An Update

Hello!
I think we all know that I can't handle the consistency of blogging, so should I bother with an excuse?
Anyways, I'm in university now. That means I have less disposable income on makeup ( but do I stick to that...?).
I'm trying to think of ways to post despite not having my DSLR or really anytime to do posts (excuses excuses).

I really don't know what this post is about...
Hopefully, there will be makeup post to come?

Fingers crossed,
Shini

Collective Haul #2

This is where all my money goes... 

 M.A.C Lipstick in Lingering Kiss - matte
Limited Edition unfortunately. I would describe it as a deep burgundy. Its so beautiful. I think I wore it all throughout January!

M.A.C Lipstick in Chilli - matte
A muted orange red. I think it really compliments my brown skin-tone. If you want to start wearing bright orange lipstick this would be a good transition colour to get used to it.

M.A.C Lipstick in Viva Glam III - matte
A brown plum. I would consider this shade a nude for deeper skin-tones (NC45 and darker maybe?). I've been wearing this as my every day nude since of late.

M.A.C Matchmaster Foundation in 7.0

A water based foundation that gives solid medium coverage that can be built up. The consistency is slightly creamy. So long as I set the foundation and maybe use a primer it lasts pretty well.

M.A.C Mineralize Skinfinish in Perfect Topping

 I usually gravitate towards the warmer more golden highlighters. This highlighter in particular has a flex of golden through it so although it is pink, it still compliments my yellow undertoned skin. The powder is fine enough to produce a 'natural' look but can be built up.

M.A.C Studio Fix Powder in NC 44.5

This is a high coverage powder. I opt for heavy coverage in powders to avoid having a heavy foundation. Weird I know, but to each their own. Having a heavy coverage powder that is exactly your skin-tone helps when your foundation turns out a bit too ashy.

M.A.C Fix+ Skin Refresher/ Finishing Mist

I thought I would never get this but here I am. This is such a weird product, I really don't know how to explain it. If you spray it on your cheekbones after you've applied your highlighter, it just amplifies the glow. Its amazing to make metallic shadow stand out even more. 

M.A.C Sheertone Blush in Gingerly 

I love to use this blush on my friends who have lighter skin-tones than me as well as on myself. It just adds a hint of colour and brightness to my skin-tone and is more a cold rose shade on lighter skin-tones.

M.A.C Pro-Longwear Paint Pot in Rubenesque

I had no need to buy this but I did (a reoccurring trend). Its a gold cream eyeshadow with a pearly pink running through it. Unfortunately the pink doesn't show up on my skin-tone. 

Nivea Men Sensitive After Shave Balm
A NikkieTutorials enabled product. Just watch the beginning of her tutorials to understand why.

 Prestige Bronzing Compact Powder
I rarely ever find a low end bronzing and highlighting product so I had to pick this up. The dark shade is dark enough to give me a soft contour and the lighter shade is perfect for a matte highlight on my skin-tone.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in Chocolate Cherry 7
I wore this religiously during the winter months. Its the perfect flushed sort of red on my lips and cheeks. Very quick and easy to apply as it blends effortlessly.

 

Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème in J'adore

The texture of this lipstick is the creamiest I will ever go. Its just at the stage between a cream and satin finish. I gravitate towards this lipstick when I need to whip something on before I go out.

Tom Ford Lip Color in 17 Violet Fatale
Major indulgence. I thought I would go for a violet of my first (of many) Tom Ford lipstick. Slightly comparable to M.A.C's Rebel but more vivid and pink.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick in Blush No.20

Every since I saw this on the Pixiwoo blog I was on a mission to get it before it sold out. It adds a stunning glow due to the warm bronze tones and adds a touch of pink. 

Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in 21 Distinction
A gloss for those who don't like glosses? Its quite thick but not sticky. The colour payoff is incredible.

Essence Viva Brazil Blush in 02 Destination: Sao Paulo!
Sometimes when you have a need to buy makeup you can't always splurge and that's when drugstore makeup comes to the rescue. I have always been a fan of Essence; their products are of excellent quality. This blush in particular however, didn't agree with me and was far to bright for my skintone. However, on my mother, who has a darker skintone than me, it looks incredible on. So my deeper POCs this is for you!

 Sephora Rouge in Crush
I got this as a Secret Santa gift. Such a dupe for M.A.C Rebel; colour and consistency wise!

 Too Faced Better than Love mascara
Now, the only reason I bought this was because it was called 'Better than Love' rather than 'Better than Sex' and I found that hilarious enough to spent my money on the irony. To my surprise though, I really like the volume and darkness this mascara gives my lashes.

 Urban Decay Subversion Lash Primer
This is the first lash primer I have ever used. At first, I was a bit sceptical and hesitant on whether or not this was worth my money and would do anything. Now that I have used it for a significant time I can tell you that it prolongs the curl of my lashes and adds volume for my lashes.

 Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eyeshadow Primer
All I can say is that it prevents my eyeshadow from creasing better than the Urban Decay primer.

 Isa Dora Brow Shaping Gel in 62 Dark Brown
I honestly wouldn't have thought I would like this product as much as I do. Initially, I found it to be very wet and every time I applied it, I ended up getting it on my brow bone. Not that I need anymore eyebrow but I almost always, at least, comb my eyebrows so this product has been my saviour when I need to tame these caterpillars.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 20 and 30
For contour and highlighting purposes that weren't really fulfilled. However, they came very handy when doing my friends' makeup. I have read that the product is very comparable to the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer.

 NYX Butter Gloss in Praline and Ginger Snap
NikkieTutorials, you have influence me again! I would have never thought I would like glosses but there is something about these. They aren't irritating or overly slippery. Also the shades that I got a pretty close to my natural lip colour so if they do slip out of my lip line, it is not a big deal.

 Gypsy Lashes in No. 92 

  

  Gypsy Lashes in No. 909

Gypsy Lashes in No. 913
I got lashes. They were on sale and cheap. I still don't know how to put them on without lash glue getting all over me.

Shini

#Belated - UK Haul

This March, I made a brief visit to London and Aberdeen. Obviously I did some damage! 

Benefit Roller Lash mascara
A cult classic ever since it was released. Its claim to curl lashes has been effective in my experience. I love how it separates my lashes and adds a decent amount of volume after a couple of coats. Also I find it easy to use on my bottom lashes without too many smudges on my lower lash line.

Real Techniques Sculpting Set
So I was strolling through Superdrug and saw that there was only one set left. It was a sign so I grabbed it and never looked back. The sculpting brush is amazing for cream contour and blends it seamlessly. I've only used the fan brush a couple of times for my highlight since I prefer to use a denser brush like the setting brush for a highlight you can see from outer space. For the setting brush, it is perfect for setting your under eye concealer. I also like to use it for a very defined contour and for my highlighter.

Sleek Face Contour Kit
With all this talk about contour and highlight this product is the way to go. Very affordable with an amazing colour range suitable for deeper skintones. I don't often gravitate to the included highlighter but its handy to have one in the same compact.

Le Blanc de Chanel Multi-Use Illuminating Base
I had been uhm-ing and ahh-ing about this product for so long. I heard that it had white cast when applied which put me off getting it for so long. However, when I was at the duty-free, the sales assistant told me there was only one left. You know how it goes; it was a sign from the universe that I needed this. Regarding the white cast, I have no issues with using this under my foundation since the foundation negates the white cast. However, when I mixed it with my foundation it significantly lighten my foundation. On my less makeup days, I love to apply this on my cheekbones.

Hope you enjoyed this!
Shini 

#Belated: USA Haul

This January I had the amazing opportunity to go to New Orleans for a contemporary dance festival. The whole experience dance and culture wise was incredible. To say the least, I went significantly ham makeup shopping and enabled a lot of my friends. This haul is mainly things that I have heard a lot about online and can't get where I live.

M.A.C Palette
Left to right; Row by row:
Typographic, Deep Damson, Sketch, Twinks, Bronze
Club, Fig, Beauty Marked, Satin Taupe, Coppering
Bottle Green, Handwritten, Corduroy, Saddle, Brown Script

The star of this haul! I wasn't planning on getting any eyeshadows in general on this trip but when I popped into MAC and found out that this palette that had been on my birthday list for yonks was half price here. Well, it was only straight thinking that I would indulge! Overall I am so happy with the colours I chose and have used almost every single one. The only two that have been slightly neglected are Typographic and Bottle Green but beautiful none the less.

M.A.C Strobe Cream
This was a quick purchase at JFK and only a sample size. I'm so glad I got it! Days when I wear minimal makeup I love to put this on the tops of my cheekbones for a glow.

Essie Nailpolish

Top to bottom: 

416 Berry Naughty, 388 Carry On and 700 Smokin' Hot
Nothing revolutionary to say about these nail polishes. They are my first Essie polishes and I have noticed their high quality. You only need two coats for an even opaque finish.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask
A quick item from the Sephora isle of Doom! I had heard rave reviews of this product and thought a sample size would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. When my skin is acting up I apply it all over. There is a slight sensation on your skin but that only reinforces that its cleaning out my pores. I also use it as a spot treatment.

Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Lashes mascara
I had a sample of this mascara a couple years ago and always meant to buy the full size. Due to the wand, it feathers out your lashes. Nothing too dramatic in terms of length and volume but a significant difference.

Hourglass 1.5mm Mechanical Gel Liner in Obsidian
A NikkieTutorials enabled product! I really had no need to buy a basic black liner, especially at this price. I haven't really used it because it isn't retractable and I don't want to waste it. It does stick to the water line though and you barely need to touch your skin for the colour to come.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Ebony
Another sign from the universe. This was the last pencil in Ebony so I had to get it. Normally I'm not at all a fan of brow pencils but its not just a brow pencil. Its a brow WIZ! I have converted from using brow powder to this when I want a natural brow because of how precise you can be with the small nib to add individual hairs. You don't need to apply that much pressure to the pencil for the product to apply which makes it so much more easier to use. It is truly an amazing product!

Kat Von D Tatto Liner in Trooper
A Claire Marshall enabled product. Its so easy to draw your liner with this as the brush is a cross between a felt tip and a brush. Its easy to create a thin line and the shape it allows for a wing to be created in one swift motion if you're that brave.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
Another product that is spoken a lot about online. I have only used it a handful of times and honestly I haven't really experienced it enhancing the brightness of my eyeshadows so I just use it in my inner corners to brighten up my eyes. 

M.A.C Lipstick in Smoked Purple - matte
There's a story that comes with this lipstick that I won't bore you with but which ended with me squealing in the MAC in New Orleans. This is my colour. I love it!

Milani Lipstick in 21 Sangria and 24 Black Cherry
I got these as gifts and the receiver of these loves them!

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Underage Red
All I'm going to say is that after this and need all the Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. Its amazing.

Tom Ford Lip Color in 06 Deep Mink
Last but definitely not least in any means ever. I got this a gift from my mum and she loves it! Unlike me she only wears nudes and finishes one lipstick to buy another. The dent in the bullet clearly shows her love for this lipstick. If you're an NC45 like us, this would be very flattering pink nude.

Hope you enjoyed!
Shini

Illamasqua Lipstick Collection

AKA my Illamasqua tower. 

A couple months ago, I decided to de-tube (?) all my Illmasqua lipsticks.  Despite their amazing color pay off and range, I have always found Illamasqua lipsticks hard to work with . They would drag on my lips and were very dry. However, once I depotted one lipstick since it had broke, I found it was much easier to work with. So with much deliberation and an excuse to stop revising, I decided to do that to all my Illamasqua lipsticks. 

I got the clear stackable containers from Dasio. Initially, I broke the lipstick into the pots and then realised that I could just wiggle the bullet out of the tube and not waste any product. To melt the lipsticks and make them more or less neater, I put the little pots into the microwave for 40 seconds and reduced the time by 10 second increments and continued on 10 seconds till the product had completely melted. Between each interval of heating, I would stir the lipstick with a toothpick. Some lipsticks were more cooperative than others. I then left them in the fridge for a couple of hours to set. 

ESP - matte

Underworld - matte (discontinued*)

Resist - matte (discontinued*)

Atomic - matte

Flare - matte (dry as the Sahara)

Buff - glamore

Shard - matte 

Growl - matte (discontinued*)

Left to right; row by row: Underworld, ESP, Growl, Flare, Shard, Atomic, Buff, Resist

The Verdict: SUCCESSFUL! 

The lipsticks apply so much smoother as I am able to mush my lip brush around in the product and warm it up. In my experience, microwaving the product didn't have a negative effect. They still smell the same and have the same consistency from before.

Shini 

(*discontinued - I'm not quite sure if they are so I am assuming since they aren't on the website)