Dior Blush 756 Rose Chérie

Today I'll be raving about the new love of mine, Dior Blush in 756 Rose Chérie. I never thought that I will be attracted to Dior blushes, but this new range of blushes has really pretty colours. You will be spoiled for choices and I decided to go with a 'safe' colour, Rose Chérie.

Can you see how gorgeous Rose Chérie looks in the pan?? Pink with that subtle gold shimmers to give that gold sheen, it's just a beauty.

When swatched, it takes quite a while to build up the colour intensity but it also means you are in control on how strong you want the colour to stand out. A gentle sweep with my MAC brush gives that glow on the face and a few more sweeps and the colour becomes stronger. The gold shimmers do not look obvious on my face and definitely does not accentuate my pores or make me look like disco ball. Love it!!

The first thought that came to my mind when I saw Rose Chérie is to compare against my favourite MAC blush in Springsheen, which is a coral pink blush with gold shimmers. As you can see from the pans, Springsheen is darker than Rose Chérie.

From the swatch below, Rose Chérie leans more towards pink whereas Springsheen is more coral.

Have you tried any blushes from the new Dior Blush range? Would love to hear your recommendations.

2013 has finally come to an end and 2014 is just a blink away. I hope I have not bored you with my blog so far and would like to wish all readers out there a Happy New Year!

Lancome 'Warm' Holiday Beauty Collection - swatches

Happy Boxing Day! How have you spent your Christmas and are you still unboxing and tearing open your Christmas gifts? I had a simple and cozy dinner with a good friend at my place with simple dinner made by yours truly and I am glad the food turns out decent. Nothing beats having good company over a nice meal and we can just yank and yank non stop.

Today I would like to share a Lancome holiday set which was purchased over Nordstrom. I believe I bought it over a month ago and honestly I cannot remember the details (probably a purchase with purchase) except that this big box of beauty cost USD59.50. Let's unveil this set!

Lancome has 2 holiday beauty collection on sale over Nordstrom and they are differentiated by 'warm' and 'cool' colour tone. I opt for the warm set considering my warm colour tone. The items comes in a huge 2 tier make up pouch which is great for storing stuffs. So what do we have in this set:-

1) Blush in Sheer Amourose

2) 3 eyeshadows in Kitten Heel, Madison Avenue and Latte

3) 'Bi-Facil' Double Action Eye Makeup Remover

4) Advanced Genefique

5) Lipsticks in Pink to The Club and Sugared Maple

6) Juicy Tube

7) Mascara

8) Pencil eyeliner

9) 'La Base' Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer

10) All Over eyeshadow brush

11) Eyeliner brush

It is a pretty well valued set considering the stuffs that comes with in it.

Swatches from left to right: Pink to The Club (lipstick), Sugared Maple (lipstick), Juicy tube, Kitten Heel (eyeshadow), Madison Avenue (eyeshadow), Latte (eyeshadow), Sheer Amourose (blush)

After trying out the items, there are a few touch and go for me. 

Love:-

1) Blush in Sheer Amourose

2) Eyeshadow in Kitten Heel (felt smoother than Madison Avenue & Latte)

3) Lipstick in Sugared Maple

4) Juicy Tube

5) Advanced Genefique (have been using it so this is great for travelling)

6) 'Bi-Facil' Double Action Eye Makeup Remover

7) Mascara

Meh:-

1) Lipstick in Pink to The Club (too frosty for my liking)

2) Eyeshadows in Madison Avenue and Latte (texture abit dry)

3) Pencil eyeliner (smudges on me)

4) All Over eyeshadow brush (I am too spoilt by good brushes from MAC and Hakuhodo)

5) Eyeliner brush (tip too big for an eyueliner, I felt)

Although I did not fall in love with all the products in this beauty set, USD 59.50 is definitely a good value set especially when you are purchasing stuffs and this set becomes an 'along the way' purchase. Otherwise, do take note of the shipping cost. :)

What's your Christmas look?

Hello everyone!! How's your preparation for Christmas which is going to be here in less than 24 hours. Many would be partying out and some will be hosting a simple Christmas dinner at home. In or out of house, don't you just feel like dressing up a bit for this joyous occasion? Other than that black dress (which every lady should have), perfume is definitely something I would like to put on too.

BOSS Nuit Pour Femme is the sophisticated new fragrance for women from BOSS Fragrances. The alluring and feminine scent is inspired by the most iconic symbol of feminine style – the little black dress and the confident reassurance it gives to women. Featuring a modern composition of feminine florals blended with sparkling top notes, BOSS Nuit Pour Femme is the perfect complement to the little black dress, serving as the uplifting finishing touch to the BOSS woman’s evening preparation, ensuring she feels ‘perfectly put together’.

Do you know Gwyneth Paltrow is the newly signed ambassador for BOSS Nuit Pour Femme? A successful woman both in her career and a wonderful wife and mother to her family, she is the epitome of today’s hard-working, multi-faceted modern woman. Confident, self-assured and supremely successful, her flawless style, charisma and sophisticated femininity make her the natural embodiment of BOSS Nuit Pour Femme.

Notes of BOSS Nuit Pour Femme

Top Notes

The top notes express the BOSS woman’s sense of excitement and anticipation as she prepares for her special occasion. The juiciness of the white peach combined with the thrilling radiance of the wet aldehydic accord provides a fresh and sparkling effect.

Heart Accord

Beneath the modern top, the heart accord represents her feminine sophistication, featuring a feminine jasmine and white flowers bouquet, while violet adds a sensual softness.

Base Notes

The base of the fragrance is laced with a seductive edge that grows ever richer as the evening unfolds, mirroring the BOSS woman’s sensuality. In the dry down, vibrant crystal moss echoes the dazzling character of the top while warm woods and creamy sandalwood bring a soft and gentle quality.

Just like that simple black dress that every lady has to own one, BOSS Nuit Pour Femme is housed in an elegant black glass bottle with luxurious glass details.

In case you are wondering what is Gwyneth Paltrow's choice of Christmas outfit, I am not surprised to know that she will opt for something simple like a black outfit with red lips (even though she confessed that she is not very good with red lips and will end up choosing a natural look).

Well, when it comes to the Christmas outfit for me, it will definitely be something simple and comfortable (especially if you are hosting) and some simple makeup to bring that glow to your face. Below are my choices of makeup items that I will use.

Do share what will your Christmas outfit be this year and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my beautiful readers out there a Merry Christmas. :)

Lunasol Full Glamour Liquid Lips in EX03

Lunasol Full Glamour Liquid Lips in EX03 was purchased months ago during the Kanebo sale and yes.... lazy me only got down to blogging about it now. I am guilty as charged, hehe.

I admit that I am more of a lipstick then lipgloss person because my preference has always been to have colours seen on my lips. Glosses are just shiny, sticky substance that we apply on our lips to achieve that pouty look which frankly, I don't quite need it with my thick lips.

Honestly, if you hate the super sticky texture of MAC lip glosses, you should look at Lunasol Liquid Lips. The texture is much lighter and not as sticky as MAC. Glosses being glosses, there is no way it is not sticky though.

Lunaol Full Glamour Liquid Lips in EX03 is a cool raspberry pink shade which looks very sweet. Although it does not look very pigmented on my lips, it gives a healthy pinkish tone to my lips.

I have compared it against Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Insolence in the picture below. The reason why I choose Insolence in the comparison was because the colour of both glosses look very close when I look at the product on the doe head applicator. However, clearly they are different. EX03 is a cool pink shade with very subtle shimmer whereas Insolence looks redder.

Chanel Illusion D' Ombre in Initiation

Chanel Illusion D' Ombre in Initiation was a gift to me by a very sweet angel. I'm glad to have this for free (cheapo me!!!) because Initiation is indeed a gorgeous shade!

There have been a lot of rants on the blogsphere about the quality issue of the this collection of the ombre and I can see why. It is not as bouncy as the usual batch and you can also see from the picture below that the eyeshadow does not touch the side of the pot as well.

The saving grace, on the other hand was that the texture is still smooth and the colour was not compromised.

Initiation is a beautiful bronze shade which is absolutely versatile for day or night use. I have been using Initiation on it's own in the morning and it is super convenient. Pat it on my eyelid using my finger, draw on my liner, sweep on some mascara and my eye makeup is done in 5 mins!

For a heavier night makeup, just pair Initiation with a darker shade such as Burberry's Mulberry, MAC's Satin Taupe (and the list goes on.....) and you are all ready to party for the night. :)

For those who look for good deals online, do take note

For many (including myself) who are on the look out for good and genuine deals online, this is a personal story that I would like to share with you. This posting is not meant to deter you from getting good deals but more of creating awareness. This is a lengthy post but I felt it is important for me to share this so if you do not have the patience to read on, I wish you good luck.

I have always been a look out for good deals online when it comes to stuffs (branded bags, accessories etc etc) because I am someone who can accept 2nd hand stuffs as long as the item is in good condition or in a condition that I can accept (factoring in the $ I am paying). As so you know, that doesn't means I am ok to pay $200 for a Chanel wallet because that is just plain impossible. I am looking for that 10% - 20% savings for brand new items that can usually be obtained if you get some tax savings etc.

One month ago on 23 Nov 2013, I saw a thread on deluxemall.com selling a pair of brand new Chanel earrings for $250. I have checked out the price at the boutique at Takashimaya and it retails for around $320, if I remember correctly. Comes with full set (box, paper bag and receipt). I PM-ed (private message) the seller expressing interest and 'she' contacted me on the deal. 'She' confirmed that it's brand new and comes with full set of stuff at $250 so voila, I decided to go for it. However, 'she' don't do meet up as she said the price is low but 'she' will mail it out via registered mail after receiving my bank transfer. This should set warning bells for me but I was stupid enough to go ahead with the deal. 'She' further gave me a 'bundled promo' if I were to get the simple Chanel necklace that was posted for sale too. Retailing at ard $370, I can get it for $300 since I am purchasing the earrings as well. Cheapo streak in me strike and I went for the deal of Chanel earrings and necklace for $550. Transfer of $550 was made on 24 Nov 2013 and to date, I received nothing (products or money refund).

Multiple follow ups have been raised by me over the next few days after transfer and you can see from the screenshoots of my Watsapp conversation with 'her' that 'she' has 1001 excuses.

Sent on 25 Nov 2013

Sent on 26 Nov 2013

Sent on 27 Nov 2013

The last straw came when I messaged 'her' on 29 Nov 2013 to confirm our meet up on Sat, there was no reply. Feeling uneasy, I went back to deluxemall.com and found this thread. The phone number and bank account number ( I boxed out in blue) is the same as the seller I have been liasing with.

If you have the time, check out the links in the thread and you can see this MAN (and not lady) that he protrays himself to be is born in 1994 (only 19 years old this year) and has started scamming since 3 years ago. I send him a threatening note after reading this and finally I got his reply.

Of course, he did not fulfil his promise by refunding me at 1pm the next day and a police report was made.

To cut the long story short, from 30 Nov 2013 until today before this posting was made, this cheat has 'promised' to refund me my $550 again and again and of course each time he will have 1001 excuses. One classic one is that MINDEF haven't paid him his NS pay on 10 Dec 2013 and have to wait. Well....... we are talking about MINDEF here, not some unknown sole proprietor company, do you think this is possible??? Or he will say he hasn't book out of camp because he is rushing some reports (sound damn intellectual lor). I felt that I have wasted enough time on this bastard that I think enough is enough told him that I will give my full cooperation to the relevant authorities (MINDEF and Police) to make sure he get caught.

I also got PMs from some other victims and apparently, Desmond Yeo is not exactly a stupid idiot. He was able to create multiple accounts in Deluxemall to continue his scams. There are victims who got scammed by him via Facebook. Honestly, I do not believe he operate alone looking at the number of phone numbers and bank accounts he has, so we might be looking at a team. In fact, when I asked why can't he refund me back the money from the account I transferred to, he said that account is not his, and just yesterday the Investigative Officer called me to update me on his findings and confirmed this fact.

From this scam experience, I have learnt a few important lessons:-

1) ALWAYS do face to face meet ups on such deals. Whether you agree to mail orders or not will all depends on your comfort level.

2) Victims, please stand up and make the police reports if you have been scammed. I know it might be embarrassing for you for whatever reasons, but only through the collated efforts by the victims to make the reports can the police be aware of the severity of the situation and conduct their investigation. I have followed up with the Investigative Officer of this case and he said including myself, 4 reports have been lodged on scam and money have been transferred to the same account. Police's definition of severe: 3 reports or more.

3) Victims who are lucky to get the money back..... please wake up your selfish idea and don't go quiet just because you got your $ back. You are not doing the rest of the victims or potential victims a favour at all. All you are doing is condoning the crime of this cheat and he will never be punished.

4) The police force will take time to investigate as they look at facts so we have to live with it that the case will not be closed so soon.

As I mentioned earlier, this posting is not meant to deter anyone from getting good deals online. I just want to share my personal experience so that we can still continue to get good purchase while staying vigilant.

YSL Holiday 2013 Avenue Marceau eyeshadow palette

I have always have a thing about purple eyeshadows and I'm not sure why. Whenever I check out any counters for their eyeshadows, I will always swatch the purple and neutral shades first. While shopping for the holiday collections of 2013, YSL Holiday 2013 Avenue Marceau palette immediately called out to me.

Don't you just feel happy looking at the case?

Opening out the case is just another happiness. I love the feminine mix of colour in this pan with a shimmery pink and almost white pale pink on the top row and a gold and purple shade on the bottom row.

Let's check out the swatches, shall we? In case you are not aware, YSL Avenue Marceau can be used dry or wet. I personally prefers to use my eyeshadows dry for hygiene reasons (I am paranoid that using a wet brush to dip into the pan will invite germs and bacteria) but for ladies who prefers the colours to stand out better, you have to use these shadows wet.

Swatches (dry)

When swatched dry, it takes quite a bit of effort for the pigmentation to stand out so the swatches above is very heavy. When using a brush, the intensity of the colour is very much reduced.

Swatches (wet)

The swatches above are using a brush which I had wet with MAC Fix+. Although the colour intensity came out similar to the picture above, it requires lesser effort and is with  brush instead of finger.

On a overall basis, I am quite happy with this palette that doesn't gives me any fallout. My only complaint would be the gold and purple shade which feels drier than the other 2 shades. I need to apply more of these 2 shades in order to get stronger colour intensity.

Your fragrance story for this Christmas

Do you have a Christmas wishlist showing the presents that you would like to receive for this Christmas? I actually don't because I am a very random shopper but one thing for sure is that I always prefer practical gifts that I can use such as accessories, fragrances, body care products etc etc. I'm sure I am not the only practical lady here so it will definitely more meaningful to have personalised messages in the gifts to make the gift more meaningful.

If you are keen to get fragrances for your loved ones as gifts and yet unsure on what kind of fragrances they would like, you would be glad to know that P&G Prestige’s Quintessential Christmas Gift Guide, with their extensive fragrance range will definitely have something that you can find.

It would be interesting  to add in some fragrance facts in your personalised note as well and I especially think Note 4 below is interesting since it is something that I am not aware of until now.

Have you spotted your fragrance story this Christmas yet? :)

Celebrate Christmas with Zalora

Doesn't time just flies? 2013 is almost coming to an end and before we know it, 2014 is here. Among all the months of the year, December has got to be my favourite month. Other than December being my birthday month, it’s also the month when we celebrate Christmas. The joy of giving!! With the joy of giving comes the frustration of thinking what to give, haha. If you are also running out of ideas of what to get for your loved ones, fret not! Check out Zalora.sg!!

Zalora.sg has a wide selection of products both for him or her, ranging from fashion, lifestyle products and beauty as well. There will definitely be one that can fit your budget and gift requirement.

Not only will you be shopping in the comfort of your home without facing the crowd in major shopping centres, your purchases will also be delivered to your stipulated address FOR FREE if your purchase is above $40.

Let me share you another piece of good news. By signing up for Zalora newsletter which gives you the latest promotion and deals, you will be given a $10 cash voucher. More savings for you during this Christmas season.

So what are you waiting for? Shop right away at Zalora.sg!!

Chanel Joues Contraste in Accent

Once again, sorry for the silence. I have finally step into my new role with a new company and am both excited and scared at the same time. But I told myself, I will survive!!! Stay positive, ganbatte!!! Lol. On a happy note, my motivation to play with more makeup in the morning is back and I hope I am able to give more prompt and better reviews on this blog. Thank you for being so patient with me. :)

Enough of the rumbling and let's get down to business, haha. Today I will be sharing Chanel Joues Contraste in Accent, which is part of 2013 Holiday Collection. Although this collection is already out in Singapore, I was determined to purchase the US formula. Thus with my partners in crime, Jacq and Meryl, we ordered our products from Nordstrom.

Accent is a beautiful mauve pink tone with slight shimmers. A total beauty when I look at the pan. :)

Based on the swatch below, you can see that Accent has beige brown tone as well which I absolutely love, as I prefer blushes that are not too bright. Do not be alarm if you feel the colour is too dark as it look very subtle when you apply and blend it out.

The texture of US formula Joues Contraste is amazingly smooth. I have no issues picking up the pigment by lighting tapping my MAC Blush brush into the pan. Note that this is not the case for the baked version of Joues Contraste.

I would say Accent blush is definitely a winner in this Holiday collection and if possible, go for the US formula, you won't regret! :) Do check out Meryl's thoughts on Accent blush as well, she has done some comparison with other blushes if you are looking for dupes.

USA hauls

A few friends have been asking me the amount of make up items I hauled during my USA trip and my honest opinion is 'not much'. I left most of my make up shopping to my last stop in San Francisco which is a huge mistake. I don't see any Sephora and the brands that I was keen to get stuffs from such as Tom Ford has only perfumes and lipsticks. Not to mention that the 8.75% of refundable tax is quite a put off so.......

Other than Frivole which I purchased from San Francisco Airport, below are the make up hauls I got from airport and drugstores. The variety of drugstore brands such as Revlon, Covergirl, Maybelline etc is really good there. The range of shades available just made me green with envy.

A memento for my USA trip, I decided to get some Pandora charms for my bangle. Added a Statue of Liberty charm (representing USA) and 2 flower clippers so that the charms will not go all over the place when I wear it.

As I got the job offer that I wanted towards the end of this trip, I decided to splurge on myself by getting a Hermes clic clac in white. So in love with this baby, simple and chic! I heard that Singapore is retailing this at about S$1k and I paid US$610 at San Francisco airport. That's really some savings there.

A lot of other stuffs were bought in Las Vegas premium outlets, and miscellaneous places such as M&M's World and the stuffs are here inside my messy luggage. Don't worry peeps, I finally got down to unpacking it last weekend after 3 weeks. Lol!!