Beauty Products Used Up in October 2017

Beauty Products Used Up in October 2017

Videos Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, October 31, 2017

I've had a nightmarish last few days - while already nursing a foot injury, I woke one fine morning to an acute allergic reaction to the point of severe anaphylaxis. Apart from bad urticaria and joint inflammation, I couldn't move my neck/head at all, and landed in the ER. They pumped me with 'roids and antihistamines, and the former have broken me out, but as my doctors said, it was a question of priorities. I'll have to navigate my skin through bad acne all over again (long-term readers will remember I battled it for the major part of 2016, and am currently undergoing scar revision). Boo!
And, we don't even know exactly what caused the anaphylaxis - they'll do an allergy test after three weeks of no meds and no hives. They suspected a peanut allergy, but it turns out it wasn't one after all. Good. I adore chilli-and-lime peanuts.
Enough whining. Let me show you the beauty products I used up in October 2017, and what I thought about each one.

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Beauty Products Used Up in September 2017

Beauty Products Used Up in September 2017

The Ordinary Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, October 02, 2017

I was going to do an Empties' video; unfortunately, my studio is still undergoing acoustic treatment. The good news is that there are results and the echo is definitely reduced, but the bad news is that all the acoustic foam and the panels are ruining my walls, although they haven't affected the lighting. So this one is a blog post.
Pity, that - I actually managed to use up quite a bit of makeup this month! I'm very proud of that; I now have a self-imposed scheme. For every 10 makeup products (the same applies to skincare) that I empty, I can buy ONE product. I hope this scheme will help curtail buying in 2018, and help me finish up more.

Scroll down for the beauty products I used up in September 2017, and my quick impressions of each.

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Baking Makeup Technique: What, How To, and FOTD

Baking Makeup Technique: What, How To, and FOTD

Zelens Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Just when I thought I had the hang of strobing and highlighting, the trend changes to "baking". What next, the stir-fried makeup look? Or the parboiled one?
So what is the baking makeup trend? No, you don't stick your head in the oven. There are different ways of "baking" or cooking your makeup out there, but the majority of the beautysphere, particularly on Reddit, follows these steps:
1. After makeup, you apply a tonne of powder. Some recommend baby powder, but you can also use any old pressed or loose powder, or setting powder in your own shade.
2. Then, you proceed to dunk your face in a basin of water. Some do this by liberally spraying on a face-mist, but I find that leaves most of the powder on the face and actually combines with the powder "to create a sort of blancmange".
3. Post-dunk, pat your face dry - gently, please.
Fans of the trend claim your makeup will be set, matte and long-lasting. Let's see what happened when I "baked" my mug.

Scroll down for the lowdown on the baking makeup trend, and for a "baked" FOTD using the Lorac Pro 3 Palette and more. 

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Makeon Princess Limited Edition Bronze Spectrum Waterproof Gel Liner Season III Review, Swatches, EOTDs

Makeon Princess Limited Edition Bronze Spectrum Waterproof Gel Liner Season III Review, Swatches, EOTDs

Tosowoong Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Korean brand Tosowoong has been releasing limited edition Makeon Princess Gel Liner sets in seriously cute tin packaging, over the last couple of years. The first set had a mermaid-themed packaging and the liners were pearly while the second season's offering came with smoky eyeliners. This year's Season III set of Tosowoong Makeon Princess Limited Edition Bronze Spectrum Waterproof Gel Liners - costing just $8.77 - comes in Cleopatra-themed packaging and the liners are bronze-centric.
For new entrants into the world of Korean cosmetics, Tosowoong is a skincare giant whose Dr Troubex range gets my contrary, obstinate, badly-behaved skin out of troubles. Makeon Princess is their gel pencil liner range and they have had three limited edition sets out so far.

Scroll down for the review, swatches and eye makeup looks with Tosowoong Makeon Princess Limited Edition Bronze Spectrum Waterproof Gel Liners Season III.

Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes To Hypnotise: On The Prowl, Supernova

Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes To Hypnotise: On The Prowl, Supernova

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, January 23, 2016

I am yet to come across a Charlotte Tilbury product I dislike. I am SO obsessed with her products that I just want everything in multiples, thank you! I was thrilled to find a couple of Nocturnal Cat Eyes To Hypnotise products in my Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar 2015, reviewed here. The Nocturnal Cat Eyes To Hypnotise sets contain an eyeshadow and a complementing eyeliner - all you need for a complete eye makeup look. I received the eyeshadow in the shade On The Prowl, and Rock 'N' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Supernova.
Since these came in the Advent Calendar, I did not get the external box that comes with the Nocturnal Cat Eyes set.

Scroll down for review, swatches and eye makeup looks using Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes To Hypnotise On The Prowl.

Party look: Purple eye makeup and matte red lips

Party look: Purple eye makeup and matte red lips

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, December 23, 2014

I am feeling somewhat low. A holiday I had planned was cancelled and a meeting I was looking forward to has been postponed. But most important of all, my Gramps fell off the bed a couple of days ago and has not been well. Gramps being ill is not a common occurrence, given his spirit, will-power and energy. Plus, he has been fighting the dreaded "c" since last year.
He is my absolute hero and the man who introduced me to everything from Dickens to tennis and military history. Small wonder then if I cannot imagine existence without him. All the worry, along with lack of time to remove makeup at night, has led to breakouts on my left cheek and chin, leaving my skin flaky and oily at the same time.
Nonetheless, life must go on - there are parties I cannot get out of, and makeup is a bit of a cheer-me-up. I opted for purple, my favourite shade for eye makeup, and the most atypical (for me) lip colour I could find in my stash with no thought for that stupid rule about not combining bold eyes and lips.

Here is the Holiday makeup look I wore to the first party of the season.

Ipsy November 2014 beauty bag review

Ipsy November 2014 beauty bag review

Temptu Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, November 28, 2014

The November 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag is themed "Girl Meets Glitter". The info card says the secret to making the ordinary extraordinary is to add some glitter, shimmer and shine to your everyday look. The bag is by Forever21 for Ipsy and is a pretty glittery silver bag I love. I must say this is the prettiest Ipsy bag I have seen in recent times and the prettiest in my Ipsy collection (which is very young). I am going to replace my touch-up bag which I keep in my handbag, with this one. Currently, I am using a grey bag from Bourjois and the Ipsy bag is prettier and more fun. And now for the contents.

Read on for my review of the November 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag.

 

Lip Factory September 2014 review, unboxing

Lip Factory September 2014 review, unboxing

Reviews Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, September 26, 2014

Themed "Autumn Arrives", the September 2014 Lip Factory beauty box is quite early in my mailbox - I had been receiving the previous couple of boxes by the end of the month or even in the first week of the following month. For those new here, Lip Factory is a Florida-based makeup subscription box that ships out monthly. You get five or six FULL-sized makeup products, which is why this box is such a win. It costs $22 a month within the US and $32 worldwide, but that is around $5.30-6.40 per product, which is not a bad deal at all. To subscribe, hit their website and do quote my reference number 385650 to get 50 points, which you can later redeem for products or a box!

Read on for my review and unboxing of the September 2014 Lip Factory Beauty Box.

Benefit They're Real Push-Up Eyeliner review

Benefit They're Real Push-Up Eyeliner review

Samples Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, July 23, 2014

I was somewhat surprised to find that Sephora ME was giving out travel-sized samples of the Benefit They're Real Push-Up Eyeliner from the Benefit counter. I had expected sachets of The Porefessional, minis of They're Real mascara or That Gal, vials of perfume, even mini kits as gifts with purchase, but not something this recent.
I am someone who does not really mind any kind of black eyeliner, as long as the fiddly thing is pigmented and black enough, if you get my drift. I'm not into pencil eyeliners except on the lower waterline, but apart from that, I am not fussy about liquid or gel eyeliners. In fact, I can even put up with wonkiness or gloopiness or thickness. Who is going to examine my eyeliner that closely?
Very few people like the Bourjois Erasable Eyeliner, whereas I do - reviewed here - and have used it in quite a few eye looks I have done. I draw the line (pun intended) at an eyeliner flaking and spreading all over the place of its own free will. But apart from those, anything from an eyeliners goes with me.  I'll take anything, although I reiterate that I do not like pencil eyeliners.

Here is my review and swatches of the Benefit They're Real Push-Up Eyeliner.

Plum-pink EOTD with Sleek Vintage Romance palette

Plum-pink EOTD with Sleek Vintage Romance palette

Smoky eye Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, June 06, 2014

The south-west monsoons, from June to September, have started, which means "natural light" will be dark, grey and cloudy for the next few months, except for the odd, lucky moment. And I live on the coast, where the rains strike first and strike hard. And, it speaks volumes for my inability to write a good intro when I have to rely on the weather as a topic. So much for wanting to write thriller fiction about illegal organ harvesting and weapon-smuggling. Ah well.
While I love my Too Faced, theBalm, UD and Sephora palettes, I keep returning to Sleek palettes frequently, for the amazing quality and range of colours and the price. My all-time favourite Sleek iDivine palette is probably Vintage Romance, which I reviewed and swatched here. The colours in this palette are so "me", if you get my drift. And, as I told you a couple of weeks ago, I now prefer eye makeup that accentuates a single eyeshadow and this is no exception.

Today's eye makeup look features the Sleek iDivine eyeshadow palette in Vintage Romance.

Smoky eye with Too Faced Candied Violet

Smoky eye with Too Faced Candied Violet

Too Faced Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, May 30, 2014

Of late, I like the idea of accentuating just the one eyeshadow - maybe with a matte neutral shade for the inner corners and browbones. What I do is apply the colour generously enough on the eyelids but with a light hand in the creases and then add neutral or highlighting shadow in the outer creases and browbones just to get the harshness out of the way. I have also been trying to go "smokier", with deeper shades.
Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette, reviewed and swatched here, has to be the neutral palette of the season! Apart from the traditional brown-based neutrals, this palette has a few surprise shades, such as violet, burgundy and pale pink. And, did I mention that the shadows smell just like chocolate? I picked Candied Violet for this look to break away from the neutrals.

Matte plummy-taupe EOTD with theBalm

Matte plummy-taupe EOTD with theBalm

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, May 22, 2014

All four of my wisdom teeth turned/are turning up well and truly impacted, perpendicular to the other teeth, growing straight into my cheeks. Two were removed, and my dentist gave me a schedule for other two, but one is now giving me grief as it tries to make its way into the world sooner than expected that I just might need to pre-pone extraction.
Moving to the makeup on the upper half of my face, I must say I love theBalm's eyeshadows. They are soft, buttery and pigmented and stay nicely on my oily lids. For today's look, I picked eyeshadows from two different palettes from theBalm.

Here is my matte eye makeup look using theBalm eyeshadows.

Yellow eye makeup with Sephora Blockbuster palette

Yellow eye makeup with Sephora Blockbuster palette

Smoky eye Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, May 09, 2014

This is not a regular EOTD that I wore outside; it is an experiment with yellow eyeshadow.
For a while now, I have been trying to step outside my comfort zone. Having seen the way Leelo of beautybymissl pulls off yellow eyeshadows, I have been wondering how the colour would look on me.
There was much hemming and hawing at first - I thought it would make me look ill with jaundice or something, wash out my skin tone, make my eyes dull, look absolutely garish.... The apprehensions were many but I finally decided to give it a try on a day when I did not have to step outdoors.
The left and right eye makeup looks are not alike this time; I wanted to try two different looks here. On the eye to the left of the picture (my right eye, but let's call it the eye to the left of the picture), I have layered the yellow all over, even over the crease colour, as you can see above. On the eye to the right of the photo is my regular style with the main colour on the eyelid and a dark colour lighthandedly applied on the crease and outer V. But let me show you the eyeshadows I used.

Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool review

Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool review

Too Faced Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, April 21, 2014

A black eyeliner is a must in everyone's kitty. As a rule, I prefer liquid eyeliner - application is gentler and it is easier to remove and to correct bloopers, which I always run the risk of making. But I don't like felt-tipped liners as a rule, because they tend to dry out very quickly, even if I seal them tightly and store them upside-down. However, you know that I am a sucker for anything gimmicky innovative, and that I am a huge fan of Too Faced, so when I saw the 3 Way Lash Lining Tool in Sephora in December, I picked up one for myself, attracted by the trident-like applicator, which you will see in a minute.

Here is my review of the Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool.

My basic makeup products for daytime wear

My basic makeup products for daytime wear

Primer Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, February 04, 2014

I'm leaving out the skin care; this is makeup alone - else we'll be here all day.
The photograph includes tools and multiple palettes and eyeliners for options, but I only use seven or eight makeup products in my everyday routine:

• Face primer
• Powder foundation
• Sutble eyeshadow
• Eye primer-cum-concealer
• Eyeliner
• Mascara 
• Lipstick

I may tack on a blush and brow gel if I can spare the time. I do go in for a more detailed routine, including highlighter, lip liner and so on, for special occasions.

Here are the makeup products I use in my daytime routine.

Lip Factory Box January 2014 review, unboxing, photos: International beauty box

Lip Factory Box January 2014 review, unboxing, photos: International beauty box

Reviews Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, January 30, 2014

How do I love thee, Lip Factory? Let me count the ways. Of all the beauty boxes that ship worldwide, this is one box where every month, you declare that this month's box is the best of them all. I was a little worried about the January 2014 New Year box, as I usually get my box by mid-month, but international shipping can be tricky.
Lip Factory is a US-based makeup-centric beauty box that ships worldwide. You get full-sized makeup products and maybe a sample or two and the value always exceeds the $22 that the box costs ($32 if you're outside the US). They bring in some amazing brands and, every four months, there is an all-lips box. To subscribe, hit their website here. Do mention my reference number 384919 and we'll both get 50 points apiece (used to redeem for products or boxes)

Here is the review and contents of my January 2014 Lip Factory Box.

Too Faced Cosmetics Liquif-Eye shadow collection swatches, review and photos

Too Faced Cosmetics Liquif-Eye shadow collection swatches, review and photos

Too Faced Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, January 13, 2014

With two days to go for my first blogoversary, I thought I'd have a dig around my stash and bring out something nostalgic.
The Too Faced Liquif-Eye Shadow Collection Palette was my first palette ever. I don't know when this palette came out, but I had bought it in 2012 because of the versatile colours. And because, with that little bottle of "liquid eyeliner transformer" to the left of the palette, you could convert any shadow into an eyeliner, and I loved coloured eyeliners long before I began wearing eyeshadow. And it worked so well, this used to be my Holy Grail eyeliner palette until the transformer liquid ran out. I still use these shades as eyeliners with an angular brush, which is how I've swatched them below.

Here's my review and swatches of the Too Faced Liquif-Eye Shadow Collection palette.

Bourjois Erasable Eyeliner review, swatch and usage with other liners

Bourjois Erasable Eyeliner review, swatch and usage with other liners

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, January 09, 2014

I've found a Holy Grail eyeliner! It's black and it's liquid but wait till you read ahead, pencil-fans (I like pencils and shadow-liners myself). Bourjois is probably my favourite drugstore brand and I love how they bring out some innovative products, such as the One Second Magic Polish Remover. And their regular products are on par with high-end in terms of quality, such as the Rouge Edition lipsticks and the Duochrome pencil liners.
When I first saw the Erasable Liners, I thought they were nail art pens, the kind you press down, like Barry M. And then, I was told they were eyeliners, so I thought they must be intended to make particularly thick lines. I couldn't have been more wrong. Thankfully I had the sense to pick up two of these.

Here's the detailed review and swatch of the Bourjois Erasable Liner.

EOTD: Simple neutral smoky eye makeup look with Accessorize eyeshadows

EOTD: Simple neutral smoky eye makeup look with Accessorize eyeshadows

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, December 27, 2013

I haven't quite done an actual neutral smoky eye makeup look so far, favouring other colour combinations to make my EOTDs more interesting. But having brought along only the Accessorize Lovely Day 32-eyeshadow palette on my trip, I had limited options and could use the blues, the greens or the purples only with some of the outfits I had packed. And, it gets dark here very quickly, by the time I want to go out in the late afternoons or evenings, so I haven't got hold of the natural light soon enough to photograph my eye looks. I've also been avoiding heavy eye makeup, since I prefer going makeup shopping with a comparatively bare face, for obvious reasons.
This is a simple neutral smoky eye makeup look I've done with the matte black eyeshadow, a rusty gold sparkle eyeshadow and a basic pale gold shimmer.

EOTD: Green smoky eye makeup inspired by The Hobbit and Middle Earth

EOTD: Green smoky eye makeup inspired by The Hobbit and Middle Earth

Too Faced Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, December 13, 2013

I'm going to watch The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug this evening! I've been immensely fond of The Hobbit (and Tolkien) ever since my Mum attempted to cheer me up through a bout of German Measles with the immortal words, "In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit." I used to wait outside my door, hoping some wizard would pass by, draw signs on the door and the next day, I would have strange dwarves to tea. Never happened. It was only when I entered my teens that the LOTR craze swept the rest of my peers, thanks to Peter Jackson. Enough background.

Here is my Middle Earth-inspired green smoky eye makeup look to celebrate the release of the second installment of The Hobbit series, using Too Faced eyeshadows.