Essence Makeup Review and Swatches

Lately I've been out of the house for over 12 hours a day. For such long hours, I absolutely need a perfect base that will NOT crease on my oily eyelids. I don't have oily skin, but my lids are horrendous!!! No makeup will last over 3 hours without a primer.

If it's not your first time here, you know I talked about the importance of primers few months back. I still love my UD Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but I found a base that cost only a fragment of the price and does the same thing!

The brand Essence is super affordable, just slightly higher than ELF but you are able to purchase it at most of the Shoppers Drugmart in Canada. If you live in Europe, they are available in most drugstores.

Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow in 02 Glammy Goes To..

This product cost $4 and it acts AMAZINGLY as a base, whether you are intending to apply something matte or shimmery on top of it. This colour in particular seems to be able to not shine true if you want your eyeshadow to stay matte on top of the base. 

Even if my foundation has worn off, my eye makeup still looks as if I has just put it on! I apply and blend out this product with my fingers. Because of the dry texture, I'd imagine it will be hard to deposit colours using a brush.

Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow in 01 Coppy Right

As I was so impressed with the other colour, I decided to purchase another one! Unfortunately this line only comes with 3 colours. There is a silver one but I don't have it.. yet. 

Along with this, I also purchased their Long Lasting Eye Pencil.

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in 01 Black Fever

I love the Physicians Formula Eye Brightening Eye Pencil, but it comes in the trio and I cannot purchase only the black pencil individually. (I use it all the time but it's running out!)

This product claims to be long lasting, which I am taking its words since the eye base performs so well. I tried it on my hand and after it sets, it does not budge even if I try rubbing it. 

I'm going to give this a further trial on my tight line and I hope it works! This was approximately $3.

Swatch

The next time if you see the brand around your neighbourhood you should try to get some stuff to try. They have amazing nail polishes too! I believe they are about $2 and they come in all sorts of amazing colours.

Etude House Nail Polish Review

Hi all! I'd like to share a favourite cosmetic brand of mine from Korea - Etude House. Their prices are very affordable and they have a large range of products from skin care to cosmetics, making you beautiful inside out! Unfortunately they are not so easy to purchase if you are not in Asia.

The packaging of the products are usually super cute and with each purchase you'll always receive a lot of samples!

I've been a long time customer of Etude House and today I'll be showing you some of their nail polishes. They are very affordable, approximately 3-5 dollars each depending on the location you go to.  Often times they are cheaper in Asia!

Yay for colours!

The quality of the nail polishes are phenomenal! They are opaque with just 1 or 2 coats and does not chip easily. Because of my laziness, I tend to wear them with no base or top coat and they last me for 5 days with no problem at all!

They have a decent colour selection and finishes. Here are the ones that I own and love!

FLTR: PP903; BR301; PP904; PK011; GR605

The lighter colours are more opaque than you expect them to be for such a good price. I have many nail polishes of different price categories but I always stock up on Etude House's when I am back in Asia!

FLTR: OR206; BL502; BL501; BL505; GR609

My favourite colour of all the ones that I own are the 2 blues above, BL 501 and 505. They look so unique and very flattering on Asian skin tone! Unfortunately the BL501 stains the nail a bit so I would recommend you to put on a base coat to prevent that from happening. Other than that particular one, I did not experience any stains with their polishes.

If you have any favourites please share with me in the comment box or Tweet me at AivysBeautyBlog! I would love to hear from you!

As per my last blog post, I have also started posting on YouTube! Please subscribe to my YouTube page for more hauls and reviews. I'll try to update my hauls as timely as possible so that you are able to jump on the sale-wagon (haha!)!! 

Lazy day make up (suitable for work/going out)

*** GIVEAWAY : http://aivysbeautyadventure.blogspot.ca/2012/06/maybelline-dream-fresh-8-in-1-beauty.html ***

Hello there! Today I'll be demonstrating a look that I often wear out during my lazy days. It's suitable for work, hanging out, and humid days. This is also a very cost friendly look!

First remember to put on your sun screen! My apologies that I look sleepy here. I think I didn't open my eyes properly when the camera flashed at me!

Completed Look

Before

Begin with setting your face with some face powder. If you have anything you wish to conceal, do so before the powder.

Ecotools Angle Brush (available at drug store); Elf Powder Brush

ZA 2 Way Brightening Powder

Use the ELF powder brush to apply your favourite powder and blend evenly. 

Prestige Blackest Black Mascara, Physicians Formula Eye Bright Pencil in Black

Tight lining

Then tight line your eyes using the Physicians Formula pencil liner. This eyeliner is smudge proof and I am using it a lot at the moment!! 

Left eye: tight lined; Right eye: Bare

Tight lining makes your lashes look thicker and your eyes more awake. This technique is not for all as some people get very irritated on the eyes. Although it does come with practice and finding out which product suits you more. I particularly like doing this on myself, people with sparse eye lashes, or blonde lashes.

Close up

Use the eyeliner to go across only half of your lash line for a more natural look.

ELF Brightening Eye Color Quad in Hazy Hazel

Use Ecotools Angle Brush with the darkest colour on the palette and smudge it all across your lash line to blend out the eyeliner. I usually use a brown colour for this look so that it'll create a more natural effect.

Like so!

Apply the lightest colour on the inner corner and all over the lid to bring some light onto the eyes. Apply your favourite blush with the same ELF brush and blend, finish off with a lip colour of your choice!

ELF Studio Baked Blush in Passion Pink

ELF Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Raspberry

Close up of the completed look!!

Tomorrow Yoshi and I will be heading to Canada's Wonderland so I may do a theme park themed topic!

$20 Make up challenge (Daily/ work appropriate)

Hello there!

So there is a tag going around the beauty vlog/ blogsphere that is spreading like wild fire! I gave it a try and it was surprisingly difficult. I certainly did not want to cheat and have everything from E.L.F. (btw, they are awesome) so I combined some of my own make up and just a few new ones that I got from Walmart to complete this look! 

Make up and tools (list and swatches below)

Feel free to click on the items to get you to the webpage where you can purchase them yourself!

1. Milani Minerals Mousse Foundation in 302 True Beige for $7.99
2. NYC Long Lasting Lip Colour in Fragile Pink for $1.50
3. Wet & Wild Eyeshadow Trio in  335 Silent Treatment for $2.97
4. ELF Essential Blending Eye Brush for $1
5. ELF Essential Eyeshadow Brush for $1
6. NYC Instant Lash Mascara for $1.50
7. ELF Essential Brightening Eyeliner in Black for $1
8. ELF Essential All Over Colour Stick in Pink Lemonade for $1

Grand Total: $17.96

FLTR: Eyeshadow "Eyelid", "Crease", "Browbone"; ELF All Over Stick; NYC Lippie; ELF Eyeliner

BEFORE

AFTER

Close Up 

The foundation was applied using fingers, I also would not use this product with a brush as it blends the best with fingers. Eyebrows were filled in using the tip of the eyeshadow brush with Wet & Wild "Crease" colour.  Also, I used the ELF Eyeliner to tight line and lined my lids. The rest are pretty self explanatory I suppose :)

The challenge was fun and I would definitely wear this look out. I understand that I did not use any eyeshadow base or concealer, but I don't often use those products, hence this look is based on what I usually wear out. 

Please try it out yourself too!!

Also follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/AivysBeautyBlog