Fresh from the mail today! :)
to find out why i am so excited about this palette:
Showing posts with label urban decay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label urban decay. Show all posts
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
of brushes and bristles...
year 2011, and all kinds of brushes are available for all our needs. before, all they use in makeup was sponges: face sponge for foundation and eyeshadow applicator sponges for our eyes. but when i went to sephora i saw a whole area just for face brushes. wow!
i have only a few brushes, because i bought them only for what i need, or when they look so cute (hello urban decay).
first from the left is e.l.f. foundation brush, it is now 2 years old but it still looks and feel the same as the day i bought it. and it is cheap! i got it from watson's for $2 maybe...
i use it with benefit's foundation faker coz it leaves a light finish and doesn't use too much product. the sponge makes a nice finish, too, maybe medium coverage, but it soaks up the product and you end up using twice the amount you need. it is also perfect to use under my eye area, the tapered end is just the right size.
the next one is a blusher brush from the body shop, i got it only recently but i have been wanting it for years.
it feels soft when you brush it on the apples of your cheeks, makes you want to put your blush every now and then, but it takes practice for me to brush on the right areas coz i was used to a big blusher brush, not a flat one like this. but i am using it everyday to get familiar with it, and it goes well with my current blushes.
next is also a newbie: bare escentuals heavenly face brush. it is a super soft flat-top kabuki brush with a very fat body :)
now this is the brush for buffing! i love to swirl it on b.e. mineral foundation but i love it more when i buff it on my face coz it feels very soft, and it is a breeze to use mineral veil with it.
then we have my very first face brush (2009): the bare escentuals flawless face brush for b.e. mineral makeup (4th from the left). it is perfect for mineral makeup coz the bristles gets the powder tucked inside and distributes it evenly to your face, though it reminds me of walis tambo :)
but it feels soft, especially when newly washed. this brush glides through my face when im using it for mineral veil, and it is wide enough to give a nice finish. i can use it for b.e. foundation, mineral veil and b.e. radiance but not for other products, especially compact powders like stila illuminating powder or ponds face powder. the bristles gets hard and bent.
second from the last is a blush brush i got locally, it is a medium sized fluffy dome brush that i use with loreal nude brown blush because it is perfect for putting blush on the lower cheek area to contour.
and the last one is a square-sized flat brush i got locally, too, which i use only for highlighter powders.
and i have a kabuki brush from the body shop, a big dome brush with squat base:
it is awesomely soft, sometimes when i stare at my table i play with it coz it feels good to touch! i use this on compact powders coz the bristles are strong enough, but it doesn't take the products quickly, i have to swirl 3-4 times before i can buff it on my face.
i also have a few brushes for the eyes, i never used sponge applicators because they said it stresses your eyelids creating premature wrinkles.
for putting eyeshadows all over my lids i use either urban decay blender brush or smashbox blending brush. ud blender brush has a wider area so i use it if i want to put eyeshadow all over my lids, it is so easy to use and blending became a breeze when i use this one. while smashbox blending brush is good for that purpose too, i use it mainly to add a darker shade on the outer half of my eyelids (the size is perfect!), so it actually is, for my purpose, is more of a shader brush than a blending brush. these two are a must-have for me coz i use them everyday.
for blending purposes, ud blender brush wins, its soft bristles blend eyeshadows perfectly. i find that smashbox blending brush takes more time in blending and it stresses the eyelids a little bit.
then i have a small dome brush and a smudger brush, used occassionally for applying the darkest shades on the outer v of my eyes, or to smudge eyeliners (remove harsh lines), or to make a smokey effect.
but i can get away without the dome brush, i still cannot master it while the smudger brush is easier to control.
i also have two very thin angled flat eyeliner brush, to top one is slightly longer and softer, so i don't use it coz it's harder to control, while the bottom one is stiffer, so it is perfect for gel eyeliners and applying a thin line of eyeshadow on the lower eyelashes. from watsons :)
next we have two flat shadow brushes, that i rarely use coz ud blender brush is so efficient and multi-tasking, but other eyeshadows (especially on manly palette) tend to have a lot of fall offs when you apply with a blender brush, so these brushes are good to use when you want to apply those kinds of shadows by tapping them gently on your lids.
last on my list is a fan brush, which is good for brushing fallen shadows on your cheeks, and extra shadows on your lids. i got it cheap on ebay but its not an essential part of my usual morning routine so its ok.
i don't have a crease brush because i cannot see my crease anyway (chinese eyes). and i only have one lip brush coz i use it only with my mykajy palette. i use my normal lipsticks as they are - straight from the bullet :)
so as they say, you don't need to have a lot of brushes, just the ones you need. and invest on good quality ones, because this is your face we are talking about. and good quality ones tend to last longer and feel better on your skin, too. you don't have to buy the high-end products, there are lots of brushes that are cheap and useful, like elf, smashbox, just search on ebay for trusted sellers and wait for a bargain-priced one :)
i have only a few brushes, because i bought them only for what i need, or when they look so cute (hello urban decay).
first from the left is e.l.f. foundation brush, it is now 2 years old but it still looks and feel the same as the day i bought it. and it is cheap! i got it from watson's for $2 maybe...
i use it with benefit's foundation faker coz it leaves a light finish and doesn't use too much product. the sponge makes a nice finish, too, maybe medium coverage, but it soaks up the product and you end up using twice the amount you need. it is also perfect to use under my eye area, the tapered end is just the right size.
 |
| and it is perfect in getting the products left on the corners! |
the next one is a blusher brush from the body shop, i got it only recently but i have been wanting it for years.
it feels soft when you brush it on the apples of your cheeks, makes you want to put your blush every now and then, but it takes practice for me to brush on the right areas coz i was used to a big blusher brush, not a flat one like this. but i am using it everyday to get familiar with it, and it goes well with my current blushes.
next is also a newbie: bare escentuals heavenly face brush. it is a super soft flat-top kabuki brush with a very fat body :)
now this is the brush for buffing! i love to swirl it on b.e. mineral foundation but i love it more when i buff it on my face coz it feels very soft, and it is a breeze to use mineral veil with it.
then we have my very first face brush (2009): the bare escentuals flawless face brush for b.e. mineral makeup (4th from the left). it is perfect for mineral makeup coz the bristles gets the powder tucked inside and distributes it evenly to your face, though it reminds me of walis tambo :)
but it feels soft, especially when newly washed. this brush glides through my face when im using it for mineral veil, and it is wide enough to give a nice finish. i can use it for b.e. foundation, mineral veil and b.e. radiance but not for other products, especially compact powders like stila illuminating powder or ponds face powder. the bristles gets hard and bent.
second from the last is a blush brush i got locally, it is a medium sized fluffy dome brush that i use with loreal nude brown blush because it is perfect for putting blush on the lower cheek area to contour.
and the last one is a square-sized flat brush i got locally, too, which i use only for highlighter powders.
 |
| perfect for highlighting the under-eye area |
and i have a kabuki brush from the body shop, a big dome brush with squat base:
i also have a few brushes for the eyes, i never used sponge applicators because they said it stresses your eyelids creating premature wrinkles.
for putting eyeshadows all over my lids i use either urban decay blender brush or smashbox blending brush. ud blender brush has a wider area so i use it if i want to put eyeshadow all over my lids, it is so easy to use and blending became a breeze when i use this one. while smashbox blending brush is good for that purpose too, i use it mainly to add a darker shade on the outer half of my eyelids (the size is perfect!), so it actually is, for my purpose, is more of a shader brush than a blending brush. these two are a must-have for me coz i use them everyday.
 |
| urban decay blender brush (top) and smashbox blending brush |
then i have a small dome brush and a smudger brush, used occassionally for applying the darkest shades on the outer v of my eyes, or to smudge eyeliners (remove harsh lines), or to make a smokey effect.
 |
| small dome brush (top) and smudger brush |
i also have two very thin angled flat eyeliner brush, to top one is slightly longer and softer, so i don't use it coz it's harder to control, while the bottom one is stiffer, so it is perfect for gel eyeliners and applying a thin line of eyeshadow on the lower eyelashes. from watsons :)
next we have two flat shadow brushes, that i rarely use coz ud blender brush is so efficient and multi-tasking, but other eyeshadows (especially on manly palette) tend to have a lot of fall offs when you apply with a blender brush, so these brushes are good to use when you want to apply those kinds of shadows by tapping them gently on your lids.
 |
| the third one is either a point concealer brush or a lip brush, i don't know :P |
last on my list is a fan brush, which is good for brushing fallen shadows on your cheeks, and extra shadows on your lids. i got it cheap on ebay but its not an essential part of my usual morning routine so its ok.
i don't have a crease brush because i cannot see my crease anyway (chinese eyes). and i only have one lip brush coz i use it only with my mykajy palette. i use my normal lipsticks as they are - straight from the bullet :)
so as they say, you don't need to have a lot of brushes, just the ones you need. and invest on good quality ones, because this is your face we are talking about. and good quality ones tend to last longer and feel better on your skin, too. you don't have to buy the high-end products, there are lots of brushes that are cheap and useful, like elf, smashbox, just search on ebay for trusted sellers and wait for a bargain-priced one :)
Friday, April 1, 2011
why do we have so much lipsticks?? :)
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| darn pretty engravings... |
it is, after all, the weapon of love. or so urban decay says...
when i was in college i only had one lipstick throughout, i would buy 2-3 pieces of it so i'd have spares in case it gets out of stock. it is a nice shade of semi-nude berry from avon called sugar and spice.
and when i started working i used the body shop's lip and cheek tint. i loved it coz it looks so natural, like the color your lips get when you bite them. and it doubles as my blush then...
but thank you ebay for giving me the chance of buying brands from US that i otherwise wouldn't know, i have a small tray full of lipsticks of different shades and brands.
my first brand though, is locally bought. it is the nivea extreme resist 8-hour lipstick.
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| in roselove, tea rose and coral but, like all advertisements on earth, it's just words. nivea extreme resist 8-hour lipstick only lasts 4 hours of a normal office day. without coffee or anything, maybe 5. even though it's labelled incorrectly, it is not disappointing because 4-5 hours is ok, instead of a normal one that you have to retouch every 2 hours. it is creamy while you swipe it on your lips but then it dries and become sticky after a few seconds so you really have to use the gloss, you can't use this in matte. and as time passes by, your lips will start drying up and the outcome of the lipstick drying up and disappearing is really unacceptable so you have to check how your lips look by hour 5. i have it in three comfortable shades: |
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| nivea roselove with gloss |
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| nivea roselove matte, i call it my nude base color coz i always apply another lipstick on top, otherwise it will look like nothing. |
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| nivea coral with gloss |
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| nivea coral matte, my sister calls it granny color |
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| nivea tea rose with gloss |
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| nivea tea rose matte, my most complimented shade |
then i saw these on ebay and, im not being judgmental, but the seller being based in hongkong makes me think this isn't really original pieces, but they look so pretty so i bought two:
it is mac's liberty of london lipstick. they were creamy when i got them but now, after two months, has dried up a little so i needed to apply lipbalm first. it lasts 2-3 hours on my lips.
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| frost. made me realize im not compatible with frosty lipstick. |
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| spiced tea, a shade darker than my original lipcolor :) |
and then, i saw the most beautifully packaged lipstick ever! (urban decay never fails to do this to us, don't they?)
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| my officemate was puzzled at the existence of the dagger. i told her UD stands by its motto in lipstick, "it is the weapon of love". |
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| shade: sellout. the nearest shade to my original lipcolor, i use this for 'barely there' moods |
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| shade: indecent. i don't use this because it is so sheer, it does nothing on my lips except put small glitters on it. |
and then i saw nyx. they are cheap, like $2-4 per piece (including shipping fee), and when i first applied it i only thought of one thing: it is so creamy!
even creamier than the expensive urban decay lipsticks, i swear! and the colors are wow, just one swipe and you get what's on the tube. we were definitely hooked.
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| shade: tea rose. light pink that should be used with smokey eyes |
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| shade: doll. i got it free, but i ended up using it the most. i love this shade! |
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| shade: indian pink. i cannot use this without a gloss, it lookes so light pink! |
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| shade: margarita. another frosty one.. sigh |
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| shade: eros. bright red a la heart E. |
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| shade: terra cotta. brownish berry shade meant for my sister. |
but i exfoliated my lips beforehand with benefit's dr feelgood buffing lip beads and silky lip balm
aside from my mykajy lip palette that i have reviewed before,
i also have three lip gloss from nyx,
but i blogged about them already so i won't blab about them anymore. and also because nyx lipglosses mysteriously dried up even though i am sure i kept them closed very tight. (?)
i don't know why i have so much lipsticks, but for me, it is like going with your moods, some shades are meant for happy days, some for dark days, and some for carefree days, and so on... yes, the lame excuses we girls make :)
urban decay 24-7 VIP liners
yey for me!
i finally had my first set of urban decay's super popular 24-7 liners, which i got not by ebay but by private transaction through paypal because it wasn't available to non-US buyers. good thing my boss have a p.o. box in new york so i had it sent there and aramex delivered it here with a special fee ^_^.
they have the brightest colors, and you get that exact color on your eyes! they are super creamy, too, it is not difficult to line your waterline or eyelids. and the biggest reason, they last the whole day without smudging or disappearing. even if you don't use urban decay's primer potion ^_^
its a delight to select which one i will use every morning :) but you have to wait for it to set or dry before fully opening your eyes, otherwise, and especially with chinese eyes like mine, it will go to your eyelids.
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| travel sized UD liners in Zero, Lucky, Covet, Electric, and Lust |
i finally had my first set of urban decay's super popular 24-7 liners, which i got not by ebay but by private transaction through paypal because it wasn't available to non-US buyers. good thing my boss have a p.o. box in new york so i had it sent there and aramex delivered it here with a special fee ^_^.
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| with gunmetal that i bought previously |
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| same color with or without eyeshadow primer |
Saturday, February 12, 2011
urban decay naked
did you know that last week i was one of the lucky few who got an email from urban decay saying that i can now purchase their limited bestseller and super out of stock NAKED palette?
unfotunately for me i have to choose between this and the gift for my auntie who got married at 49 (i reached my credit card limit ^_^) so i chose to buy her the gift, even though i was waiting for this palette for four months now. hey, her's was more important anyway right? besides, i am not that ugly to begin with hehehe!
here's the gift:
i just psyched myself to think that i don't need another eyeshadow palette and i made the right choice. besides, i just received the avon neutrals palette last month and the quality is very good, too! i was so impressed...
hard candy eyeshadows (the pink is the caramel and green one is butterscotch) are good too, but they have shimmers, not a good idea for office looks ^_^ but they are so darn cute!!!
and the best are the two urban decay eyeshadows i have(upper right): oil slick (black with glitters) and twice baked (brown)! just a little amount is needed and the color already is so rich!
and, my hello kitty eyeshadows are cute, too, but i rarely use them coz i am more into neutrals nowadays...
see the kitty?
it has an applicator at the bottom, which i now use in my sponge nail art ^_^
guess i have to wait for another palette that gives me love at first sight!
unfotunately for me i have to choose between this and the gift for my auntie who got married at 49 (i reached my credit card limit ^_^) so i chose to buy her the gift, even though i was waiting for this palette for four months now. hey, her's was more important anyway right? besides, i am not that ugly to begin with hehehe!
here's the gift:
i just psyched myself to think that i don't need another eyeshadow palette and i made the right choice. besides, i just received the avon neutrals palette last month and the quality is very good, too! i was so impressed...
this palette is the closest i can get to UD Naked ^_^
i also have new eyeshadows in neutral colors and pastel packaging:
hard candy eyeshadows (the pink is the caramel and green one is butterscotch) are good too, but they have shimmers, not a good idea for office looks ^_^ but they are so darn cute!!!
and the best are the two urban decay eyeshadows i have(upper right): oil slick (black with glitters) and twice baked (brown)! just a little amount is needed and the color already is so rich!
and, my hello kitty eyeshadows are cute, too, but i rarely use them coz i am more into neutrals nowadays...
see the kitty?
it has an applicator at the bottom, which i now use in my sponge nail art ^_^
guess i have to wait for another palette that gives me love at first sight!
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