Monolid Eye Makeup Tutorial

It's finally here!! The long-awaited and promised monolid eye makeup tutorial! I'm really sorry it has taken me a whole year to get around to it!

A big thank you to one of my closest friends, best-est housemate and the most gorgeous monolided beauty I know, Ann-Marie, for being the model for this highly requested tutorial.


I really hope you enjoyed the tutorial. Now I shall proceed to bombarding you with lovely photos of Ann-Marie! 

If you have any requests, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Easy Spring Makeup Tutorial

It has been a very long time since I last posted. I've been away and sick a lot. I'm not going into this boring details. Let's jump straight into this Easy Spring Makeup Tutorial instead!

I filmed this a few months back. Yes, I did a spring look during autumn! Regardless, the weather is warming up now and I'm sure many of you are ready to swap your berry coloured makeup to those of orange or coral hues. A very good friend of mine, Mia, kindly volunteered to be my model for this tutorial. I would like to give a quick shout out to her. Thank you, Mia!



Product List
1. Urban Decay Primer Potion
2. Elizabeth Arden brown eye pencil*
3. MAC eyeshadow in Brown Down
4. MAC eyeshadow in Naked Lunch
5. Urban Decay eyeshadow in Virgin
6. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick in Blackmail
7. Mirenesse mascara*
8. MAC lipstick in Morange
9. MAC blush in Dame

*unfortunately I don't have the exact name of the product

I really hope you enjoyed this Easy Spring Makeup Tutorial as much as we did making it! Keep your eyes peeled for the next tutorial. It's the long-awaited Monolid Eye Makeup Tutorial!!

What's your favourite lip colour to wear in spring? 

Winter Makeup Tutorial

I had intended for this post to be publish two Fridays ago. Unfortunately, I got caught up with uni and packing for a trip. And last week, I was away at a conference. It's been a whirlwind of fun, craziness and adventure.

We're right in the middle of winter now, here in the land down under. If you love the dark lip look for the cold season but are not ready to sport a deep burgundy, then go for this oxblood red. I think that this look is perfect for a night out with the ladies. So here it is, the long overdue video. I hope you enjoy it!

Would you wear this look? What's your favourite winter makeup look?

Easy Neutral Makeup Tutorial

It's been a while since I last posted a makeup tutorial on this blog. So finally, here's one for you to enjoy! And don't worry, I have a couple more lined up as well. Double hooray!

Before we jump into the tutorial, I just wanted to tell you about the inspiration behind this makeup look that I'll be showing you. I bought this beautiful white spring dress from Forever 21 when I was in Shanghai a couple of months back. At first, I wanted to do a Spring/Summer makeup tutorial. To me, that usually involves a lot of fun bright colours (that's just my opinion anyway)...

 However, I love this dress so much that I ended up doing a "more natural" look so that my makeup was not competing with the dress for attention. And so, the Easy Neutral Makeup Tutorial was born. So whether you're in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, I've got you covered. This pretty flattering look works for all seasons.


I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. Please leave a comment if you have any requests or critique. All are welcomed!

Instagram

If you love sneaky peeks of up-coming posts, including tutorials, follow me on Instagram!

Katy Perry Roar Inspired Makeup Tutorial

If you can recall my Instagram posts a few weeks back, you'd remembered I posted photos of parts of my Katy Perry Roar costume for a jungle-themed party.

I filmed myself doing my makeup for the party. So if you want to know how I achieved the look, watch the video below!

Katy Perry had very bronzed dewy skin in her music video. She also wore very minimal makeup on her eyes and lips. I did my best to recreate the look. Products used are listed in the video. 

I apologise for the terrible full outfit photo. I didn't have anyone else to help me. And in case you're wondering, I made the flower crown and skirt myself! I hope you enjoyed the "tutorial". I did not record a voice-over because I figured my actions in the video were pretty self-explanatory. Please feel free to leave any comments on how I can improve my tutorials. Constructive criticism is welcomed here!


Have you ever been to a jungle-themed party? Who/what did you go as? 

250 Milestone Giveaway CLOSED

Yes, it's giveaway time again! Hooray!

Thank you so much for continuing to read my blog! It means a lot to me that the content I produce means something to you. I'd also like to thank those of you who regularly drop comments (whether it's here on the blog or Facebook). I really do appreciate it. I love talking to you guys. It makes this blogging experience so much more meaningful.

I am giving away:

• Lancome Hypnose Custom-Wear Volume Mascara 
• GHD Tail Comb 
• Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Therapy in Rosewater 
• Crabtree & Evelyn India Hicks Island Living Hand Care 
• Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 220
• Nano White Hydrating Whitening Mask 
• Nano White Awakening Snow Wash 
• Natural Instinct Facial Scrub 
• Michael Todd True Organics Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask 
• Clinique Gift Time Goodies 
• Repairwear Uplifting Firming Cream
• Repairwear Laser Focus Smooths, Restores, Corrects
• NEW Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+
• Take The Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes, & Lips
• Quickliner for Eyes Intense in Intense Black
• High Impact Color in Extreme Pink
• All about Shadow Duo in Beach Plum
• Cosmetic bag 

Rules: 
1. You must be either 18 or above to enter this giveaway
2. If you are under 18 you must obtain consent from your parents
3. You must be a follower of this blog; either by Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin'
4. You must like my Facebook page.
4. Winner will be selected through Rafflecopter.
5. Giveaway closes on 31st March 2014.
6. Simply follow the prompts below to enter the draw!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

How to Test for Makeup Allergies: a Quick and Simple Way

I'm an allergy-prone individual. No, I don't get anaphylactic shocks from peanuts. But I do often get hay fever. I also occasionally find myself reacting to makeup products. The most prominent ingredient being parfum. It sends me into fits of sneezes that can last for the whole day. I am also allergic to other makeup ingredients. The "wrong" lipstick/lip balm can make my lips red, flaky and itchy. The "wrong" mascara/eyeliner can make my eyes extremely itchy and uncomfortable.

It's never a pretty look to be scratching away, especially at your own face. I don't know if you can see it but I've taken a photo of myself after wearing a lipstick that I was allergic to. The reaction was mild compared to some of the past episodes I've had. Nevertheless, it was distracting for me to be "itching away" while I was in class. I've since thrown the product out.

Although I have not isolated a lot of ingredients that I'm allergic to, I've learnt how to test for them.

I would swipe the product onto the inside of my forearm near my elbow (kind of like you're swatching a product). This area of my skin is thin and has some major blood vessels nearby. So if I'm allergic to the product, I get red and itchy within a minute.  You can test lip products, mascaras, and eyeliners. I have yet to try it with powder products.

Note though that this will only work if you've been exposed to the ingredient before and have developed an allergy to it. So it is possible that you'll react to the product later on (on the second exposure). In other words, when you're shopping for a makeup product, you test it with this method and you buy it thinking it's all clear but that's because your body has only come across the ingredient for the first time. So when you start using the product, your immune system is already mounted and will then recognise and start responding to that ingredient.

What I'm trying to say here is, this is not a fail-safe technique. It's just a quick and simple way to save you some grief: from buying products that contain ingredients that you are already allergic to. I hope this post has been helpful!


Do you have any tips and tricks for testing for makeup allergies? Please do share!

Get Ready with Me - Day Out by the Beach

I recorded by myself doing my makeup before I headed for a friend's birthday party not too long ago. Yes, this occurred prior to my hair chop. It just has taken me a while to edit the video etc. The party was a simple barbeque by the beach. I was inspired to do a look that represented "fun in the sun" and how blue the water was.



List of products used:
1. Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer
2. Australis 10HR Waterproof Eye Pencil in Aqua Attack
3. Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer
4. Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in Shade 4.0
5. Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Beige
6. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black
7. NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in 912 Charcoal
8. Smashbox Photo Set Finishing Powder
9. Bobbi Brown blush in Tawny
10. Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl mascara
11. Cedel Dry Shampoo for dark hair

I decided against a lipstick because I knew I'd be chomping away on food. The only thing I wore on my lips was my Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm. I hope you enjoyed the video.

What does your "fun in the sun" makeup look consist of?

Favourites of 2013 Makeup Tutorial

It's finally here! I'm sorry I took so long. I had a bit of trouble recording the voice-over. It's not perfect, I'm still working on how to make my voice recordings better.

Regardless, I hope you enjoy the tutorial!



Products used:
1. Benefit Porefessional
2. Benefit Some-Kind-of-Gorgeous Concealer
3. Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer
4. Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sin, Buck, Virgin)
5. Shiseido eyelash curler
6. Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara
7. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
8. MAC Blush in Dame
9. Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Apocaliptic

Do you like this style of tutorials? Or do you prefer if I talk as I go?

How to Start Using All Your Neglected Makeup

So I had intended on posting yesterday but life just once again got in the way of my blogging. Don't worry, I'm not going to launch into a rant now. For now, I'll settle for a quick post and I hope you will too. I promise this is a good one because I finally had another epiphany!

Okay, remember this Dear Ty post? In case you don't be bothered having a read (it's worth having a look, trust me!), it's basically a request for a Makeup Storage and Organisation post. For a long time, I could not answer Jenny's question on how to get out of using the same makeup products because she is short on time in the morning. The answer came to me recently.

I bought a plastic storage tray from IKEA a month or so ago. For a while, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with it. I didn't need it but I wanted it; it appealed to me. One morning when I was rummage in my drawers for my makeup, it struck me that I could put my makeup aside the night before to save me time the next morning. So the next evening before bed, I collected all the products I wanted to use the next day and placed them in the tray. I set the tray on my bathroom counter where I apply my makeup (and where the mirror is). You can place it on your vanity if that's where you apply your makeup.

The solution is so simple, isn't it? Maybe I'm just slow but I seriously haven't thought of it before. This is also a great way to make yourself use all your neglected products. Just place them in the tray the night before!

Do you have any makeup storage/organisation tips? Please do share!  

Australia Day Makeup Tutorial Part 2

So here's Part 2 to my Australia Day makeup tutorial. If you haven't seen Part 1, please go check it out because this is a continuation of it. I'm showing you how I take a day look to a night one. Let's begin!

Step 1. Touch up your foundation/concealer/powder if needed. Fill in any areas that have been rubbed off, for example, by a piece of tasty barbeque chicken drumstick.

Step 2. Contour your cheeks, sides of your forehead and jaw. I used TheBalm's Bahama Mama Bronzer.

Step 3. Top up on blush. Instead of adding more cream blush, go over with some powder blush. It'll make the colour stay longer. I used MAC Blush in Dame.

Step 4. Apply false lashes. I used Ibiza from the hedkandi range by Eylure.

Step 5. Apply lipstick. A lovely pinky nude would go well with the whole look. The lip colour in this photo is Naked from Urban Decay.

Alternatively, you can go for a red lip like a did. I wanted to go all out. After all, it's for Australia Day. You could even draw white stars on your cheekbones. I didn't do that because I'm terrible at drawing the stars from our flag and I didn't want to risk insulting anyone.

I don't know if you can notice it but the false lash on my right eye does not look as nice. That's because as I was trying to apply glue onto the lash strip, I accidentally squirted a giant blob all over it. So the lashes all clumped together. So now I'm trying to wipe the glue off with some makeup remover and restore it back to its original condition.

Have you started planning what makeup/outfit you're going to wear for Australia Day? Do share! 

Australia Day Makeup Tutorial Part 1

Hey ladies! For this Australia Day, I'll be heading over to a family friend's for brunch and then watching tennis at home in the evening. I almost never miss the Men's Finals. Who's your favourite? Mine's Rafael Nadal.

Anyway, I came up with this makeup up for a day-time smokey Aussie BBQ or for whatever else you'll be doing on Australia day.

Step 1. Apply a pale creamy matte colour all over your eyelids, keeping the colour below the crease. I used In The Buff from my Too Faced Boudoir Eyes palette. Apply eye primer beforehand for more lasting power.

Step 2. Using a blending/crease brush, apply a brown eyeshadow to your crease. I used Buck from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. Be sure to blend and buff the colour out such that it joins the first eyeshadow colour seamlessly.

Step 3. Line your eyes with a long-wearing or waterproof navy eyeliner. I used Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Eye Pencil in Black Navy. You can do a cat liner if you want but I wanted a more natural look so I kept the edges blunt.

Step 4. Curl your lashes and apply mascara. Your eye makeup is now complete!

Step 5. Moving on to the rest of the face, I applied tinted moisturiser all over my face. I mixed my Laura Mercier one with my Garnier one to match my shade. Apply primer beforehand for better lasting power. Then I brightened my under-eye area with the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer.

Step 6. I powder my forehead, nose and chin with some translucent powder by Smashbox.

Step 7. Now apply some cream blush to your cheeks. I used Stila Convertible in Lilium. Remember to blend, blend, blend! with your fingers.

Step 8. Lastly, you can apply a pale pink/peachy lip colour if you like. I went with my regular lip balm because I don't like the idea of eating my lipstick together with my barbeque chicken. Organic lip balm, I don't mind so much.

Yes, it's the same photo. Just to save you from scrolling back up.

So there you have it! Part 2 will be an evening look. I'll show you how I take this day look into a night-time party look. I'll be posting it up tomorrow, so check back then!


What are your plans for Australia Day?

Makeup Favourites of 2013

Hey ladies! Sorry this is a bit late. I know we're already halfway through January 2014 but I've been really busy plus, I wanted to film this rather than type up another boring post. Wanted to change things up for the New Year, you know?

Anyway, here it goes.


If you're too lazy to watch this video, that's okay. I won't make you sit through 6 minutes of torture just to find out what my favourite makeup products are. Here's a list:
1. Benefit Primping with the Stars Kit
2. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer
3. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
4. Urban Decay Naked Palette
5. MAC Blush in Dame
6. MAC Lash #32
7. Shiseido Eyelash Curler
8. Kiss Me Heroine Long & Curl Mascara
9. Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers in Celestial and Apocaliptic
10. Benefit Hydra-smooth Lip Colour in Dare Me

I've written reviews for some of the products. If you'd like to read them, just click on the link of each individual product and it'll take you to the blog post.

What are your makeup favourites for 2013? 

December 2013 Haul

I recently went back to Singapore and Malaysia for yet another holiday. Now, if you remember my previous haul, you'd know that I bought some goodies from Singapore. YSL to be more exact. This time round, I did not buy anything from Singapore because duty-free prices seem to have gone up. On the other hand, I had the opportunity to shop to my heart's desire at Sephora while I was in Malaysia.

Here's a list of what I bought.
1. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Blissful
2. Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara
3. Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Turn On
4. Kiss Me Heroine Make Mascara Remover
5. Benefit Hydra-Smooth Lip Color in Dare Me
6. MAC Brush #109
7. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone
8. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Rockstar
9. Urban Decay Naked Skin in 4.0
10. Shu Uemura Heart and Flower by Murakami S Curler
11. Benefit Brow Zings

Individual reviews and swatches to come! I can't wait to share with you my opinion of these products. I've tested quite a few of them out and I look forward to announcing my favourites.

Have you tried any of these products? Which are your favourites? 

Purple and Gold Party Eye Makeup Tutorial

Party season is here! It's time to bring out your stash of amazing false eyelashes and glitter pigment. Today, I'm going to show you how to do a simple yet stunning purple and gold eye makeup. The star product of this tutorial is the Rimmel London Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Sticks in Paranoid Purple. 

Here are the steps: 

1. Prep your eyes with primer. Here I'm using Benefit's Stay Don't Stray Primer. I simple dot some product all over my eyelids and then blend it out when my ring finger. 

2. Apply Paranoid Purple all over your eye lid, staying below the crease and steering clear of the inner corners of your eyes. Blend it out a little with your ring finger. 

3. With an eye shadow brush, apply a deeper purple or brownish purple colour to the outer corners of your eyelids. I used Hustle from the Urban Decay Naked Palette.

4.  With a blending brush, work a neutral light brown colour into your crease. I used Naked from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. 

5. Swipe some Paranoid Purple onto your pencil brush and run the colour under your lower lash line. 

6. With an eyeshadow brush, pat some gold eyeshadow or pigment onto the inner corners of your eyes. I used Half Baked from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. 

7. Lastly, line your top lash line with long lasting black gel/liquid liner. Curl your lashes and apply lots of mascara 

8. This is optional. You can draw black liner on your top waterline and apply false eyelashes for an even more dramatic eye makeup look. 

I love purple and gold together. It's my favourite combination! 

I was partly inspired by the purple and gold top and necklace that I was wearing at the time. 

Please excuse the unruly brows!

Hope you found this helpful and enjoyed reading this post. I will be posting more tutorials using the Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Sticks soon. Keep an eye out! 

What's your go-to party eye makeup look?