KAT VON D MAKEUP FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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Sephora has been killing it with new products and brands as of late. The one that I was excited the most is the Kat Von D makeup range. For years, I have been eyeing the Lock It Tattoo range with foundation and concealer which was one of the best and most full coverage foundation probably 4 years ago. It covers pretty much everything from tattoo, scars, acne. Problem is I could not get a hold of the foundation anywhere! Fast forward to this day, Kat Von D expanded her makeup range and came out with a lot of amazing products!

THE FACE | TOP FAVOURITE PRIMERS FOR OILY SKIN

It took me years to finally realize that primers are necessary before applying foundation! My skin type is oily / acne prone which includes a lot of textures and enlarged pores. It definitely does not look cute in real life especially in photos when I don't use any primer at all! Using a primer makes a huge difference on how the makeup will look on natural lighting and artificial lighting. Basically, it creates a smooth canvas and also acts as a barrier between the skin and foundation. There are different types of primers, so it is a matter of trying out different primers and finding what works best for your skin type.

BEAUTY GRAB | Essence Shape Your Face Contouring Palette

Recently, I went to Farmers to just haul a bunch of necessities when I walked pass the Essence stand. Man I love this drugstore brand so much! They always come out with new products after new products and most of them are of great quality with fun embossing + packaging! Since contouring and highlighting went top of the roof, every drugstore brand started coming with their own versions! Some are a hit and some are a miss but it really depends on what you're after.

THE FACE | In-depth Impression on MILANI Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation

Full coverage foundation is my ultimate go-to. It does not matter what season it is; I have to have my full coverage base. One is to conceal all my imperfection (mainly acne scars) and two I think it creates a flawless base for other products to go on top. For reference, my skin type is oily / acne-prone with enlarged pores. Since I do a 7-4 job on the daily, I need something that will last me all day without needing to touch up in between. If you have been a long time reader of mine, you would know how much I love my Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, which has been with me through and through. I went swimming with it on, did a fitness routine, played outdoor tennis, and of course worked in a hot steamy kitchen! It works perfectly and I only have to blot once the entire day! Fast forward to now, I need something that is in my budget range that will work just as great as my holy grail foundation! (Also I can't keep spending $70 on foundation every 2months!) 

It is the perfect excuse for me to hunt for a new affordable foundation!

CONTOUR GAME LEVELLED UP!

Highlighting and contouring is not something that I really pay attention to. However, since the makeup trend of chiselled cheek bones and highlighted under eyes blew up, everyone hopped into the bandwagon. I myself did and was actually proud to kind of master the art of contouring with powder. Though I often catch myself with really muddy and patchy looking contour! The key to makeup is to BLEND! No matter what you do it is always good to spend hours in blending and buffing! 

THE FACE | CURRENT FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATION ROUTINE

Full coverage products is where my happy place is! I love a good full coverage base which means, it gives me a flawless face to flaunt through out the day. It easily hide my imperfections from acne scarring, uneven skin tones / pigmentations, and of course my very loud dark circles! For the longest time, I have been over the moon with Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation which I still love to this day. The coverage is on point, and the longevity especially on oily skin is perfection! Now that it is winter time, I'm trying to avoid any heavy full matte foundation as I get quite a few dry spots due to cold weather. 

BEAUTY GRAB | 10 Piece Oval Makeup Brush from Ebay

A whole new different look at makeup brushes! When Artis makeup brushes came out with revolutionary toothbrush looking makeup brushes, that supposedly works best when you apply makeup to yourself! Personally, I have not tried the brand as it is pretty costly. MAC Cosmetics also have their own version but I could not find it anywhere in New Zealand. Best place to go was Ebay! Majority of my tech stuff came from Ebay and I love this website! It is definitely a hit and miss but most of the time I get lucky with my purchases! 

BEAUTY GRAB | What's New With L'oreal Paris!

Moving took a toll on me especially with my scheduling. But enough about that! I recently found a stash of untouched makeup from L'oreal. I clearly forgot about this stuff, thank goodness for cleaning! These products is already out in the market for you beautiful people to grab! 

BEAUTY GRAB | Art Store Brushes for Makeup?!

When it comes to a flawless makeup application, makeup brushes are must haves! It makes everything apply seamless and flawless! Makeup brushes are definitely something I like to collect especially when they're soft and fluffy! I had thought of trying on art store brushes to see if it will work great with makeup as much as it works with paint!

UNBOXING | Lust Have It Beauty Bag

Getting subscription boxes is like getting present every month! You never know what you're going to get until you unbox it! Lust Have It has the best selection when it comes to beauty samples and I like the theme that revolves around the season! This time it is all about the summer youthful glow!

THE FACE | Poolside / Beach Makeup

I'm really sad that summer is almost over! I did not get much sun tanning done though I did quite a lot of walking (tan + exercise) so I guess it can be a 2 in 1 kind of thing? However, there was one time where I decided to go for a dip at the beach since it was pretty hot and muggy! Personally, I can't leave the house without makeup! So any time I go for a swim, I have to have something that is waterproof and can last through heat and sweat!

THE FACE | Full Coverage Base Duo

Full coverage base is every girl's best friend! I love how airbrushed and flawless my skin looks, the imperfections are easily hidden, and it looks great on photos! However, full coverage base can either look good or bad depending on the application and products used! One thing I hate is for it to look so cake-y and patchy through out the day. For majority of 2015, I did give up full coverage makeup and went all lightweight and natural looking. But when I reverted back, I knew that I was missing something and that full coverage makeup works best for me!

UNBOXING | Lust Have It Beauty Bag 2016

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Back to back unboxing of the Lust Have It beauty bag! It's hard to stop myself from opening the bag! I can already see a bunch of goodies inside the box and oh boy! Lusties, we are showered with awesome products once again and this time its better! (GEE I know I've said this so many times but its truly amazing!)

THE FACE | SUMMER BASE

This year's summer is by far the best I've experienced! The temperature never drops below 20 degrees which I enjoy and with the hope of it lasting for a long time. With this heat, protection is much much needed especially for the face. Not only that, if you're a makeup wearer like me things can tend to slip and slide so a good setting powder is a must to last a day without feeling and looking like a greaseball.

UNBOXING | Lust Have It Beauty Bag

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It's unboxing time once again and probably the most exciting part of my whole month! Since we moved to a new place, I lost track of what month this bag falls under. Lust Have It was kind enough to send another beauty bag and the contents are amazing! I've said it before but it keeps getting better and better!

BEST 15 of 2015 | BEAUTY EDIT

2015 was a hit and miss for me. It was a hit because I got to do quite a few things and experienced a whole bunch of exciting stuff in both lifestyle and beauty! I'm fortunate enough to be working along side great companies and also expose my unknown skills to the world. It was a miss mainly because of my skin issues. My skin went all ballistic and started irritating wand do all sorts of stuff. I went back to my simple skincare routine but still did not quite do its magic. However, I'm grateful to have found makeup products I can use to hide my imperfections and enhance my natural features. 

BEAUTY GRAB | MECCA COSMETICA HAUL

Before the end of 2015, I did a massive haul to treat myself. I was originally only planning to purchase one thing, but we all know how that goes! With me working all the time and barely have time to go to the actual shop, I paid a visit to their online store which comes in pretty handy! I picked some new products, and some repurchase from the online store. 

BEST OF LUST HAVE IT 2015

Lust Have It is the only beauty subscription that I'm subscribe to for the whole 2015. I have to admit it was definitely a hit and miss for through out the year. There was a time that it was all skincare and I didn't really enjoy it that much. But towards the end, it has gotten better! They listened, and included more makeup products than usual! On top of that, most products are full size!

THE HOLIDAY FACE | Rock Metal Eyes , Brown Lips

Finally I get to try the studio light I purchased from forever ago. I think I kind of like the way the photos turned out! It does not fully wash me off and also you can actually see the colours of my eyeshadows this time! My fourth look using the BH Cosmetics Special Occasion palette. This look was supposed to go up before Christmas but due to holidays and it kinda pushed it back. But this look can definitely be worn on NYE!

THE HOLIDAY FACE | Pomegranate Punk

Third instalment for my THE HOLIDAY FACE series. For this look, I went into the dark side and created a little edgy / bold look. This look is night out appropriate but hey it's makeup so you can definitely wear it whenever you want!