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Coastal Scents Open Box Review!

Take a look at all the goodies I received in the mail and find out about my opinions on the products!

Ebay False Eyelashes Review

Finally! A more affordable way to buy beautiful quality false lashes!

Easy, Quick, Everyday Makeup Routine!

All you need is 15 min and you're ready to take on the world!

The Ultimate Wish List!

What I really want, and what you can give me.. ;)

Boxing Day Treats!

This is what I decided to pick up during this shopping madness...

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Happy Chinese New Year!! (Mini Haul?)

It's been over a week since I last updated. My apologies, as my life has been somewhat turned upside down in the past 2 weeks or so. =(

BUT! I AM back, hopefully resuming that good routine I had earlier in the month! =)

It's Lunar New Year tomorrow, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of my readers that celebrate this special occasion a: Happy New Year! 

Now, the tradition for when I grew up has always been, during New Year, you can reward yourself by buying new things and hopefully that's the kind of prosperity that you'll have throughout the following year...this is called 年货 (pronounce: nee-an who-ao [mandarin]). This technically refers to food items such as sesame crunches, or penut brittles and things like that that signifies good luck, but for my purpose here as a beauty blogger I'm going to put a twist to that by showing some of the goodies I got recently from China.

My dad was in China for an extended business trip, so I asked him to bring back a couple things. I won't be showing you guys everything here, but just some of the more significant items. If anything, I will be doing detailed reviews on some of the things that I find are special. ^^



First off, iPhone cases! the top one is a knock off version of Vivienne Westwood and te second one is just a simple bow. Both claim to have been made from Swarovski crystals, although I highly doubt the authenticity of that claim. Regardless, they look petty decent; quality isn't the GREATEST that you can get with crystal cases, but they only costed about, equivalent to, $20CAD, so I wasn't expecting much more in the first place...=)


False lashes are of course another must get item from Asia. These are hand crafted lashes made from synthetic fiber. They go on really natural, and they don't look too heavy for everyday use. I've gotten the same ones before and REALLY liked them for just adding a lot of emphasis to the eyes. I use these for when I do prom/formal makeup for my clients as well, and they are perfect for that! I bought 6 boxes this time, and they were either equal or less than $10 a box of 10 pairs...SWEEEET!


Got the SKIN79 Intense Classic Balm which I tried once at Pacific Mall and absolutely loved, but at the time they didn't have any in stock so I ended up not getting it. I picked up 2 this time. It's a very simple BB Cream, VERY creamy and very high in terms coverage. I feel like it's actually really similar to the consistency of maybe the Laura Mercier Liquid Foundation which is a very similar texture to this in my opinion. I also grabbed a couple more of The Face Shop's Pure Berry Moisturizer and the Calendula Moisturizer. The Pure Berry is a very thick gel that's very soothing on the skin. I have yet to try the calendula one which is suppose to be more hydrating. I will definitely report back with a review for both the BB Cream and the cream!


Last but not least, NAIL STICKERS!! These have rhine stones on them and are just super adorable! I feel like this would be the easiest way to make any plain colour nail polish look a little bit more fun without having to do pretty much any work at all.

That's about it for all the interesting things that I got. If I get a chance, I will do some swatches and detailed reviews on the products along with maybe some FOTDs. =)

I also got Sam the same VW case in the black version, if you're looking for a version of that, she might do an upload of how that looks soon! So be sure to check out her blog as well! =D

Hope you all have a wonderful New Year or just a normal awesome weekend!

Cheers,
Helen.




Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Wish List - Luxurious Edition.

I got myself the Marc Jacobs Holiday Pave Heart Studs in Light Peach (it's more of a rose gold colour...) and absolutely LOVED it! I wear them everyday now and I pretty much haven't taken it off since I got them a little over a month ago!
$48.00
So I have now become absolutely obsessed with Marc Jacobs jewellery...again thanks to Sam. Haha!

Here are a couple things that I selected out:

Drapped Zip Bracelet $88.00

I'm usually not a rock chic styled person so this is not something that I would go for. But I think it's because the chains are really thin,and elegant instead of something that's really chunky, that adds to the refined simplicity and softness of the piece and caught my eye right off the bat.

Holiday Pave Turnlock Studs $48.00

These are almost the same idea as the Pave Hearts that I got. As you all can probably see that I'm really into the gold/peach/rose gold colour theme. I just really like how the warmth in the colour compliments my skin instead of plain silver jewellery. 

Katie Link Bracelet $98.00

I absolutely ADORE this bracelet, and felt that instant connection to it (I know, sounds very cheesy haha...) the moment I saw it! I felt like this was so ELEGANT and feminine and I can totally see myself wearing this with almost every outfit that I'd usually wear or can ever come up with! Plus it's the perfect colour for me!           



I also have some pieces that I saw many times at Coach before that I'd like to one day own =)


Sterling Rondell Pendant $148.00

I like this for the pure fact that it's simple. Plus I really like the chain. I prefer something that's very fine like the connected beads in this case, as opposed to regular chains made of interconnecting hoops. 

Classic Op Art Toggle Bracelet $128.00

I've been, for the longest time, a true fan of toggle styled bracelets! I really dislike the look of clasps on bracelets; this is about the only time that I like a bit of chunkiness in jewellery! xD I think this embraces the classic charm bracelets look but it doesn't overwhelm with multiple dangling charms and is relatively simple looking.
Holiday Pave Stud Earrings $78.00

I've surprisingly been picking out a lot of "pave" styled items, but in fact I'm not really a big pave person...I loove the colour combo of these. I'm a traditionalist, which means I adore my pearl earrings. I have fairly large ear lobes and I really like the way that larger beads sit on them! 

The only real complaint that I have for Coach pieces is that I think they're wayyyyyy overly priced! I really don't think they're worth what they're marked at, and plus I do think the quality of Coach is slowly going down too...Big disappointment. =(

I'm not a big fan of Michael Kors jewellery because I think they're too bold and chunky for me. But I am for sure a fan of their bags and wallets!

I love the quality of Michael Kors and I think the streamline design is perfect for my tastes! 

Michael Kors Jet Set Continental Wallet $118.00USD

I really like the shape of this wallet. I bought the black version for my mom and absolute was jealous that it looked so good with everything and anything! I really really wanted the red version, but it's on back order until February...I love the vibrant colour of the wallet plus the laid back casual design. The texture of the leather is also very soft and smooth. 


Gia E/W Tote, Ecru $795.00USD

Medium Hamilton Top-Handel Tote, Vanilla $278.00USD

Typical choices of mine LOL. Both are very simple and classic designs. The Gia tote would be a good carry-all bag and the hamilton would be a good everyday bag to carry around. I generally like lighter coloured bags, because I think it's just easier to match them with clothing. I know they get dirty easily too but with proper maintenance, they can go by without being noticed. =D HAHA! Also I didn't chose the regular hamilton because I don't like the open top design. I feel like it looks unflattering, whereas this ne with the folded top makes it look a little bit more structured and proper if you were pairing this for a semi formal or even formal attire. =)

That's generally all for now...boy this post took me a really long time...:S let me know if you have any feedbacks!!

Love,
Helen.







Friday, January 6, 2012

OOTD AND FOTD! Special occasion edition.

So in the past semester, I was enrolled in 2 lab courses in my school. We had an awesome time in these classes, so after the semester has ended my biochemistry laboratory decided to have a get together to celebrate and to also thank our TA for his awesome guidance in the course! =D

This was a big thing for us, so I decided to take my time and do my hair and makeup today.


Tank: Aritzia
Jeans: American Eagle
Boots: Aldo
Blazer: Aritzia
Jacket: Aritzia

Since the place that we went to today was a pub I decided to go semi dressy, but still casual. I was originally going to wear tights instead but I figured that would make it a little too dressy so I went with jeans! =)


As for my makeup, I decided to go for a natural look and putting the focus on creating healthy and glowing skin!

This is what I used:


Primer: The Body Shop Moisturize It Primer + Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Concealer: MAC Select Cover-up NC20
BB Cream: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream 21 & 23
Powder: MAC Studio Fix Powder C2
Setting Spray: MAC Fix+ Lavender
Bronzer: Tarte Matte Waterproof Bronzer
Blush: MAC Beauty Powder "Shell Pearl"
Highlighter: Bare Minerals Illuminating Mineral Veil
Eye Shadow: Clinique Eyeshadow Duo "Like Mink" + Miss Helen 
Eyeliner: Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Serum and Eyeliner
Mascara: Tarte MultiplEYE Primer and Lash Enhancing Mascara
Eyebrows: Smashbox Eyeliner and Brow Kit

The whole look was super easy and fast to do, and last all day thanks to Fix+. It was a natural enough look for day time but also not too light for night time wear!

The whole night was amazing thanks to all my friends from the lab! I hope y'all liked the outfit and the makeup! Let me know if you'd like a tutorial on the look...

Hope everyone all had a wonderful Friday night!

Love,
Helen.






Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Inspirations and Update

No blog post tonight..=( gotta wash allll my makeup brushes since they've been just sitting with bacteria loading on them for the past 2 months...=S I know. Disgusting!

But I just wanted to share a little...actually a HUGE inspiration that I found:


Nic and Sam from Pixiwoo are probably the biggest inspirations that I have on Youtube and the beauty community online!

I find that their style of makeup is so simple and elegant. It's delicate yet still still very high fashion! I really like the way that they're so careful with the application process, and they such a wonderful job of explaining everything!

The video that I'm sharing is a look that Nic did as inspired by Amber Heard's makeup for Chanel promotion. The reason why I loveee this look so much is the use of a pink/coral/orange tint over the eyelid. I have to say, this COMPLETELY changed my mindset on warmer coloured eyeshadow!! I absolute hate to work with them. I think they make you look swollen, and it's just not very flattering. However, the way that the makeup was done, I made her look so fresh faced and the makeup looks very light! It's overall very young and lively looking and I just love the whole colour combination and ESPECIALLY the faded wing of the eyeliner -- I thought that was just BRILLIANT!

I know they used a lot of Chanel products in the video, but the theory behind it still holds very true.

I hope you all will like the look, and be sure to check out their other videos too; I'm sure you'll fall in love with it the same way I did!

Have a good night everyone!

Love,
Helen.


Monday, January 2, 2012

A little haul from The Body Shop Recently...

Just a little before X'mas, I picked up some of my regular items from The Body Shop.

Most of my body care and skin care items are actually from The Body Shop. They promote natural sources of their products, and I do believe that it makes a difference on the skin!

Fromt left to right: Blueberry Body Butter, Hemp Moisture High Balm, Original Carrot Cream, Elderflower Eye Gel, Cucumber Freshening Water and Facial Massager.

The Blueberry body butter is the only body butter that I'm willing to use. I LOVE the scent, as it's not too sweet (ie. strawberry,) or fruity (ie. Satsuma.) It's great for dry skin, and it soaks into the skin super fast without being overly greasy!

The carrot cream is one of the original products of The Body Shop when it first started. It's an AMAZING facial moisturizer. It's thick, and creamy on the skin but it's not oily or heavy at all! It's soaks into the skin SUPER fast and my skin just eats it up! I go through a jar about ever month to month and a half. It's the perfect consistency for the dry and harsh Canadian winter!

The Elderflower Eye Gel is a very simple water based gel for the eye. It helps to reduce dark circles and puffiness of the eye. I love it because it's very smooth and watery and absorbs fast on the skin! It's a thick gel so that means it's hydrates well too and I love to use this for messaging around the eye every morning and night; this will further reduce any dark circles and swelling by increasing microcirculation around the eye!

The cucumber toner is just a very simple toner to remove excess oil, dirt and makeup and to cleanse the skin further after washing. I feel like it's mild and just something good to balance out the skin before moisturizer is applied.

The facial massager is something that I'm trying out to reduce the swelling that I tend to get in the morning from fluid accumulation at night. (I sleep on very flat pillows because I sleep on my stomach, and that induces a lot of blood flow to the head and makes me very swollen in the morning.)

The Hemp Moisture High Balm is AMAZING!!! I have very bad cuticles from working with m hands all the time. I've tried MANY cuticle oils and none of them has ever worked on me. This balm melts when it's near body temperature and it's a thick oil that targets extremely dry area around the body. I put this on at night and just let it all soak in while I sleep. I sometimes even put this on at work whenever my hands are cracked and bleeding...=S but it works like MAGIC!


So that's it for tonight! Hope every has a good night!

Love,
Helen.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Everyday Makeup Routine

Since I am now working in the cosmetic industry, I'm required to wear a certain amount of makeup every day at work. As I've been working full time for the past 3 weeks, it's been quite tiring to have to put on makeup every morning at 6:30 and make it to work on time! It's also not the best feeling to have layers of makeup piled on your face and having it sit there for usually 8-12 hours a day!

I've then developed what I call a FULL-PROOF makeup routine that's bound to make me look polished and yet takes NO time at all! Plus, it's also light and airy, so there's less stress on the skin!

The concept behind this makeup routine is that I don't want to make anything dramatic; the whole purpose is to work with my features and emphasize their shape and play around with light and shadow to make them "pop" on my face...=D

This is pretty much what I use all the time:


Foundation:
Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF15
MAC Studio Fix Powder N2 or N3

Eyes:
The Body Shop Lightening Touch Illuminator 03
Clinique ColourSurge Eye Shadow Duo - Like Mink
Miss Helen (this is an eyeshadow duo that Sam brought me back from Paris with my name on it!  ~)
Physician's Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Eyeliner - Brown
Majolic Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will usually moisturize first and then put on the tinted moisturizer. I'll use the illuminator under my eyes and then finish off by powdering my whole face with the Studio Fix Powder. The tinted moisturizer gives a light coverage, and will act like a base and grab onto the powder. The powder provides further coverage, but you don't need as much of it to achieve the same result because of the tinted moisturizer. All in all, less powder to suffocate the skin, and the moisture surge is actually a very good hydrator! 
Then I will first use a light colour all over my lid, and then use a darker brown colour and blend it from my lash line up evenly across my eye, until just a little above the crease. This way, you don't really see the colour in the lid space (as I have Asian eyes...) but then you see that shadow created by the colour and so it makes the eyes look deeper and more emphasized on the face. I'll then line AND tight-line my top lash line with the liquid liner and slightly pull it out as a wing. I'll apply mascara and then finish off with some blush. My daily blush colours would be different depending on what I'm wearing that day; the one that I have been carrying around and have been reaching for very frequently is NARS's Deep Throat. Deep Throat is basically a peachy coral colour with some light golden sparkles to give a little radiance. It's SIMILAR to NARS's Orgasm, but more pink (less orangy,) and much subtler in terms of the glitter. 

Here are some pictures of how it all turns out!

It's basically a very natural look that gives definition to the face, and makes me look awake and put together, but will not over do it with too much makeup on the face. The whole thing takes about 15 min in total, and requires barely any effort!

This is what the makeup looks like after 12 hours, and 1 touch up --- pretty good and long lasting! =)

Hope everyone's having an awesome New Year's Eve ♥ !! 

Love,
Helen.




HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! (and new year's resolution)

First and foremost: 
I wish EVERYBODY a VERY HAPPY New Year!!

Now, this is 2012 we're talking about here. This is suppose to be an EPIC year! If the world indeed does end (which I don't believe it will,) I hope that everyone will live it to the FULLEST!! Enjoy every single moment and I hope that all of your wishes will come true.

Personally, 2011 has been a very bad year for me in many aspects. I went through a lot with my friends, family, school, career and many other things. I hope that 2012 would be a new beginning for me, and that it would be 10000000000000000000000 times more smoother than 2011 ever was!! >.<

In this upcoming year, I have 3 major expectations for myself:

1) I want myself to take more care of this blog. I want to be more consistant in terms of updating and I want to be able to keep up with updating on a regular basis for the WHOLE ENTIRE year. It would be a good opportunity to practise writing, and it's also something to train myself with in maintaining some responsibility!

2) I want to make sure that I go through with at least 2 weeks of vegetarian diet. I wanted to do the vegetarian diet because it sort of helps with cleansing out the system from all the accumulation of proteins and acids and stuff like that. I was planning on doing this the past year with Sam, but because of a sudden change of events, we were unable to go through with it. So this is definitely something that I'm looking towards to doing. 

3) Last but not least, I want to become a more confident person this year! I want to love myself more, and treat myself better and hopefully by the end year, see myself in a new light. I want to find what I value the most in life, and make sure that I never settle for anything less than exactly what I want and need in life! =)

Other than these resolutions for myself, I also hope that my love life and relationship(s) in 2012 would be smooth sailing compared to 2011! ;D (fingers crossed on blond boy...haha!)

BESTEST wishes to EVERYBODY!

Love,
Helen.

p.s. let me know what some of your new year's resolutions are!! ^^

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