Skin 79 BB Cream

Hi Ladies!

I am sure most of you have heard about BB Cream and probably some of you have been using it for a while now. Since many people were raving about it I had to get one for myself. I was ecstatic about the 3 in 1 function coz I have been looking for a higher SPF since I have moved back to this hot sunny country. I have been using it for at least a week now and these are my thoughts.

Advantages:

• It gives a natural finish like tinted moisturiser 
• My skin looks healthier, smoother and glowy
• It evens out my skin tone
• It acts as a good moisturiser/primer before applying foundation
• Doesn't break me out
• It has a good amount of sunscreen as I really need it here
• One tiny pump goes a long way
• Inexpensive and it will last me for a while

Drawbacks:

• This cream makes my skin look more dewy than my Bobbi Brown foundation
• The texture is a little bit thick and can be sticky on the face
• Sheer coverage and wont hide any scars/marks. So I would set it with my Urban Decay mineral foundation to get a nice coverage. 
• They only do 1 colour so applying more than a pump will make me look white.
• It makes me look grey/ashy when I fist applied it onto my skin but it oxides after 5-10 minutes 

Wearing just BB Cream

As I have only been using it for a week, I will have to wait a little bit longer to see the differences (if any) on my wrinkles. For those who are looking for a medium coverage, this BB cream will not give you that effect. You definitely need to set it with a mineral foundation or apply some concealer to cover any blemishes. Nevertheless I do think it is a good alternative to moisturisers and primers. I will still be using this under my Urban Decay foundation.

What do you think of the BB cream? Do you prefer the Gold one or this one? Have a nice weekend everyone! x

Elf Nail Polish

About a month ago, I bought a few stuff from ELF with the 50% off voucher. I bought some brushes, nail polish and make up.

Now where do I start?

Nail polish!

I never bought any nail polish from elf before but because they are so cheap I grabbed almost all the colours that I saw on their website. So what do I think of them? The colours on the website are not very accurate. Starting off with the Red Velvet.

Colour: Red Velvet

As you can see from the first picture (taken from their website), the colour is dark red/maroon with shimmer whilst mine in the second picture was just like a standard red with no shimmer at all. I did wonder if they have sent me the wrong colour but I read the label so many times and it has red velvet printed on the sticker underneath the bottle. So upset! 

Quality wise:

Poor. 

• They all peel rather than chip (is that normal?)
• They last couple of days only
• They are mostly sheer
• Not very nice finish. Like semi-matte or rubbery
• The darker ones are quite pigmented but you still need 2-3 coats to get a non-streaky finish
• Some of my bottles are weird. The bottle and cap do not align when I close it tightly (again, is that normal?)
• They stain without a base coat

Colour: Passion Pink

 Colour: Passion Pink

1 coat

Colour: Passion Pink

2 coats

The cap does not align with the bottles

I am aware that these nail polish are just under £2 so I don't expect much. I can still tolerate their poor quality (you get what you pay for) however as a customer, I felt that I was misled by their not so accurate colours presented to me on their website. Will I repurchase their nail polish again? Hmm.. maybe not:( 

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation

A few months ago, I had been on a hunt for a great foundation.. and I found this.

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation

First off, I have oily skin which was prone to break outs. I have medium skin tone with yellow undertone. As I used to suffer from horrible acne I am still battling the post-acne scarring. The brown marks are slowly fading but some are quite stubborn and are obvious from a distance. When I did my research to find the right foundation, I typed in:

• Oily skin
• Acne - prone
• Great coverage

There were a few options for me such as:

• Clinique Clarifying Make up
• Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation
• Bare Minerals Foundation 
• Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting
• Estee Lauder Double Wear - I used to wear this foundation but I don't love it. 

So, I went to Selfridges to get matched for my colour and went straight to Bobbi Brown as it was the first one that I saw upon entering the mall. The lady tried three different shades on me and we agreed that Natural Tan was the closest to my skin tone.  Initially she applied one coat to my skin which gives a natural finish but built it up to cover up my blemished skin. It was a miracle! The scars that you can see from a distance was no longer there, well at least for temporary and I don't look cakey at all! I was totally sold and fell in love with it! I have completely forgotten about the other foundations and left the mall with a cute little yellow selfridges bag with my precious Bobbi Brown foundation in it.

I have used this foundation for sometimes now and this is what I think about it:

Pros:

• Gives me light coverage and can be buildable to medium/full coverage that gives a flawless finish
• Covers my scars without looking cakey
• Matched my skin tone - thanks to the great range of colours they have!
• Doesn't break me out at all!!
• Very easy and smooth to apply
• Does not oxidise 
• It has SPF

Cons:

• A bit dewy and oily at the end of the day

Fresh Face upon using the foundation

5 hours after

Overall, I think this foundation would be suitable for any occasions, day or night. I would use it daily for work as well. One pump is enough to give you a very light fresh looking face. Should you need more coverage, you can always put more and build it up. 

Thanks for taking your time to read this post. Have a great day! x

Gossip Girl here...

.. Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite...

Yes! Gossip Girl is back!!! I was so excited to see what this new season will bring us and of course, their whole new wardrobe!

While I am personally team Blair, Serena was far more attractive than Blair in this new season. I am not keen of Blair's hair style nor was I dazzled with her outfit so far.

What she was wearing:

Stella McCartney Spring 2011 Floral Skirt

Brian Atwood 'Maniac' Pumps

Riki Rosetta 'Bella' Tote

Harry Winston Yellow Diamond Ring

What She was wearing:

Moschino Cheap & Chic Jewel Print Dress

I can't believe that I am saying this - I am team Serena! :) Serena's fashion sense in this season really caught my eye! 

What She was wearing:

Shipley & Halmos Catalina Tank

Topshop Coral Crop Jacket

Porter Grey Floral Chiffon Skirt

Oscar de la Renta Cabochon Earrings

Oscar de la Renta Russin Gold Flower Ring

M.C.L by Matthew Campbell Laurenza Large Pave Flower Ring

Mulberry Taylor Oversized Satchel

Prada Suede Stitched Strappy Platform Sandals

What She was wearing:

Mike Gonzalez Pilar Wrap Dress

Noir Beaded Flower Necklace

Roger Vivier Spring 2011 Open-Toe Sandals

Louis Vuitton Vernis Alma Handbag

What do you lovely ladies think of the new season of Gossip Girl? Have a great day ahead and Thanks for reading! x

Urban Decay Surreal Skin Mineral Make up

This was my first purchase from Urban Decay which I got from Debenhams a month ago. The lady was very nice to me and found me the right colour that matches my skin tone - Supernova (and I am in natural tan in Bobbi Brown). I am Asian with yellow undertone skin. I also have oily skin with some post acne dark spots and scars.

Pros

• Glides on the skin easily
• Medium to Full coverage that you can build up
• Does not look cakey on skin
• Between matte and dewy finish (would probably suit oily skin better than dry skin)
• Does not break me out at all
• Evens out my skin tone (I have post acne dark spots and marks)

Cons

• The sponge/puff! It is so hard to get the product onto the sponge and it already looked gross after 2 uses. I use the kabuki brush from Body Shop (a review soon) to apply the foundation.
• It gets dewy as the day goes on. I have to give my face a little touch up sometimes.

For just £20 this foundation is not expensive at all. It will last for a long time as you just need a little bit of product to get a natural finish. Totally worth every penny!

YSL Singulier Mascara

Being Asian, I am not blessed with long and curly eyelashes. I don't only have thin lashes, they are straight and short too. I have always wanted long and voluminousness eyelashes that can make my eyes look more defined. I have been wearing Maybelline Great Lash Mascara and it was by far my favourite.. until I found YSL Singulieur!

When I first saw the wand, I was sceptical about it. The wand is quite big and it has a spiral brush. But do not judge a book by its cover! Upon applying the first coat, it already gave me the perfect amount of volume and length! I was definitely pleased with the result! However this mascara, like others still makes my eyelashes feel a little heavy :(

Overall, this mascara is nice to wear. It did not blow me away instantly but the result is pretty good compared to my other mascaras.  It makes my thin eyelashes look thick and full that also curls my stubborn straight eye lashes. I wore this for over 6hrs and it did not flake or smudge at all. The gold packaging is beautiful and definitely adds glamour to my collection.

Pros: 

Long and voluminous eyelashes

Does not smudge

Long lasting (at least for the 6hrs I had on)

Very black

Awesome packaging

Cons:

Pricey!

Eyelashes feel a little heavy

Thanks for reading lovely readers! 

I am back again.. !!

Some of you may know that I have moved back home (Brunei) for good, at least for now. You can read my post here. Since Brunei is hot, I always dress very lightly - tshirt and shorts with a pair of sandals but today I decided to dress up and wear the dress that I adore!

Dress: Dorothy Perkins

Belt: New Look

Shoes: New Look

Clutch: FCUK

Ring: Dorothy Perkins

Pearl Bracelet: Primark

I hope you like my outfit and feel free to suggest and comment on my post.  Have a great weekend lovely ladies! 

Real Technique Stippling Brush

I have been MIA for awhile now - not that it is unusual! Anyway, here is a short review of what I bought a few weeks ago!

***

If you are in England and like to watch make up tutorials on youtube, I am sure you are familiar with 2 beautiful sisters who have become one of the leading (and successful) make up artists on Youtube - the PIXIWOO! They started of just like other make up gurus - broadcasting themselves on youtube, doing make up tutorials and making reviews. A few years later they hit the website, provide make up classes in their own studio and now they even own a line of make up brushes!

A few months back, I was watching Sam's make up tutorial where she introduced her brushes - Real Technique they call it. You can watch the tutorial here. After watching her youtube video, I knew that I had to get the stippling brush - it costs around £10.99 only!! 

I have to say first, their delivery service was awesome - Very speedy and the brush was well packed in bubble wrap. Second, their stippling brush is just incredibly fantastic! It definitely gives a more natural look with High Definition results - just as it claims on the box. 

The brush is very soft and most importantly it doesn't shed. I use this brush to apply my liquid foundation and it works beautifully and blends easily without any streaks or lines. Although it is a stippling blush, I don't stipple it, I swirl it. I also use this brush to apply my blush and my cheeks never looked so radiant and natural!

The fact that you can stand it on your dressing table is great but it doesn't really intrigue me as I have a place to put all my brushes but the brush itself (the stem/handle) is of a very good quality! If you are looking for an inexpensive, good quality brush that gives a flawless high definition result, this is definitely for you. 

My favourite perfumes

As I am a big fan of perfume, I simply cannot decide which one is my favourite. So I am going to list down my top three favourite perfumes that I adore and wear the most. 

From the top and probably my most favourite one is.. 

Bvlgari Omine Crystalline

I wholeheartedly love Omnia Crystalline. If  I were to pick one amongst my favourite perfumes, it is certainly without doubt, Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline. It has the best of both worlds for me. When you first spray it onto your skin, it gives you clean and fresh scent. After a while, the smell develops into a slight floral and sexy sharp (a very slight hint of masculine) smell. In case you are confuse with how I have described it floral and yet masculine, this is what Omnia Crystalline is described as:

``a delicate fruity floral experience with notes of bamboo, Japanese pear, lotus flower and balsa wood.'' 

I wear it in the summer and winter mostly and I always get people telling me that I smell nice and what I am wearing. The lasting power is brilliant and I never used more than 3 sprays. 

Second on the list is..

D&G Rose The one

I remember smelling it the first time in Debenhams a year ago and I fell in love with it almost straight away. It actually took me by surprise I must say as I never liked rose scented perfumes. This one is totally different. It definitely has the rose scent but very subtle, sweet, fruity and fresh and when they are all mixed up it gives a delicious romantic scent. I don't normally wear this on a daily basis because it does smell expensive (you know what I mean) and would most suitable for dinners and big events. The lasting power is not as good as Bvlgari of course but it does last me for a couple of hours or so.

Last but not least, 

Chloe EDT

 (Sorry I had to grab this photo of the internet instead of using mine because of what had happened to it)

This perfume reminds me of Paris because it was actually love at first sight when I first saw this pefume in Sephora at Champs Elysees. I first fell in love with the bottle and when I sprayed it onto my hand, I was completely mesmerised by the sweet floral scent. When I first got it I wore it every single day to college until one day, I over-sprayed myself (because I just loved it too much) and that made me feel nauseous. I had to stop wearing it for a couple of months but my love for it never fade.

The only downside about this perfume is the quality of the packaging. I love the design and the glass bottle. It looks expensive (well, it is definitely not a cheap perfume), sophisticated and feminine. However, my bottle seems to have oxidised because the yellow/gold colour that wraps around the top of the bottle has now changed its colour. I thought it reacted with my febreze mist coz I accidentaly sprayed onto the bottle once but my sister said it is not because of that but the metal thing oxidises over time.

Sorry for the appalling quality of the photo as this was taken literally a second ago with my phone. But can you see that the top bit of the perfume has tarnished?

So there you go. My top three favourite perfumes that I adore. What is your favourite perfume?

Bow Wedge Pump Shoes

Other than diamonds and bags, shoes are definitely women's bestfriend! Sometimes I wonder how many pair of shoes are sold each year. Millions? Billions?

Choosing a pair of shoes for myself can be a nightmare. I have very small feet, 2.5 UK (Size 35 US) although some size 3 shoes can fit me just fine. I am also short - only 4'11 (very short, I know) so flats or the regular pumps are a big NO for me. Do you see how I have already short listed my options? 

Most of my shoes are high heels and wedges however I like and prefer wearing wedges because not only that they give me height they are definitely more comfortable than heels! I do not own and have never owned a pair of the regular flat pump shoes but whenever I see my sister wearing her flat pumps they looked so cute! So I thought it's about time that I get myself a pair of pumps. I did some research as to which pumps would suit me and I found this!

A very cute bow wedge pump shoes from La Redoute

What is great about these pump shoes? Well, they are wedge pumps! I figure that they will give me extra height, comfort and of course they are cute to wear. Love the little bow! hehe..

Now, what outfit should I wear with these pumps? 

Let's exfoliate our body!

Do you like to exfoliate your skin? Be it your face or your body? I think exfoliation is important in order to get a healthy looking, radiant and glowing skin. It also maximises moisturising effectiveness making our skin feel softer and younger.

I used to have acne prone skin and because of my skin condition, I must and could only exfoliate twice a week. Now that my skin is clear from blemishes (although I am left struggling with post-acne scars), I normally exfoliate my skin once a week or even twice a week if I am travelling. I will blog about my facial scrub next time. With my body, I exfoliate once a week focusing more on my upper arms, thighs, heels, elbows and bottom.

I have been using Clarins Smoothing Body Scrub all this while. It is gentle for my sensitive skin and rinses away easily without leaving a residue. I first got this body scrub as a gift from a friend about 3 years ago and I completely fell head over heels with the smell that I had to buy a bigger one myself. I also like the fact that it has micro beads and not granules as I found that granules are quite abrasive. This body scrub is thick and non greasy which leaves my skin feeling clean and silky smooth. The only downside is the price. It is not cheap (I think I bought it around £27 for 20ml at Boots) but it is worth every penny!

Unfortunately I ran out of it a month ago and I decided to try something new and cheaper. I got myself Boots Botanics Moisturing Sugar Scub costing only £5.87 for a 450ml jar. What a bargain!

But I was so disappointed when I first used it. It was too greasy and too thick that it was almost water-resistant. I had to take another shower to get rid of the grease although my skin did feel smooth after that. So the next week I tried it again by using a small amount - same thing! It was impossible to get it off my skin without taking another shower. The worse thing about this scrub is that it gave me blemishes on my chest! I don't know if I scrubbed too much or it is because of the grease. But whatever it is, I am not going to use this let alone repurchasing it. What is your favourite body scrub?

How should I treat a burn on my arm?

Something not nice happened yesterday. I burned my arm on a hot steel rack in the oven. My arm literally touched the steel rack for just a second and look what it had done to my skin.

I don't know how you treat burns but for me ice do not work at all. Infact ice would normally make it worse by giving me painful blisters. And if you leave the ice for too long, you can get frostbites *yikes!* I am no expert in this but from my research, this is due to extreme temperatures (too hot and too cold) which can irritate the skin. So instead of using ice I just ran my arm under cool water. No blisters whatsoever!  Then I applied Palmer's Cocoa Butter onto the burn as I do not want any scarring. I don't know if this will work but I do have faith in Palmer's Cocoa Butter. They are awesome stuff. I will definitely keep you posted!

I love Palmer's Cocoa Butter

Apart from the smell, I love Palmer's Cocoa Butter! I loathe the chocolate smell (any food smelling lotion/masks/lipgloss make me feel sick) so I got the fragrance free one. Despite it being fragrance free it has quite of an unpleasant smell but I think I got used to it already after using it for quite awhile. I use it everyday without fail and the result is just wonderful. My skin feels so soft and it makes my skin glow too. Definitely my all time favourite cocoa butter!  Now that I have burn scars, let us see if this stuff help reduce them too.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

I can now say that I am a fan of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley! I don't know if you noticed but she looks like a  mix of Cameron Diaz and Gemma Arterton. Her eyes are just so sexy and mesmerizing, nevermind her lips. So what do you think of her replacing Megan Fox in the Transformers 3?

The dress that she wore at the London premier was so beautiful too although I liked her dress at the Berlin premier more. Well, regardless what she wears I think she can basically pull anything with that body and legs. So lucky! Here are some of the dresses that she wore at her premiers.

 Sapphire Gown by Burberry 

 My favourite dress, by Naeem Khan

Black dress by Michael Kors, Gucci, another dress by Michael Kors (From Left to Right)

Which dress is your favourite?!