ARTISTRY Signature Color - Eye Shadow Quad in SPICE BRONZE

Today is THE day that i get to test my new eye shadow quad. I've been putting it off for some time as i wasn't feeling up to testing it as i usually prefer a simple look with just mascara. If i was up for a bit more, eyeliner was the thing i reach for. That's pretty much it.

But today..i just felt like doing a first impressions. ARTISTRY is a brand that not many are familiar with among my friends but is the official makeup used in miss universe if i'm not mistaken. They have exceptional makeup items and they have an extensive choice of foundation shades to suit many skin tones. I'm usually drawn towards foundation and base products but this time around.. surprise surprise!! some color in my life.

Below are some pictures of this lovely quad. So sorry that I took photos after swatching and using the eye shadows..(nampak sangat tak sabar-sabar).

PIGMENTATION:

From the swatches above, you can see just how pigmented the colors are. But in total honesty, at first swatch. I was pretty let down, as the color payoff didnt exactly blow me away. I dilly dallied for sometime being pretty unhappy with my purchase. Little did I know that the top layer was just a little on the not so pigmented side. After i got through the top layer, oh my my...buttery soft and super pigmented. The swatches above really shows how lovely the colors are. The lightest shade which happens to be the largest pan in the bunch is a wonderful highlight for the inner corners of the eyes. And guess what?? I found another use for it. I was thinking..this pan is huge. what else could i use this color for? So i took out my trusty fan brush and used the lightest shade as i would my typical face highlighter. 

A bonus feature of this quad is how finely milled the shimmers are. It's almost as if it melts into the skin leaving no sight of chunky glitter. It truly is well made. 

PACKAGING:

As for the packaging..I'm on the fence about it. I love the fact that I could save some money on packaging (meaning the case)..But I'm also not happy that i have to purchase it separately. Wouldn't it be simpler if it came conveniently together? But then again, If your the type to save on packaging, this would suit you well as you can store the eye shadow quad in its plastic safety cover and in the box...purchase just one case and alternate refills when ever you like. It's super travel friendly too as you can choose the refill quad you prefer to bring along. I myself have yet to purchase the case..hence the naked refill you see up there in my pictures. But looks like I'm going to have to purchase it pretty darn soon..as I'm already eyeing another quad ..ohhhhss ahhhhsss.

Down there are two pictures of me with Spice Bronze on my lids and the highlight color on my cheeks and under my brows. The picture doesn't do much justice to it.. as it is not an IN YOUR FACE type of highlight which let me tell you..is just perfect for me. I like me some subtle highlight as I have combination oily skin and sometimes too much highlight can make me look borderline disco ball. Just to note, I love this subtle smoky look and its not over the top. In fact its pretty wearable for daytime. I love how the colors work in harmony with each other. *Just a note: I'm no makeup guru and I don't pretend to be one. I like my makeup simple and sweet. not too glam or over the top. But for those who do, you can definitely create a glammed up look with this quad. You do you gal!

This quad is sold through Amway distributors a.k.a ME :) haha. *do contact me for further information.The price for this lovely quad is RM152.50 which is reasonable to me... with crazy prices of makeup nowadays.This is in no way a sponsored review. I bought the quad with my own money and this is my true and honest opinion. (which no money can buy). 

WHAT I'M USING ON MY FACE:

Primer: Chanel Le Blanc Multi-use Illuminating Base

Foundation: Artistry Exact Fit Longwearing Foundation SPF15 in L1W1

Loose Powder: Chanel Loose Powder in 20 clair

Eye shadow primer: Benefit Airpatrol

Eye Shadow: Artistry Signature Color Eye Shadow  Quad in Spice Bronze

Eye brow powder: Bobbi brown

Eye Liner: Chanel Stylo Yeux in 20 espresso

Mascara: Le volume de Chanel

Blush: Chanel Joues Contraste in Discretion 89

Lips: nuxe rev de miel (lipbalm) Benefit Lollitint, nudestix crayon in mystic (as lipliner) and burberry kisses lipstick in no,89 Rose Blush (woahhh thats a lot for one lip) hahah

Spoiler Alert: upcoming post will be on this awesome foundation I am wearing in the pictures above.

Current Favourite Foundation Routine.

So sorry for not updating this blog often enough. Its been a hectic few months and didn't have the time to play around with much makeup. Never the less, I'm back with a vengeance! Lets cut the chitty chatty short and get straight to the point. I have three favorite combinations to share.

These past few months, I've been reaching more and more for my trusty Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation SPF 25/PA++ paired with the Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder. The foundation is in No.20 while the loose powder is in 20 Clair - Translucent 1. I find that these two work the best together and they last the whole day with minimal blotting and touch ups. My foundation still looks good by the end of the day. In humid hot sticky Malaysian weather, that says a lot. This foundation gives me light to medium coverage and makes my skin look amazing. Doesn't look cakey in anyway even though I'm the type who piles on the loose powder. You see, the foundation doesn't act like a traditional foundation. Rather, it acts more like a BB or CC cream. In fact, I like it better than Chanel's CC cream which i have it in both old and new versions.

Another combination that I'm drawn towards are my Guerlain Super Aqua BB cream in Light and the same Chanel Loose powder. This is especially for days that I'm not going out for long and just need minimal coverage to look decent and put together. What I like most about the GSABB is that it is 80% skincare benefits and 20 % makeup. I don't use a primer beforehand as i feel that it defeat the purpose of purchasing it for its skincare benefits. This BB cream does not last particularly long on my combination skin. What i do like about it is that it doesn't go all oily on me but fades out evenly at the end of the day without looking cakey and patchy. I do though have to set it with loose powder as my skin would look horrendously shiny. I love the color too as it it doesn't lean too yellow nor pink. Just right i guess.

The third latest combination favorite would be the Sephora Teint Infusion Ethereal Natural Finish Foundation in 20 Cream paired with NARS Loose powder in Eden. OMG! What can I say? This combination is heavenly! The texture of the foundation is super watery borderline oily feeling. But this really smooths out my skin, feel so light i forget I'm wearing foundation and it never gets cakey. BUT.... It has to be paired with the NARS loose powder to achieve the holy grail status. If I had paired it with the Chanel Loose Powder, it would not achieve the same effect. With the NARS loose powder, pores look minimized, my skin doesn't get oily as fast, evens out the skin tone, and adds some coverage. What can I say? I'm in LOVE!

There you go! Those are my current faves. They work the best for me. But as usual I'm always out and about trying new makeup stuff. In a few months or maybe even weeks, this may change up. so keep tuned. Lots of LOVE..Chepah.

SPOILER ALERT! Chanel Ultrawear Flawless Compact Foundation SPF15 - 20 beige

Yesterday, i went to Sunway Pyramid to replenish my Chanel loose powder. Got myself the full sized Les Beige Healthy Glow Foundation as well. As usual, upon purchase, my favoirite SA Miko would update me on upcoming products and let me try out some samples.

Since i already have the Perfection Lumiere Extreme powder foundation in 2 colors, 10 beige and 22 beige, i thought no way would i like the new compact foundation. Errr...krik..krikkk....tettttt..wrong! I love it!

It's so different from the Perfection Lumiere Extreme powder! In so many ways. Firstly 20 beige for the new Ultrawear Flawless Compact Foundation is oh so silky and the color is exactly the same as the new Les Beiges foundation in 20 beige. (I tested half les beiges foundation and half ultrawear foundation on either side of my face). The texture is not chalky. Its smooth and silky. The coverage is light to medium builable. Does not look cakey at all. In fact its surprisingly skin like even up close. The best part is that it feels like i have no foundation or powder on my face. AMAZING!

On a side note, its not for those who want full coverage. I still have to go in with my Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer for dark spots and acne. It does not settle in my rather large pores...in fact it seems like it blurrs my pores extremely well without it looking cakey like my other compact powder foundation. It doesnt cling on to dry patches..provided i moisturise well beforehand. I used my Chanel Le Blanc Whitening Moisturizing Cream which somehow doubles up as a primer for me.

Im looking at my face right now. On the left is the Les Beiges foundation and on the right is the new Ultrawear Flawless compact foundation. My oh my..what a difference! The right side of my face looks superbly youthful, smooth and less texture.  I'm gonna have to agree about the 'flawless' claim for this foundation.

There is a certain youthful natural glow to this powder foundation. It just doesnt act like a typical powder product. Almost like its a liquid foundation which has been buffed perfectly into the skin. Usually no matter what i use..i still need to lightly powder my face with  a loose powder. But with this new compact powder foundation, i'm kinda loving the natural way light bounces off my skin. Doesn't make my face oily either which is always a bonus in my books.

Ok..enough said.. lets just sum it up. I am in love. Haha

The Ultrawear Flawless Compact Foundation SPF15 comes in 6 shades.  It will be launched in 15 April 2016. It is priced at RM235 for the foundation and compact case. As for the refill, it can be purchased seperately for Rm175. You can purchase this miracle powder at any Chanel counter Malaysia wide from the 15th of April onwards.

*by the way, I'm not in anyway sponsored or paid to advertise. These are my honest opinions and i really do love this new gem of a product. Cheers.

Making foundation thats lighter than your skintone match

I've been having trouble with making my foundation match. There are just so many stuff in my makeup vault that are either too dark or too light..be it loose powder, liquid foundation or powder foundation. Some have been sitting in my vault in good condition but totally unloved.

See what i mean about the ompa-loompa color?!

After playing around a bit with what i have, i decided to whip out my unloved and lonely NARS loose powder in eden. When i bought it a year or so ago, i didnt dare buy the loose powder in Snow..afraid of looking like a ghost. So i bought it in Eden. From online swatches, the color looks more on the yellow side. Bought it...got home..opened and poofff.. out comes orange colored powder. The true ompa-loompa type of orange if you get what i mean. Tried it with loads of my right foundations only to come out looking orange. So, off it goes to the back of my drawer.

Recently, i bought a Guerlain lingerie de peau foundation in 31 pale amber. 32 was the one i initially bought and returned to sephora because it was too dark and orange (according to a Guerlain sales girl, it was old stock and had oxidised causing it to be darker than it originally was). I was afraid to pick another dark foundation so i pick the lighter of the two yellow based foundations. 02 was too pink on me you see..

Got home..slapped it on ma face...looks ok. But a tad light. But the finish on this foundation is oh sooo gorgeous. Nothing like i've experienced before.  Tried my other loose powders but it all ended looking even paler than before.

Enter Nars Loose Powder in EDEN!..
Finally...my skin looked perfected. The shade just right. ALHAMDULILLAH... takde la membazir duit..ada jugak gunanya.

Pat on the back for me for finally finding a use for my Nars loose powder. I love the finish of this powder. But because this foundation was light...it did not cake up with this powder. Looked smooth and even.

Now all is good in makeup world. Do you have a foundation or base that does not suit your skintone? Why not mix and match with something lighter or darker. Who knows..it just might work.

What are the 5 makeup items I can't live without

Ok...kalau lah korang boleh namakan 5 barang mekap yang korang tak boleh live without.. for me the first thing on my list is

1. Powder- why? Sebab muka saya oily in the T-zone. Mesti touch up dengan powder. Sanggup bawa loose powder yang besar tu dalam handbag..hehe. kalau x pakai apa2 base macam foundation pon x apa...janji ada powder.
2. Concealer- sebab saya banyak acne scars. I use my trusty laura mercier concealer. Tapi yang lecehnya kena bawa small concealer brush for precision concealing. Finish x berapa cantik kalau guna jari. 
   
     
   
   
3. Lipstick/ gloss/ balm - saya x pakai lipstick yg biasa tu sebab bibir x berapa sesuai and cepat kering. Jadi...saya prefer lipstick yang more moisturising seperti Chanel rouge coco shine, memang color payoff lebih sheer tapi its far more comfortable. I also like to wear lipgloss/balm yang bercolor. So far lipgloss chanel x rasa melekit and glossy effect dia tahan lebih lama and moisturising. Satu lg yang saya suka is my revlon color stain balm.
   
4. Mascara - my lashes are fine and long. Bulu mata jarang2 ..jadi...saya lebih gemar menggunakan mascara yg memberikan volume lebih dari mascara yg memberikan length. Mascara yang senang basuh tuk solat is yg biasa/tak waterproof. Tapi kalau ada dinner ke apa2 perlu pakai mascara waterproof. So far, i'm loving my le volume de chanel mascara. Memang luar biasa effect dia. But a cheaper alternative is my trusty Silky Girl mascara yang tube dia warna grey tu. Tak sampai pon rm15 satu tube. 
5. Blush - oh i loooove my blush. Tak kira la blush dari Essence yang harganya RM15 tu atau my beloved Chanel or Bobbi brown blush. Tapi saya x berapa suka bright blush yang merah, orange or dark pink. Lebih suka blush yang light and sweet je colornya.
   

So itu lah my 5 makeup must-haves. Tapi kalau rushing sangat..haa..muka toggel ajer la. So what are your top 5 makeup must-haves. Share with me and lets discuss.

Guerlain Lingerie De Peau BB Beauty Booster

Beauty booster..beauty balm..blemish balm. Well, i cant tell the difference. All i know about bb creams is that its pretty thick, its been around for quite some time and its not everyones cup of tea. I've always steered far away from traditional bb creams as it always leave an ashy tint to my skin and usually has a pink undertone to it. Those days are long gone. Nowadays, bb creams come in different colors, thickness and finishes. Some are more matte than others. 

Lo and behold...the great Guerlain beauty booster. It comes in a sad 2 shades. But thank goodness the light shade matches me well..

It comes in a 40ml tube with a pump which i like for hygenic reasons. 

This is the description of the beauty booster

I got this sample sachet upon purchase of a face cream. I have not tried out the actual lingerie de peau foundation. I only got to swatch it on my arm. As for the beauty booster, i have tried ot out for 3 days and there is still quite a bit more in the sachet. 

The shade i have is light 2, which happens to be a perfect match. Not too yellow or pink toned. It has a pretty strong floral fragrance which goes off after aplication.  Its pretty fluid. But i heard the actual cream is pretty thick. But anyways, its spreads easily on my face without a primer underneath, just my face cream/ moisturiser. It blends out perfectly and is pretty seemless. Its a light feeling on my face but i have oily combination skin and i do need to set it with powder. I set it with my Chanel loose powder in clair. I dont get very oily with this bb cream. It stays pretty much the same. I do have to powder my nose once throughout the day as that is the area i get most oily. I love that it feels like i have nothing on my face and that this foundation doesnt melt in this hot humid weather. It doesnt look cakey and made up.

Final thoughts, i'm not too sure how much this beauty booster is selling for in Malaysia.. but trust me, its not going to be cheap knowing its a guerlain product. This bb cream is sold at most sephora and Isetan guerlain counters in Kl. Its a bb cream i would definitley want to invest in  instead of a foundation. I love the finish after powdering it and the longevity itself is something i adore. 

Guerlain Rose Aux Joues/ Tender Blush in 01 Morning Rose

Recently, i went shopping for face cream at Isetan The Gardens with hubby dearest. Bought a few items and since it was members day, i received quite a few goodies for free and an extra early bird special. What did i get? A full sized guerlain tender blush! It actually costs RM178 as told by the wonderful SA Su. I was jumping for joy. Lets get into the product details.

The blush comes in a black box with gold writings. The actual blush comes with a black velvet pouch as most high-end makeup. I find no particular use for this velvet pouch but i guess it does protect the blush compact from scratches. One thing i dislike is that dust tends to gather on the pouch.

The compact has a very good weight to it. Doesnt feel like cheap plastic and the closure is magnetic. Love this feature because i dont have to fiddle with buttons. My laura mercier concealer compact button broke on me..now its ajar..and easily dries up. 

The blush itself contains a good amount of product. Its 6.5g as compared to Chanel joues contraste blush wich is only 4g. But the down side of it is that this blush tends to have quite a bit of fall out..you could say it kicks up a bit of dust/powder and this would mean wasting product.

I have this in 01 morning rose. Its the lightest shade available. Its a lovely color for pale or fair skinned ladies. Im not too sure if it will show up on olive, medium or darker skin tones.

As you can see, its a true pink. Not too warm or too blue toned pink. There is a scent to it as all guerlain makeup does. But the scent is not as flowery strong as the rose scent in chanel blushers. It has no shimmer in it, but it has somewhat of a sheen to it..a very subtle sheen which imparts an ever so soft glow to the cheeks. 

From top to bottom:

• Bobbi Brown 1 Pink Sugar
• Bobbi Brown Pale Pink
• Bobbi Brown 41 Pretty Pink
• Chanel Joues Contraste 250 Crescendo 
• Chanel Joues Contraste 69 Fleur De Lotus
• Chanel Joues Contraste 86 Discretion
• Guerlain Tender Blush 01 Morning Rose

As you can see from the swatches, its similar to chanel blush in 86 discretion but the chanel blush has warmer tones and is slightly lighter. One thing i noticed is that the Chanel blushers have a smooth fine buttery texture to it and a little goes a long way and have more pigments. But its also a good thing with this blush because you can layer it and not worry looking like a clown.

Final verdict, Guerlain tender blush in morning rose is a welcome addition to my blush collection as i love light pinks. Furthermore, its free. Now tell me..who doesnt like a free guerlain blush. Note that this is my honest opinion and i am not sponsored in any way.

You csn purchase this blush at all Guerlain counters in Malaysia. I got mine at Isetan The Gardens.

CHANEL Le Blanc Soft Exfoliating Pre-lotion

 Exfoliation. What do you know about it. From my knowledge, its a process of removing dead skin and build-up of dirt and makeup. It also helps in cleaning the pores. I used to be one of those people who loved scrubs. The ones with ground walnut or apricot shell. It was so gratifying to scrub away at my face. Then came the era of gel exfoliators that you rub on your skin and the gel balls up as the dead skin is being sloughed off. Well i personally still like those gels to be honest with you. But they can be sink clogging with all that balled up gel and dead skin.

So, i was introduced to this beauty. The Chanel Le Blanc Soft Exfoliating Pre-lotion.  You see, i have combination oily skin and i easily get clogged pores on my nose and the cheek area around the nose. This gem of a product is a life saver. I have four kids and literally no time for a facial. So what do i do? I use this! It saves time.. and most importantly, it gets the job done! What a good investment as facials go from RM70 upwards a pop..and thats just for a basic facial, nothing fancy.  As i use this pre lotion 3-4 times a week and i dont use much at all, its going to last me quite awhile.

The pre-lotion comes in a white box, a simplistic box which screams CHANEL! Black and white, my favourite colors.

• Its a 150ml bottle (5FL.OZ). 
• Smell: faint alcohol smell
• Texture: fluid, runny, water-like
• Color: clear

 The ingredients

 Instructions on how to use

Why do i love it so much? Well, i'm prone to hormonal acne. This stuff helps me out a lot. It sloughs off the dead skin and dries out acne scars and the dead skin from the scars are gone in 1-2 days. But it does not remove the dark scars left behind. Leave it to the serum and spot treatment for those problems. Not only that but it helps my brightening lotion and serum/essence absorb better. Baru la berbaloi2 bak kata orang. Because i dont want the lotion and serum to just sit on the top layer of my skin. I want them to be fully absorbed. 

Caution though..for those with dryer skin, keep it to 2 times a week as it may be drying and patch test at your local Chanel counter for allergic reactions. 

As for the price, i bought it for RM188. But i think the price has recently gone up. *Its currently RM210. I see this lasting me quite a while as i dont use this everyday. 

Final thoughts, i would repurchase this when i'm done with this bottle right here.  

Where to purchase: All chanel stores around Malaysia, Sunway Pyramid, 1 Utama, Parkson Subang Parade *these are the ones i frequent because its accessible to me and the service is great!

Artistry Youth Xtend Ultra Lifting Eye Serum Concentrate

Lets talk about eye serum today. I have a favourite eye serum and currently, I'm on my third bottle. Says much now doesn't it.

So lets have a look now shall we? This lifting eye serum concentrate (lets just call it an eye serum...we all know that's one heck of a long name) comes in  a maroon and gold bottle. Pretty classy looking packaging. Its of a thick quality and sturdy plastic with a release button type pipette which boasts elegance and luxury. Something that would look pretty on the dressing table.

Here are the ingredients as listed on the box. Now that's a whole load of ingredients. Loads of good stuff. There's acerola, oat, cucumber, evening primrose oil, olive oil, rosemary just to name a few. Now...I'm no scientist but i wish they didnt have to add parabens and all that naughty stuff as well.

As you can see, it has a pipette. Luckily its not one that can get messy unlike some. In fact i had trouble with boscia tsubaki beauty oil. The top would not open and i had to cut the top off with a scissors. What on earth? Well this i will share further with you in another post. But so far, 3 bottles of this eye serum later, no problems with the packaging except for the fact that i can't get the last drops of it too easily.

From the pictures above you can see that this eye serum is creamy white in color and at certain lightings you can see it has the finest shimmer-like substance. It's not visible on the skin, but somehow it instantly brightens the eye area. Making the eye appear well rested, lifted and brighter.

Texture-wise, the eye serum is slightly runny and light. Upon application, it is immediately absorbed with no residue. Its neither sticky nor takcy just moist and smooth. Throughout my experience using this, i did not experience any irritation, redness, breakouts or milia. As for wearing it under makeup, since its a light serum, my eye makeup such as eye shadow and concealer did not melt off or creased more than usual, in fact the smoothness makes everything look polished. In fact my eye area looks pretty good if i may say so myself. 

I must add that after my first bottle, i already see a much lifted eye area, so far, no saggy skin or eyebags. The skin on my eye area no longer feels dry or taut. In all honesty, what i see most is a reduction in crows feet.  If i didnt put this serum on for a day..my day just would'nt feel right. 

Verdict: its a real winner for me. Its part of my daily routine now. Until a better one comes along..this is a keeper.  

*Artistry Youth Xtend Ultra Lifting Eye Serum Concentrate can be bought  from  amway distributors. I know one cool lady who can serve you well, contact Mrs Naz at 0193557993