The Balm "Balm Jovi Rockstar Palette" Review

Hi all! I'm back today with a short review of the Balm Jovi Rockstar Palette from The Balm cosmetics. 

After all the hype on the internet and YouTube, I decided to give it a go when I popped by Rexall Pharmaplus a few weeks ago.

Here is a look that I came up with using the palette. The more vibrant eyeshadows and lip colour are from another brand. I'll include the list at the end of this post.

Swatches

The eyeshadows are very buttery at the touch of the fingers. However I find it slightly powdery when picking up with an eyeshadow brush. If you tap off the excess before application it will be all good :) 

Pigmentation is great on both the darker and lighter colours.

Top: Lip and Cheek Tint
Bottom: Highlighter and Blush

The highlighter and blush are extremely pretty on. Despite the names on the palette, those are the exact same colours as their popular Mary-Lou Manizer and Fratboy Blush. What a deal! 

The lip and cheek tint are average, nothing to rave about. Although it is nice that those 2 products are sealed separately, that way the powder products will not get on them so easily.

Overall I do like this palette and I do feel that it can compete with higher end eyeshadows that you can find in Sephora. 

You can find The Balm cosmetics in selected Rexall Pharmaplus in Canada. 

As promised, the other products that I used to complete the look above.

Wet n Wild Palette in I'm Feeling Retro

Buxom Lipgloss in April; Tarte Blush (sorry I don't remember the name!); Maybelline Pink Pop

Thank you for checking out my blog and have a wonderful week ahead!

Quick & Simple Makeup Tutorial

Hi all! Today I'm sharing a quick and simple makeup tutorial for on the go. Feel free to substitute your own favourite products with what I'm using here :)

Firstly, make sure your face is clean and have your hair pinned up! It's way too annoying to have one hand holding your hair and the other one putting on makeup.

Put on your favourite foundation, tinted moisturiser, or BB cream!

BEFORE

Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow in 02 Glammy Goes To; Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Eyeliner in Black

For a quick and easy look, I like to use a shiny base to give some texture to the eyeshadows that I will be layering on later. This particular brand is super cheap and long lasting. It does not crease at all on my oily eyelids!

I like to also tight line my eyes to create fuller looking lashes. 

With the eyeshadow base

Tight lined!

Moving on to the eyeshadows..

Laura Mercier Palette (no box, no name, sorry!), Blending Brush, Eye Shading Brush

With the colour "Cafe au Lait" use the eye shading brush and pat it all over the lid. Don't worry about it looking messy!!

As long as you keep it approximately the same height it will be fine.

Use colour "Vanilla au Lait", with the fluffy brush, blend out the harsh line. Blend until you can't see a stark finish between the eyeshadow and your eyebrows.

Use the "Sunlit" colour and with the same eye shading brush, pat the colour in the middle of the eye.

This will give your eye some dimension and shine. Good for those who are not into super bling eye makeup.

Here I am using the Dolly Wink and Love Liquid Liner. They are both very similar and very easy to use. 

Begin with the outer part of your eyes then slowly move in. 

Easiest way is to keep your liner horizontal, that way your line is straighter.

With the brown colour liner, draw small "lashes" on your bottom lash line. If you have much more hair than I do (sigh, pathetic asian lashes), please feel free to use a mascara instead of faking it like me. 

Should look like this :D

Too Face Chocolate Soleil Bronzer; Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fantastic

Apply the blush about 1-2cm below your eyes, contour your face in the hollows below your cheeks and the sides of your nose.

Close up

If you feel like your face is too powdery looking, fear not!!

Too powdery???

Use a toner, spring water, MAC Fix +... the list goes on and spray it on your face! Careful not to have a wet spot. Just make sure your face is covered lightly with the spray and pat it away with your hands.

MAC Fix +

To finish off the look, coat your lashes with your favourite mascara and top it up with a lip stick of your choice.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Pin Up Peach

Here I am using this colour because it looks natural and feels like a lip balm.

Once more, complete look!

This shouldn't take too much time, and if you substitute with what you're used to, it will be much faster too.

See you next time! :)

Happy Holiday!

Hi all!

Before I begin with my post today I would like to share my condolences to all the families that were affected by the horrible shooting in CT and everyone else in the world who are suffering from war, sickness, and death.

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I've gathered some of my favourite products here and there for this post. I will do another one featuring only drugstore favourites!

Here are some favourites that I've gathered from this year. Most are fairly new as I purchased most of the products from their Xmas collection and Sephora sales.

Tarte Baby It's Bold Outside Collection

I might've mentioned this before, but I still don't think that people are giving this set enough love! It has everything you need to create a beautiful look for all the holiday parties that you'll be attending. 24 lovely eyeshadows, 8 lip glosses, a setting powder, mascara, and blush.. all these wonderful things to choose from. This set also comes with a blush brush which I'm currently using it separately. It's actually very soft too!

Lip gloss swatches

If you're a fan of minty lip glosses, you'll love these!

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes

I got this very recently when I received the $20 off $50 voucher from Sephora. Initially I wasn't going to get it because I am very sure I already have similar colours. LUCKILY, I caved and got it. The eyeshadows are SOOO buttery and SOOO easy to blend. I've had many high end eyeshadows and I've not had any that could blend out so quickly and easily.

This has made my life easier in the morning when I'm getting ready for work!

Givenchy Healthy Glow Powder in 3 Ambre

Lovely product that perks up the dull skin from dry winter air. Need I say more? 

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matt Bronzing Powder

Smells exactly like chocolate and applies evenly for contouring or bronzing! I can't stop sniffing it!!

Stila Convertible Colour in Peony

These 2 products are actually taken out from a Sephora Favourites set that's why they are not full size. Nonetheless, they are still the same great product that you'll get no matter the size!

This is my first ever Stile convertible and I am enjoying it a lot! Though I'm using this more on my lips cause it gives the perfect nude without washing me out.

Boxum Time to Shine Lip Gloss Set

Top: High Beam

Bottom: Buxom Glosses

Benefit High Beam

The Buxom lip glosses kept running out of stock in Sephora! I'm glad that I got my hands on some just in time. If you don't mind waiting, you can always order online :) They are much more pigmented than the ones that came in the Tarte set, but for a higher price of course. I love them and they also claim to enhance the size of your lips. Not sure about that end, but I really love how it feels on the lips!

Benefit High Beam, a favourite of a lot of beauty enthusiast out there. Gives your face a glow without making it look like a disco ball.

Before I leave, here are some LOTD when I went out for a family holiday party! 

Thank you Suzanne for the wonderful food! :)

Have a wonderful holiday and remember to tell your loved ones that you love them!!

Tarte Baby It's Bold Outside Sets Review

Hi all! Before I begin my review today, please check out my last blog post to win some free makeup. Open to everyone! All you have to do is follow me on Twitter and tell me what you would like to see next on my blog. It's that simple :)

Back to our main topic today.. Tarte. I've been a great fan since I discovered their products about 2 years ago. Outside of North America I find that it is almost impossible to get their products, and if lucky enough, the products will cost a bomb!

Today I'm sharing a short review about the holiday sets that came out in Sephora. You'll be able to find this set in store and online.

Baby It's Bold Outside Makeup and Blush Set 

The first set is one that comes with 24 FULL SIZE Amazonian clay eyeshadows, 8 maracuja lipglosses, 1 Amazonian clay blush in Shimmering Rose, 1 brush, 1 tester size mascara and a small finishing powder. 

The shadows

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Shimmering Rose

This set is amazing for $70! The eyeshadows are super pigmented as well as the blush. Their Amazonian clay line it most well known for the longevity of the products. A little goes a long way :)

At first I was concerned that the lip glosses will be really crappy as the packaging looks like the ones you can find for little girl makeup sets. But no! They are amazing glosses despite the slightly cheap plastic container it comes in. I'm super stoked to have so many colours to play with. 

The brush and the bag that it comes with are also very handy. Size is great, good for travelling and makeup gigs!

The blush set comes with 4 Amazonian Clay blushes (I LOVE THEM!) in colour Angelic, Fantastic, Magic, and Stellar. It's a great selection and fits most skin tones. Prior to this I only have Dollface, and this has made my blush collection so much better!!!

All in all, I highly recommend you to check it out in stores if Tarte is accessible to you. I'm sure you will fall in love with it!

Stay tune tomorrow for some Givenchy makeup review.

Tarte Maracuja C-Brightener Eye Treatment Review & LOTM

Tarte Maracuja C-brightener Eye Treatment

So I think I've found the perfect eye cream! Tarte Maracuja C-Brightener Eye Treatment is my secret to  fine lines!

I received this premium tester when I did my last Tarte purchase from QVC. I am so grateful because I have not been able to find an eye cream that does not sting my eyes and make them all sticky when I wake up in the morning!

My husband also used this eye cream when he had an eye infection. He rubbed the skin around his eyes too much and became extremely puffy and wrinkly, I suggested to him to use my eye cream and it caused no extra irritation to his already irritated eyes!!! Moreover it helps to soothes the skin and reduced inflammation.

This product doesn't claim to do much, but all your skin really needs is to be moisturised. Moisturised skin can prevent pre-mature fine lines and ease your makeup application!

Content

Pros:

• Non oily/greasy
• Does not cause irritation
• Very moisturising

Cons:

• Only available in QVC or Sephora (will be launched with the Fall Collection)

LOTM (Look of the Month)

To end this post, I'm sharing a look that I have been wearing VERY frequently this month. It's quick, easy, and long lasting!

Close up

See you!!

Simple Brown Smokey Eyes

Hi all! Today I'm back with a tutorial showing  you how to do simple brown smokey eyes, suitable for day and evening. This is particularly easy for those of you who do not have a habit of putting on smokey eyes.

Complete look!

Like usual, I begin my post with a bare face!

BEFORE

I recently went to Sephora and got a Laura Mercier kit for $80 and I'm trying out some of the products! So first prime your face either with a moisturiser/ primer/ sunscreen, depending on what you'll be doing for the day.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Oil Free

Next up, use your favourite foundation to even out your skin tone! Here I'm testing out the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser for the first time.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Nude

This product is quite thick, much thicker than a standard one hence it feels more like a foundation but with a light coverage.

After tinted moisturiser

At this point I usually begin my eyes by tight lining it. 

Physicians Formula Eye Brightening Eye Pencil in Black (comes in a trio)

Shimmery Light Beige Eyeshadow

Using a flat eyeshadow brush, go into a shimmery light beige eyeshadow colour and put it all over the lids. This will work as a base for easy blending later.

As such..

Shimmery Taupe Eyeshadow

With a more dense brush, go into a shimmery taupe colour and place it as high as you wish it to be. For me I like to have it slightly visible when I look straight.

Non blended

Skin tone eyeshadow

Use a blending brush and an eyeshadow that is 2 shades lighter than your skin tone, blend out the harsh line from the taupe colour eyeshadow. This will also act as a brow bone highlight!

Almost there~

With the same eyeliner that I used for tight lining, line the upper lash line. 

Outer half lined

I prefer to only line the outer half for a more natural appearance. Smudge it out using the taupe colour and the same brush before. This will soften the line and also prevent it from going everywhere as time goes by!

Smudge out!

Eyeshadow on lower lash line

With the shimmery beige and taupe, line the lower lash line accordingly. If you like to line your water line, go ahead! I personally find that it closes my eyes and make them really tiny.

Etude House Powder Foundation

Set your makeup lightly with a powder foundation or a setting powder. I like to use a powder foundation with tinted moisturiser as it provides more coverage.

NYC Sunny Bronzer

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dolly

Contour the sides of the face and nose to enhance your facial feature. Add blush to complete.

Here!!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 035 Charm

Finish your look with your favourite lip. I am using this as I'm opting for a more natural look.

See you soon!!

Thank you for your support and please leave a comment if you wish for me to review any of the products here in detail!!