldie & Stains. I imagine that the perfect daytime fragrance for a man would be more similar to the sample of Jean Paul Gaultier’s new cologne, Le Beau Male, that was given to us with our purchase.

Because the amber and woody notes are so prominent in Narciso Rodriguez For Him, the warmth adds to its sophistication and elegance. I love that it becomes warmer as the middle and base notes settle in, and that it lasts for an incredibly long time - over 10 hours in a day. It has a hint of the muskiness found in The Body Shop’s White Musk For Men, but in this cologne, it is not as intense as it’s also mixed with more floral notes.

My fragrance, Narciso Rodriguez For Her, is one that I love for its simplicity and femininity. Just like both the bottle designs for For Him and For Her, it’s a beautiful fragrance that captures femininity without being overpowering. Compared to sweet and girly perfumes like Taylor Swift’s Wonderstruck Enchanted and Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday (which I also love!), For Her is more elegant and graceful. One of my favourite things about it is that while it is sweet and feminine, it also manages to capture the fragrance of being free-spirited, carefree, and independent. I find it somewhat of a bold and empowering statement that one can both be sweet, elegant, and feminine, yet independent and assertive.

How this balance comes about is most likely because, alongside its pretty floral notes, For Her also contains amber and woody notes, just like For Him. Unlike For Him, which in my opinion is more of an evening fragrance, I love that For Her is very versatile - it can be worn day or night, and would suit a variety of occasions. It’s not too casual for formal events, nor too formal for casual events - just a well-rounded woman’s fragrance that I could imagine being worn by all ages.

Overall, I love how Narciso Rodriguez’s For Him and For Her come together as a pair. I’d highly recommend them, whether you are after one, or both of them. The lack of decorations on the bottle designs is what gives both of them their simple and sophisticated elegance, and focuses on what they are truly trying to capture: masculinity, and femininity.

♥ Joy

Anonymous asked: In regards to your JC litas what size do u wear ? And do you think that 1/2 a size makes a huge difference with these shoes? Some people have said that the size 7.5 fits more towards a size 8?

I wear size 5 Jeffrey Campbell Lita’s :) Because mine is the smallest already, and that was the only pair I’ve ever tried on and purchased, I’m not sure if 1/2 a size will make a difference, I’m sorry!

Anonymous asked: considering NZ's body shop doesnt have a proper website i thought i'd ask you if you guys stock the satsuma range?

Yes, we do! We stock everything in the Satsuma range, including body butter, body polish, beautifying oil, body mist and eau de toilette :)

Anonymous asked: What background / tools do you use for your photos?

I try to find a white background wherever I am and take them in good natural lighting. I like my photos to look simple and clean :) My photos have been taken from a combination of my Samsung ST600 DualView camera, Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, and most recently Canon 600D. As for editing, I am clueless about it even though I own Lightroom, so resort to basic brightening and contrast for a cleaner look.

URBAN DECAY NAKED 2 PALETTE REVIEW

Hi everyone,

Today I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the much loved, much hyped about Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette!

Urban Decay is not widely available in New Zealand, if available at all. I purchased my palette, along with the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, from Beauty Bay (www.beautybay.com).

Product description:

Urban Decay Naked Palette 2 is a stunning collection of taupe and beige eye shadows plus a few bonus extras!

The long-awaited sequel to the renowned Naked Palette (The best-selling palette of all time!); Naked Palette 2 reveals the expansiveness of the Neutral shade realm. More beige in overall tone than the first Naked Palette this collection still delivers subtle neutral looks, smokey dramatic eyes and everything in between.

Featuring 12 neutral shadows (5 Brand NEW!) in Urban Decay’s NEW formula with an ultra-cushiony texture and even bigger colour pay-out, Naked Palette 2 also comes with a travel sized Lip Junkie Lip Gloss and a double ended, cruelty free Good Karma shadow and crease brush – exclusive to this palette.

Packaged in an art school inspired tin with hinged lid, the Naked Palette 2 is definitely a beauty experience you don’t want to miss out on!

Palette Contains:

• Blackout - Blackest black with matte finish.
• Booty Call - Shimmering cork.
• Busted - Deep brown shimmer.
• Chopper - Copper shimmer with silver micro glitter.
• Foxy - Cream bisque with matte finish.
• Half Baked - Golden bronze shimmer.
• Pistol - Light grey/brown shimmer.
• Snakebite - Dark metallic bronze shimmer.
• Suspect - Pale golden beige shimmer.
• Tease - Creamy pale brown with a matte finish.
• Verve - Oyster shimmer.
• YDK - Cool bronze metallic shimmer.
• Travel sized Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Naked - Sheer neutral pink shimmer.
• Good Karma Shadow/Crease brush - exclusive to Naked Palette 2.

As you can see, the Naked 2 is a beautiful palette of eyeshadow colours - and, though several colours look almost identical, I was surprised to see how different they were once swatched!

I swatched each of them on my eyelids, and was incredibly pleased to discover that many of the eyeshadows are strongly pigmented, soft, and easy to blend. I did, however, find some easier to use than others. All of them are well pigmented with strong opacity, except I did not find Foxy to be very opaque at all. After layering it several times, it is still quite faint. Half Baked was one of my favourites - it’s very soft to the touch and has a gorgeous golden shimmer!

I personally find that Tease is a little dull, but nonetheless I can see it being a very versatile colour for many different looks. I found that with Verve, a little goes a long way and that you do not need a lot at all to spread the bright shimmery colour. I absolutely love Busted, in terms of colour, its subtle shimmer, and softness, and also like Blackout, though I think that a little more care is needed blending out such a strong colour.

Here are the swatches below!

Half Baked, Foxy

Chopper, Booty Call

Snakebite, Tease

Pistol, Suspect

YDK, Verve

Blackout, Busted

Altogether, I love the variety and versatility of the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - the colours are perfect for casual or special events; natural or dramatic looks. As you can see, though the colours appear similar at first glance, they are all very different once worn.

Pros:

• Palette is packaged both beautifully and practically, in a tin that is sturdy, portable, and generously sized. It’s about 19.5cm long, 6cm wide and 1.6cm thick. It includes a mirror and double-ended brush.
  
  
• The 12 eyeshadow colours are gorgeous, versatile, and a good mix of light to dark, matte and shimmer. My favourites are Half Baked, Snakebite, Pistol, and Busted!
  
  
• Most of the eyeshadow colours are very well pigmented and very soft, too! It lives up to its claim of “ultra-cushiony texture”.

Cons:

• I feel like the brush could be softer on both sides - even though it’s definitely well designed, it feels a little stiff for blending compared to brushes such as the MAC #217 and Sigma E25 Blending Brush.
  
  
• I personally think Foxy and Tease could be more pigmented and opaque.

Although I haven’t tested the eyeshadows out in terms of how long-lasting they are, I will be doing so when I review the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion which I purchased along with this palette.

Being my first beauty online shopping purchase, I was happy with Beauty Bay’s website and service. They delivered the product to me within 10 working days from Australia, and the eyeshadow and primer potion were also packaged with care, reaching me in excellent condition. I would recommend both the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette and Beauty Bay for online shoppers!

I purchased the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette for $52.43 AUD from BeautyBay.com. (At the moment, that’s about $65.53 NZD!)

♥ Joy

JEFFREY CAMPBELL LITA

Hi everyone!

Being very petite, I have worn heels for as long as I can remember. My newest purchase, and hopefully a good investment at the price that it is, is my pair of Jeffrey Campbell Lita’s.

They feature a 12cm heel and covered platform at 5cm, and because I wear heels very regularly, I personally don’t find them difficult to wear at all. In fact, what stood out to me about these heels is that they are extremely comfortable - the most comfortable pair of heels you’ll ever wear!

I have always worn a pair of black, lace-up ankle boot heels similar to this pair at work. Since wearing my Jeffrey Campbells (my job requires me to wear black from head to toe), I have found that my feet don’t hurt or feel sore as often. I wouldn’t say they completely eliminate any pain after standing and walking for 9 hours straight, but they definitely hurt less, and makes your feet feel comfortable for longer before feeling tired! The heel and platform are both very supportive, so I have found them easy to wear, comfortable, and worth the investment, given that they are stylish but also versatile enough to match with any outfit, on or off work.

To take care of them, Andrea Biani recommended a black polish, as the Jeffrey Campbell Lita’s are made of distressed leather. I found this at Mi Piaci, where I purchased a Renovating Polish that “softens, protects and restores colour to scuffed leather” for $13, and a Polishing Cloth for $6.

At $230 from Andrea Biani, I would consider these shoes to be an investment that will hopefully last me a couple of years. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a pair of heels that is not only stylish and versatile, but comfortable and a breeze to wear. For me, I am most grateful that it has helped lift my petite 149cm figure.

♥ Joy

THE BODY SHOP VITAMIN C DAILY MOISTURISER SPF 30 AND LANCOME GENIFIQUE SOLEIL: MY CURRENT FAVOURITE SUNSCREENS!

Hi everyone!

Even though it is no longer summer in New Zealand, our autumn is still thankfully very sunny and warm! Sunscreen is essential all year around, even when it is cloudy, to protect skin from sun damage and premature ageing. As such, it’s a must-have that I always remember to apply when I am heading out - usually after my normal moisturiser, and before makeup. When purchasing day creams and foundations, I always prefer one with SPF for peace of mind.

Most foundations and many basic SPF moisturisers contain SPF 15; however I feel safer with at least SPF 30 but don’t mind wearing SPF 15 on days when I am not going to be in the sun for very long. The approximate amount of protection is as follows (source): SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays, and SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays.

Today, I’m sharing with you my two current favourite SPF moisturisers: The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF 30, and the Lancome Genifique Soleil SPF 50!

I have been using The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF 30 for more than 2 months now, and it has become one of my staple everyday beauty products. Why I was especially drawn to this SPF moisturiser compared to the other Body Shop moisturisers is because of its scent. (Though they have their own great benefits too - Vitamin E hydrates and nourishes dry skin, Seaweed balances combination/oily skin, Pomegranate firms and protects skin from the first signs of ageing, and Moisture White evens out skin tone and hyperpigmentation!) This SPF moisturiser does not have the typical sunscreen scent at all; instead, it has a refreshing, energising and uplifting citrus scent!

This citrus scent is one of my favourite things about the moisturiser as it is the perfect scent first thing in the morning, when getting ready and going out. Usually when I apply this, I have just woken up and am about to apply my makeup for work or otherwise, and it is a lovely fragrance to smell early in the morning as opposed to the typical scent of other sunscreens.

The texture and consistency is also wonderful - the cream has a thick, smooth and ‘bouncy’ consistency, which makes it easy to blend in. Once blended, it feels incredibly comfortable on the skin and does not feel greasy like many other sunscreens can.

The benefits of this SPF moisturiser is that not only does it provide a high amount of UVA and UVB sun protection at SPF 30, it also brightens skin - something that vitamin C is known to do. Containing Community Trade sesame seed oil and Amazonian camu camu berry (which is a food with the highest vitamin C concentration in the world!), it’s also good for your skin, keeping it healthy inside and out!

The Lancome Genifique Soleil is a newer purchase. I chose the Genifique Soleil with SPF 50 because it just so happens that the SPF 30 and SPF 50 were the same price - so why not?

The Genifique Soleil claims to help protect against UV rays and their effect on skin’s youthful appearance, with a UVA and UVB filter system and anti-oxidant complex. It claims to create skin that is “supple and velvety to the touch, smooth and fine in texture”, “magnificently radiant and even, as if lit from within.” It is also water-resistant.

What I like about this sunscreen is that its texture and consistency is not overly thick and greasy - just like The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser. It is easy and smooth to blend out, unlike many other sunscreens, and feels great on the skin. I would describe it as feeling like more of a lotion than a cream.

Scent-wise, it does have a hint of the typical sunscreen scent I mentioned before - the kind that you would recognise even if you didn’t initially know this was an SPF moisturiser. However, this hint of sunscreen scent is not overpowering so does not bother me much. It isn’t as strong as other sunscreens but smells more pleasant in comparison.

The difference that I can see in these two SPF moisturisers:

• The Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF 30 is, like the whole Vitamin C range at The Body Shop, focused on brightening skin and having an energising and uplifting effect (the Energizing Face Spritz feels amazing!). They have definitely succeeded, with both the scent and texture making the cream a pleasure to apply on your skin. The vitamin C rich camu camu berry and Community Trade sesame seed oil make it nourishing on the skin, and in addition the ingredients are natural, ethically sourced, and the packaging reduced to a minimum without needing a box. It can be used alongside an regular skincare routine and particularly help bring life to dull skin.
  
  
• The Lancome Genifique Soleil is, like the whole Genifique range from Lancome, focused more on anti-ageing - though I think that this SPF moisturiser is based more on protecting the skin from aging caused by the sun, rather than helping to firm skin or reverse signs of aging that already exist. I like that it contains an anti-oxidant complex (though they could be more in depth with this description; I can only recognise vitamin E, a form of vitamin C mixed with glucose, and soybean oil in the ingredients) and is water-resistant. The texture feels lovely and the sunscreen scent is kept to a minimum - overall, it is a pleasure to use.

Small differences to take into account may be that the Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser is in a tube, and the Genifique Soleil has a pump - and both of them are 30ml. The Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF 30 is a reasonable price at $42, while the Genifique Soleil is $56 for both SPF 30 and SPF 50. The Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser has the benefit of more natural ingredients and a focus on brightening, while the Genifique Soleil is slightly thinner in texture and is water-resistant. I would also describe the Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser as a cream and the Genifique Soleil as a lotion. So ultimately, it is up to personal preference. I would recommend both of them as great everyday SPF moisturisers!

♥ Joy

Anonymous asked: Hi there wow i love how interesting you blogs are. I am currently studying at sra and this is our 5th week we just did our mse for natural makeup. I sadly did not pass this as my eyeliner wasnt blended in enough. I just wanted to ask, because i am so confused with why i wont be able to set my sum due to not passing my mse. Is this right? Is this how they did it when you were there. I thought that you had a practice run first then the mse practice then the real thing. Cheers

Hi there! Yes, it was the same when I was there. You have your first practice, then pass your MSE, then once you’ve done a good job at your MSE you can sit your SUM. Natural makeup is easy compared to the upcoming period looks so should be no problem for you! Good luck! :)

CHANEL HYDRA BEAUTY CREME REVIEW

Hi everyone!

Recently, I have discovered a new favourite moisturising cream - the Chanel Hydra Beauty Creme. I came about this cream a while after I returned from a recent visit to Wellington, and because Wellington is the windy capital of New Zealand, I felt that my skin felt drier and more dehydrated than usual. I was browsing the Chanel skincare and purchased the Beaute Initiale Energizing Multi-Protection Eye Gel (which I will be reviewing also!) then simply decided to give the Hydra Beauty Creme a try.

The cream is presented in a 50g tub; it looks classic and simple and I personally love the light blue colour (unfortunately it looks a bit grey in the photos). Under the black lid engraved with the Chanel logo is a seal, then a separate plastic lid inside to protect the cream from drying out.

The Hydra Beauty skincare range by Chanel is designed to provide “Hydration, protection, radiance”. It claims to provide for the hydration needs of all women, regardless of age. The product description of the Hydra Beauty Creme:

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 of ultimate hydration and protection is created. The Crème, with added shea butter and canola oil derivatives, will quench the driest, thirstiest skin. Ideal for normal-to-dry skin.

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

As hoped, the Hydra Beauty Creme has definitely helped to quench my skin’s thirst and provide ample hydration for my dehydrated skin! The texture of the cream is wonderful - it is rich and moisturising, yet gentle, soft, and lightweight. It blends and absorbs with ease and doesn’t leave skin feeling heavy or greasy. For its price, I am also happy that a little goes a long way. I have used it for a week or so, and it looks almost as full as when it was first opened - the amount on the inner lid has been more than enough. Please note that I mainly use this as a day cream; at night I prefer a cream with additional firming benefits.

What stands out about this cream is that I feel that everytime I apply this cream, it noticeably smooths my skin’s texture. Recently I have been using this cream a lot before makeup application, and I find that it looks and feels beautiful under makeup! On days when I use the Hydra Beauty Creme as a primer, I feel that it improves the overall look of my foundation, helping to give a smooth, even and radiant complexion.

Pros:

• Lovely texture - rich, moisturising, soft, gentle, and lightweight.
  
  
• Has a very beautiful, luxurious fragrance - to me, it smells modern, fresh, and floral.
  
  
• Feels incredibly comfortable, soothing, and moisturising on the skin - definitely provides hydration as it claims!
  
  
• Makes for great makeup application. I would recommend it prior to applying foundation, especially if the foundation has an SPF as the cream doesn’t.

Cons:

• The price is expensive - even though it is definitely one of the best moisturising creams I have ever tried, it could still be more affordable.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Chanel Hydra Beauty Creme for those whose skin has also been feeling dry, dehydrated and in need of extra moisture. This cream is recommended for normal to dry skin; others could also try the Hydra Beauty Gel Creme, which is for normal skin. For extra protection, the range also includes a Hydra Beauty Serum.

I purchased the Chanel Hydra Beauty Creme from Chanel, Farmers Botany for $134.

♥ Joy

MAC CREMEBLEND BLUSH & MAC #130 BRUSH REVIEW

Hi everyone!

Amongst my favourite blushes are NARS Super Orgasm, NARS Deep Throat, and Maybelline Fit Me Medium Pink (which I consider to be a dupe for the much pricier NARS Deep Throat). Recently, I added a new one to my blush collection: the MAC Cremeblend Blush in So Sweet, So Easy.

MAC describes their Cremeblend blushes as:

A blush that manages to make a simple blush state-of-the-art. Creamy, easy to blend medium coverage formula imparts a natural finish that’s smooth, dewy-fresh, long-lasting.

So Sweet, So Easy is described as a “bright yellow pink” by MAC. It is certainly a beautiful, bright, lively pink colour! If any of you own the MAC Sheertone Blush in Pink Swoon, you’ll find that the colour is somewhat similar. I personally find So Sweet, So Easy slightly more of a yellow-toned pink than Pink Swoon, but you can definitely see the difference in texture - one being a powder and one being a cream, So Sweet, So Easy looks more pigmented and dewy in finish.

Having combination-dry skin, specifically drier skin on the cheeks, I chose the MAC Cremeblend blush as a cream blush formula would suit my skin type more, because powder can sometimes accentuate dryness. The texture of the Cremeblend blush is perfect - it’s smooth, thick, and but with just the right amount of creaminess to apply easily.

I like that So Sweet, So Easy has just the right amount of pigmentation that is buildable depending on how much colour intensity you want. With this cream blush, you can create cheeks that are either very subtle and natural, or with a bright pop of colour. The blush continues to apply wonderfully even after several applications

Some of you may wonder if you apply cream blush or powder first - that is, foundation, powder, then cream blush, or foundation, cream blush, then powder? I myself prefer to apply powder, then cream blush, as I prefer the naturally dewy finish it gives. I am quite happy with a soft, matte complexion, with the cream blush, as it is, on my cheeks. I love how it adds life and youthfulness to my whole look, and that the colour makes me feel more lively! It is also very long-lasting and stays on for hours.

Pros:

• So Sweet, So Easy is a beautiful, sweet and youthful pink colour :)
  
• Cream formula is pleasant to work with, with a smooth texture that you can use well with your fingers or a brush.
  
• Good pigmentation; not extremely strong pigmentation but the right amount to add a subtle and natural rosiness to cheeks or a bright pop of colour, depending on how you would like to build it!
  
• Naturally dewy finish - something that powder blushes don’t do.
  
• Long-lasting
  
• A little goes a long way - I have worn this many times and it still looks like I have hardly used any. As such it is good value for your money :)
  
• Would suit those with normal to dry skin types! After using this blush, I feel that it makes my cheeks look and feel more moisturised compared to using powder blush.
  

Cons:

• The MAC Cremeblend Blush range could expand their shades to more than six shades, including more pink shades - many of them are very nude, so So Sweet, So Easy was the only shade I liked.
  
• Because of the cream formula, if there is dust on your brush, it can stick to the blush easily and be difficult to remove. You have to make an effort to keep it clean :)
  
• Oilier skin types may opt for a powder blush over a cream blush, as the dewy formula could accentuate oiliness.
  

Wearing: MAC Cremeblend Blush in So Sweet, So Easy, Clinique Repairwear Laserfocus All-Smooth Makeup, Lancome Teint Miracle Pressed Powder, Lancome Le Crayon Kohl Noir, MAC Lustre Lipstick in Lovelorn, and Luminous Change LE-B Crystal Eye false lashes (purchased from Ippondo).

With this blush, I use the MAC #130 Short Duo Fibre Brush.

(Apologies, the number has faded a bit on my brush.)

It is described by MAC as:

A short, round, flat-topped brush ideal for the smooth, easy application of foundations, creams, emulsions, and select powder products. Features a blend of natural bristles and synthetic fibres.

I have not used this brush for much as I feel that it’s not large enough for foundation, and I don’t often wear concealer. However, for cream blush, I couldn’t imagine a better brush to use - it’s the right size, and the right texture and is just the right balance between dense and soft. For a smaller area such as the cheeks, I find that it applies product very well, is gentle and blends smoothly and evenly. I like that it gives you good control over the area you would like to apply the blush, whether you want to apply it to a smaller or larger area of the cheeks.

Overall, I would highly recommend the #130 Short Duo Fibre Brush for use with cream blush. It would also be great for other cream formula products, such as highlighter and concealer. In the three weeks or so that I have used this brush on a daily basis, it has not shed at all!

I purchased the MAC Cremeblend Blush in Too Sweet, Too Easy from MAC, Botany for $33.60 (without MAC Pro discount, it is $48 at retail price), and the MAC #130 Short Duo Fibre Brush from the MAC counter at Smith & Caughey’s, Queen St last year for $90.

♥ Joy

LIOELE WATER DROP BB CREAM REVIEW

Hi everyone!

Recently, I made some purchases from Pretty & Cute for the first time. They are a “Korean and Japanese Beauty Boutique”, but have a physical store in the United States.

What I find very impressive is their extremely glamorous website design and wide range of products. They have so many brands and types of BB creams to choose from, it was hard to know which one to buy!

In the end, I chose the Lioele Water Drop BB Cream and Skin79 Super Plus Beblesh Balm. My first choice was because I am not a fan of any makeup products that contain whitening properties, which is a disadvantage for me when shopping with Asian cosmetics as many of them do claim to whiten. Lioele Water Drop BB Cream is one of the few on Pretty & Cute that doesn’t have “whitening” as one of its claims.

The Skin79 Super Plus Beblesh Balm does contain whitening properties, but because it has been received with so much praise and hype, I wanted to try it out for myself. I also read from reviews that it is a BB cream that, compared to other Asian BB creams, isn’t too light - perfect for me, as this is one of my biggest concerns with Asian BB creams!

Today, I’ll be reviewing the Lioele Water Drop BB Cream and reviewing the Skin79 Super Plus Beblesh Balm in a separate review :)

Product description:

Lioele Water Drop BB Cream SPF27PA++ releases moisture drops to provide ample hydration and enhances skin’s natural radiant grlow while covering blemishes for a clean, natural finish. Water Capture System that uses highly absorbing Plant Extracts, Trehalose, and Oligo HA helps maintain healthy moisture levels to leave a dewy, flawless look without glossiness.

I think that by “glossiness”, in the last line, they mean “shine” - that the BB cream will give a dewy, flawless look without a lot of shine.

The Lioele Water Drop BB Cream comes in a cute, travel-friendly tube with a fresh blue colour that matches its name perfectly. The design is simple but informative, with its name, SPF and product description. It features a twist-off silver cap. What I like about this type of design is that you never have to turn it upside down to get the last bit of product out!

As with most Asian BB creams, the Lioele Water Drop comes in only shade. I find that this shade is very light compared to my own skin tone, but as it blends and oxidizes, it becomes a shade that looks natural on my skin. Once it is fully applied and blended, the shade appears just like if I used a foundation one shade lighter (my guess is about NC20). In daylight, I am quite happy with its natural finish; however, at night time, it does appear white in flash photography as it contains SPF 27PA++.

For a BB cream named Water Drop, as expected, the texture is very fluid, light, and smooth - it’s not a thick, heavy or creamy BB cream. When rubbed on the back of my hand, I do notice that it foams up ever so slightly with water droplets! I think Lioele has done a good job of making the BB cream really feel close to water with such a lovely, light texture.

Just like its shade and texture, the coverage is also light. Even though the coverage is so light, I find that one application already evens out my skin tone well, making my freckles, dark circles, acne scars, redness and uneven skin tone look just a little more flawless. However, my ideal coverage is when I have applied about 4-5 layers of this BB cream. I would say that after 4-5 layers, it is comparable to a foundation with medium coverage. I like that this BB cream is so buildable and that it doesn’t cake as you continuously build the coverage and blend further - it maintains its natural and dewy finish.

I really like that this BB cream is one of the longest lasting I have used. Coverage wise, I do prefer the Za BB Cream, which reaches the amount of coverage I like in about 2 applications rather than 4-5; however, the Lioele Water Drop lasts well for a BB cream. I noticed after wearing it for 2 hours that my skin still looked fresh and radiant, and skin tone evened out; however, I did notice that the coverage had faded a little. I found that powder (I am using the Lancome Teint Miracle Pressed Powder) helps it to last longer and prevent it from fading.

Overall, I am happy with my purchase and would recommend the Lioele Water Drop BB Cream to others! It is a BB cream that I wear on casual days when I am going out and want to look polished and awake, yet don’t want to wear a full face of makeup.

Pros:

• Cute, light blue and silver packaging that is travel-friendly (not fragile) too!
  
  
• Has SPF 27 PA++. (SPF15 blocks about 92% of UVB rays and SPF 30 blocks about 97%.)
  
  
• Has a pleasant, light, smooth texture
  
  
• Fresh, natural, and luminous finish without appearing overly shiny or matte.

• Would suit all skin types, especially because it wouldn’t dry out drier skin types yet wouldn’t cause oily skin types to produce more oil. I wouldn’t describe it as feeling particularly moisturising, but I wouldn’t describe it as mattifying either.
  
  
• Has buildable coverage that won’t cake and still maintains its natural and flawless finish.
  
  
• Long-lasting, even more so with powder :)
  
  
• Contains good skincare ingredients, such as Sodium Hyaluronate and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid (I am not too knowledgeable about science, but I know that these help to maintain the collagen and elastin in your skin); Trehalose, a sugar with high water retention properties; Witch Hazel, which helps to clear ski of blemishes; papaya fruit extract; and Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice.

• Inexpensive, at $22.80 USD!

Cons:

• Is only available in one shade so would only be suitable for light to light medium skin tones.
  
  
• Has light coverage, so is a bit too sheer to cover major blemishes, scars or uneven skin tone.
  
  
• In my opinion, does not photograph well with flash photography because of its SPF.

I purchased the Lioele Water Drop BB Cream from Pretty & Cute (prettyandcute.com) for $22.80 USD. It took 8 days to arrive from the USA to NZ :)

♥ Joy

CERISE MAKEUP & LASH BAR REVIEW #2: EYELASH EXTENSION INFILLS

Hi everyone!

It’s been two weeks since I had my eyelash extensions beautifully done by Cerise Makeup & Lash Bar, and today, I returned for infills.

Infills are recommended every 2-3 weeks to maintain the fullness of your lashes, and I was beginning to feel like mine needed some maintenance. Over the past two weeks, I can’t be sure how many lashes have naturally fallen out, but I had seen about 6 fall out. At times, the lashes clumped a little, which was easily fixed by brushing them through with the mascara wand given to me. However, one or two lashes began sticking in different directions, and this was harder to fix.

Avoiding water, oil and extreme heat from getting into contact with the lashes was easy to get used to, and so was not sleeping on my side; the only thing I still need getting used to probably applying and removing eye makeup around my lashes without touching them too much! For removing eye makeup, I repurchased a fantastic oil-free eye makeup remover I have previously reviewed, the Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Make-up Remover, which as it claims is effective and gentle. This is just in case my eye makeup remover comes into contact with my lashes; hopefully it doesn’t but I purchased an oil-free formula just in case.

There are three choices of infills to choose from: Basic, Standard, and Full. Because I desired more volume, I chose the Full infill, which is up to 50 lashes per eye, done by a Master Stylist.

This time, my stylist was Ui, from Cerise in Albany. Doesn’t the decor look gorgeous?

For the infills, Ui first evaluated the current lashes that I still had. She said that she thought a few of them that had been placed on me before were too long and heavy, and removed about 10-15 lashes. She then replaced and added to these lashes with 50 lashes.

After the 1 hour appointment, during most of which I fell asleep, I asked Ui how many lashes I now had, and she said 75. That is 15 more lashes per eye than I originally had from my first appointment.

I definitely see an improvement in the fullness and evenness of my lashes - I am not sure how I caused so many lashes from the inner corner of my right eye to fall out, but I am happy that they have been replaced and that the lashes on both eyes are looking full again!

This is what my eyes look like, with no eye make-up and only BB cream and lipbalm on the rest of my face :) Overall, I am happy with the quality of all aspects of the lash infills: the length, curl, volume and definition!

I chose the Full Infill done by a Master Stylist, which cost $120 ($95 with the $25 voucher given to me by Helen from Cerise Grey Lynn!). Cerise Albany is at 83 Apollo Drive, Albany.

♥ Joy

ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR LIGHT STAY-IN-PLACE MAKEUP REVIEW

Hi everyone!

As I mentioned in my last review of the Lancome Teint Miracle Pressed Powder, though I have tried many foundations, I have never found one that I feel lasts an extremely long time and maintains its perfect finish without powder. I had heard of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup several times and its praises of being extremely longwearing - but somehow, I always had an impression (whether it is true or not) that it would have a high amount of preservatives in its ingredients and as such, look and feel artificial and heavy.

Which is why, I was thrilled to discover that the foundation is also available in a Light version - the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light!

I felt that this was a great opportunity for me to test the many great claims I have heard about the Estee Lauder Double Wear in a version that is not so intense, but nonetheless, sounded amazing from its product description and reviews I had read about it.

The Double Wear Light Stay-In-Place Makeup product description:

For All Skin Types.

15 hour wear. Lightweight, comfortable makeup controls oil and stays vibrant and fresh throughout your active day. Won’t clog pores. Transfer-resistant, won’t “melt” off through heat and humidity. Sheer-to-medium coverage. Natural finish. Oil-free. Fragrance-free. Non-acnegenic. Dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested.

The foundation comes in a classic, elegant and timeless looking packaging; the foundation itself is a light, creamy beige 30 ml tube with a twist-off gold and dark blue cap and the box is a glossy dark blue with metallic gold text. In terms of design, I like almost all foundation bottle or tube designs, and there are good and bad about each. I like that with this foundation, the tube makes it very lightweight and travel-friendly with no worries as to accidental breakage etc. The colour scheme of Estee Lauder is a bit mature-looking for a 21 year old, but apart from that, I personally think the design looks simple yet effortlessly glamorous.

From Intensity 1.0 to Intensity 6.0, the foundation is available in six shades. While this isn’t a lot, in my opinion, the shades have been designed very well, with various skin tones ranging from light to dark. Surprisingly, while I am usually in the middle in terms of foundation shades or slightly warmer, for the Double Wear Light, I found myself liking Intensity 1.0 the most - perhaps because in this range, there are considerably darker shades starting from Intensity 4.0.

I initially preferred Intensity 2.0, which is just slightly warmer than my skin tone, as I always prefer, but found that it was slightly too yellow-toned for my preference. In comparison, Intensity 1.0 is quite bright and slightly lighter than my own skin tone. When given the choice, I chose the brighter shade, as I simply felt it was more natural.

The texture of the foundation is smooth in consistency as it should be. I wouldn’t describe it as being either particularly thick, or particularly runny - it’s just right in thickness, and is easily blendable and buildable. I do notice that it tends to dry quickly, it is a good idea to apply it one area at a time.

The coverage is excellent. One layer evens out the skin tone and provides natural coverage that’s comparable to a BB cream, while two to three provide full coverage.

I liked the shade, consistency and coverage of the foundation so far - however, personally, I didn’t feel that it wore very well on all areas of my skin. It claims that it is for “all skin types”, so I would expect it to wear well on my combination-dry skin. However, it varied quite a bit depending on which area of my face it was applied to. On my most normal areas, it looked natural, perfect, and flawless, while on my driest areas, it caked and appeared powdery. There was little I could do to prevent this from happening - I found that extra moisturiser and primer did minimise this powdery appearance, but it didn’t eliminate it altogether. As for my oily areas, it did a good job of mattifying the appearance of oiliness and shine.

As I experience dryness often on certain areas of my face, the Double Wear Light isn’t the best choice for my skin type - even though I am combination-dry so do have some oily areas, I find that a moisturising foundation is always a safe option for me, as I can always mattify oily areas with powder, but have lasting hydration for my dry areas.

I mentioned that this foundation appeared natural, perfect and flawless on my normal areas (the half of my cheeks closer to my jaw - they are well balanced and neither oily or dry). I liked how the foundation looked on these areas the most, but still wore it on my entire face throughout the day to test its longevity. I didn’t wear it for 15 hours, but I wore it for 10 hours and it lasted extremely well! So true to its product claims, it’s incredibly long-lasting. Other claims I agree with are that it controls oil well and is transfer-resistant, not melting off through heat and humidity. I am not able to test the claim of “non-acnegenic” too well because I am not prone to acne to begin with, but I would agree with it as it caused my skin no sensitivity at all and was overall comfortable to wear.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light for those with normal, combination-oily to oily skin types. I like all the aspects of this foundation - design, shade, texture, coverage and longevity - except for the one fact that I disagree with its claim that it’s suitable for all skin types. I think that dry skin types would find this foundation much too mattifying because it accentuates dry areas. However, I could see someone who has oily skin in particular loving this foundation for its excellent mattifying ability.

Pros:

• Great range of shades for different skin tones
• Smooth and blendable texture and consistency, even if it is a bit quick to dry
• Excellent coverage - it claims to be sheer to medium coverage but I would describe it as being from sheer to full
• Mattifies oily areas well, and doesn’t require use of powder on top
• Extremely long-lasting!

Cons:

• Cakes on dry areas
• Contains SPF 10, which could be higher as normally, it is recommended to wear at least SPF 15 daily. But because of its lower SPF and long-lasting ability, I feel this foundation would be the perfect night-time foundation, especially for flash photography.

No makeup / with Estee Lauder Double Wear Light



I purchased the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light from Estee Lauder, Farmers Botany for $80.

♥ Joy

MY BODY SHOP PRODUCTS

Hi everyone!

Above are The Body Shop products that I own. They are my personal favourites or ones that I wanted to try out. As I have so many, I posted this to let you know that requests for reviews are welcome!

Tea Tree Pore Minimiser $32.00

Seaweed Clarifying Night Treatment $33.50

Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash $22.50

Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator $25.50

Macadamia Straightening Balm $26.75

Moisturise It Skin Primer $30.75

Natrulift Firming Serum (discontinued - going to be relaunched as “pomegranate” range) $56.00

Mango Whip Body Lotion $24.50

Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF 30 $42.00

Chocomania Body Scrub $34.75

Mango Body Scrub $34.75

Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask $34.50

Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream $33.50

Items I left out (whoops!):

Extra Virgin Minerals Liquid Foundation $46

Vitamin E Eye Cream $28.75 (reviewed)

Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream $28.50

♥ Joy