Monday 25 February 2013

Edward Bess All Over Seduction beckons!

COTTONBALL CRUSADE'S 2ND GIVEAWAY IS NOW ON!

ONE lucky reader will receive an
Edward Bess All Over Seduction in 01 Sunlight worth S$48
 
Edward Bess All Over Seduction worth S$48

Some of you may have read my previous review about the All Over Seduction which I purchased off Luxola in both available colours because I have dual-colour-syndrome (i.e I like having multiple colours of the same thing). Well, as it turns out, I only use Afterglow so I've decided to give away Sunlight! I'd swiped the lower half of the pan for the swatch so you might see a very very slight indentation there but the product has been swiped with a tissue and otherwise untouched.
 
Sunlight is the swatch on the LEFT
Even though Sunlight is the fairer of the 2, this lightweight balm's high blendability makes it easy to match skin tones across the board~

This giveaway is open to all readers with a Singapore mailing address~

To enter:
  • If you're new here, 'Like' the Cottonball Crusade Facebook page
  • Share the Edward Bess Giveaway Facebook post
  • Leave a message (Here or on the Facebook post) to confirm your participation
  • Sit back and look out for the results on 11th March!
This giveaway will close on 23:59 10th March 2013 (Sunday; Singapore Time/GMT+8) and the randomly chosen winner will be announced the next day!

Good luck!! ^___^

Thursday 21 February 2013

Wanna be Forever Young~ =P

I'm not going to lie. I like falsies. I think they're fine, and a girl can use 3 pairs at the same time if she wants. No hating here. ^_^ I seldom use mine though. But I'm guilty of buying boxes of them whenever I get the notion that I want to put more effort into my makeup!

I just broke out a box that's been parked in my drawer for months! Glad I managed to get them on in just 1 try and that they're quite natural though thicker than what I used before~


Love the flushed look my Blush by 3 (Sleek Makeup) palette gives~ LOVE! Love the natural lip from L'Oreal's Shine Caresse~ LOVE! Love the enhancement to my lower lashes from Maybelline Lashionista~ LOVE! lol lots of love in this post hahaha~

This was also the first time I used the Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Perfect Eyeliner which didn't disappoint! No smudging despite being both outdoors n indoors for the next 5 hours~ Blush by 3 held up very well too~ No touchups (not even lipstick after dinner) for the 5 - 6 hours I was out and this is what I beheld when I got home:

Barely a budge from my makeup! ^__^

Products used today are:


Details:
  • Kate Powderless Liquid for Cover - Ochre-D / OC-D
  • Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 - Lace (used Crochet, first shade from the left) Review coming up!
  • Maybelline Lashionista
  • Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Perfect Eyeliner N - 02 Deep Brown
  • L'Oreal Shine Caresse - Venus
  • Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick - Sundown
  • Hollywood False Eyelashes - TP008
In case anyone was wondering how the Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick fits into the whole equation, I used it as a lipliner that day, lining my outer lip then dabbing inwards before blending with the Shine Caresse. ^__^ It's my attempt at mimicking a youthful pout =P Did it work?

Have a good weekend everyone! xoxo

Monday 18 February 2013

L'Oreal Shine Caresse - Love at First Touch?

I noticed the recently released L'Oreal Shine Caresse (supposedly YSL Glossy Stain dupes) at Watson's and with 25% off the usual S$18.90 pricetag, I figured why not~ Available in 8 shades locally, colours include pinks, nudes, reds and coral with subtle and vibrant colours in the mix.
L'oreal Shine Caresse in Shade 600 Venus
'Fresh, sensual brilliance: Shine Caresse redefines shine to make it more natural and more modern thanks to a moist-look effect. New-generation lip colour for dual results: beautiful shades infused with a fresh shine to bring out the natural beauty of your lips with the gleam of a candy-coloured caress.' - L'Oreal Paris

Sounds pretty awesome huh? Check out the swatch:


Notice the little hole in the middle of the petal-shaped applicator? It squeezes excess product off the applicator when you pull it out of the tube so you will never have a big dollop of gloss on your lips~ Hats off for this great idea!

The product itself really surprised me. I'm not a fan of lip glosses 'cos I'm very averse to over the top shine, shimmer, stickiness..etc. But Shine Caresse wasn't a sticky mess, in fact this reportedly intensely hydrating formula is quite jelly/gel-like and has a slight cooling sensation when just applied. Extremely light, it's easy to forget you have it on.


Note: Actual stain is about a shade deeper than pictured. (7 hours - Dinner, drinks & a light swipe with tissue)

Venus, being one of the lightest colours in the range, doesn't leave a vibrant stain but does have an obvious hydrating effect and flushed colour that evens out my natural lip colour. The pretty flushed pink is nice and obvious for the first 4 or 5 hours even after the gloss gets eaten wears off~ I'd played with the swatches in the store and the deeper shades left a very impressive, lasting stain on my hand.
 
In short, the L'Oreal Shine Caresse:
  • is a gorgeous lip gloss stain with a sufficient colour range
  • easily acessible drugstore brand that's always affordable
  • product comes in a glossy gold tube that's classy & sturdy but is a fingerprint magnet 
  • hydrating, lightweight gloss and colour is instant love
  • slight cooling sensation and fragrance upon initial application but fades quickly
  • no colour transfer after the colour has been allowed to set in
  • gloss feels quite balmy after awhile and quite lasting
  • long-lasting stain more apparant with darker shades but the light stains are natural & pretty too
  • initial application colour will change slightly after the colour sets in your lips so do play with the swatches~
I'm going to get another shade before the sale ends! Have you tried the Shine Caresse yet? Which is your favourite shade? =)

Friday 15 February 2013

Yummy in mah Tummy~ ^__^

In the wake of Chinese New Year, food is very much on the mind~ So why not a food post? With me, you can't go wrong with Japanese food. It has such a wide range of starch and veg and protein, red meat, white meat, cooked, raw, you name it they have it. So no matter the size of my appetite that day, there'll always be something suitable~

One of my favourite Japanese casual restaurants in Singapore is Watami for the reasonable pricing and good eats. Every so often, they tweak the menu (usually according to seasons or occasions in Japan) a little so that customers have something new to sink their teeth into. Tried some of their new items when I was there a couple weeks ago!


Nobody can say I'm a poor eater =P
Order up!!


The Kankoku Butechige was unfortunately only so-so. It tastes like the regular spicy chige hotpots the restaurant serves with just a slight variation in the ingredients like the addition of noodles, mini sausages, potato and rice cake (which I'm not a fan of). And it's really too much stuff for 1 person >_<


From Left: Beef Short Ribs and Japanese-style Grilled Egg

The Japanese-style Grilled Egg was quite nice. Rich yet fluffy and with lots of ingredients like Japanese fishcake, shitake mushrooms, crabstick and chunks of chicken~ Sort of like a grilled version of Chawanmushi I guess? The stone pot also helped keep it warm for a very long time~ My girlfriend and I are rather slow eaters (about 2 hours for a full meal) and this dish maintained its warmth till I was down to the last few mouthfuls! Again, this is too much egg for 1 person >_< Nice but you really need to split this with someone.

Now the BEEF.


Nomnomnomnomnomnomn....

Served with a slice of butter to coat the pan with, self-cooking means I can have a perfect medium well piece of beef! And it was SOOOOO nice! It was really soft and juicy... *Homer Simpson drool* @__@ I honestly wasn't expecting it to be so nice!


Just the way I like it!

With the sides of grilled thinly sliced pumpkin and diced potato, it was really quite perfect! I'll probably get some rice to go with it next time! Now if only they had an upsized serving available.... ^__^

Monday 11 February 2013

Luna Sea Asian Tour 2013 - Singapore

Caution: This is a fangirly post (>_<)

I'm not sure how many of my readers know who Luna Sea is....but I've been a fan of this Japanese rock band for a little over a decade and last Friday was their FIRST EVER concert in Singapore! I've been to their concerts overseas but to have them in my own country is just...special. So happy that they (or their management) has finally decided to take some notice of our little sunny country!

Unfortunately, I was stuck at the phone service centre for a good half of the day so I was running really late and didn't have time to do my face properly (T_T) So no face shots people~ Also, sorry for the substandard photos, which are from my husband's phone as I'd forgotten *facepalm* to bring my camera!

 
Outfit Breakdown:

Dress & Belt - Gina Tricot
Tri-buckle Boots - Spirit
Polka Dot & Stripe Socks - Daiso
Accessories - CottonOn, Monki, Far East Plaza

More photos after the cut!

Thursday 7 February 2013

Eyeshadow Appliques - Instant Eye Makeup FTW?

Do you remember the movie 5th Element? Starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich, it was a '97 futuristic pop sci-fi flick that was really fun to watch...and who can forget the blue Diva Plavalaguna!
 

Sorry for the digression but I just HAD TO pop this video in! >_< It was 1997 and I was very impressionable. It starts off kinda slow but heats up at the 3:20 mark =D

But back to makeup. One of the cool futuristic thingamajigs that appeared in the film was a Chanel automatic eye-makeup applicator helmet/visor which Milla Jovovich's character popped on and tadah! Gorgeous eyemakeup in seconds! And that's what the Colour On Professional Eye Shadow Appliques reminded me of~

S$19.90 from Watsons
The box contains 4 different shades (other combinations also available), setting powder and brush.


Since the appliques can be re-used several times, S$19.90 seems a reasonable price =) For my 1st try, I thought I'd choose something not too flashy so I got the Envy Kit, which is a set of brown variations~

More after the cut!

Monday 4 February 2013

Quick Peek - Nuxe Unclogging Thermo-active Mask

I seem to have amassed a fair number of Nuxe products recently >_< after enjoying the effective convenience of the Nuxe Rose Petal Micellar Cleansing Water (which I ended up buying a 2nd bottle of) and Huile Prodigieuse Multi-usage Dry Oil, I'd like to see what other good products I can find from the range~

This is the Unclogging Thermo-active Mask (awarded 2010 Prix Parents les etoiles de la beaute/Star Beauty) from Nuxe's Aroma-Perfection series:

 
The Aroma-Perfection range is an Anti-Imperfection range, targeted at combination and oily skin. Formulated with rice, walnut powder, jojoba and kaolin clay, the Thermo-Active mask serves to gently exfoliate, clarify and deep cleanse the pores.


I think this mask is one of those that needs to be shaken a little before dispensing as my initial squeeze dispensed a cloudy oil. After shaking you get a consistency more like a cream exfoliant:


Upon application the warm sensation is almost immediate, gentle and fades in less than a minute. The mask also returns to a slightly more oil-like texture.

 
After about 3 minutes, I massaged for about 20 - 30 seconds before washing off with cold water. The fine granules give gentle exfoliation as promised.
 
Well, I regret the lack of an after photo but visually there isn't much difference after only 3 uses over 2 weeks. My skin does feel very smooth (very) and clean without any tightness. The mask also washes off easily and throughly despite the slightly oily texture and doesn't leave you with any lingering 'mask' feeling.
 
In short this initial usage of the Nuxe Unclogging Thermo-Active Mask:
  • has a pleasant floral/nutty fragrance that's gentle and not noticeable after the initial whiff
  • is, as indicated, a gentle exfoliator so not for those who ummm..'like it rough' so to say =p
  • gentle warming sensation occurs almost immediately upon application but fades quickly
  • skin feels mattified, clean and very smooth after massage and rinse
  • washes off easily and doesn't leave any residual feeling, tautness or oiliness
**Note: Use with caution in dry climate - 1 of the 3 times I used this mask was in a winter climate and the next morning my skin felt dry with patches of light skin peeling! Despite returning to Singapore a day after that, it took about 4 more days before I was able to return my skin back to normal.
I really like the skin smoothening results and the lack of any residual feeling so I'll keep using it and check back in about a month or so with the results~ Really hope it'll help clean out my pores!
 
All the exfoliators I've used so far have only delivered smoothening and dead skin removal results but not much in the pore-cleansing department. How about yours?