alannaomq

Essential hair serum

2012-01-11T17:53:00.001+08:00

Greetings lovelies! Here, I'm going to introduce my face and being it the first time, I have no make up on me! And also, forgive my camwhoring skills for I have none and thus hopefully, making improvements on them!

So, a friend of mine introduced this product to me and she's told me all the wonderful things about this product and I decided to test it out. I'm going to introduce a hair product I've been using over a year now. It has helped me out with my frizzy hair and made it more manageable. I am in love with this product. After a year of experience and tests, I think it's high time I let you know what transformed my hair .

New packaging

The brand is Essential but this product is called Rich Premier Hair Essence. It's a japanese product and it's under the Kao company. They've produced Liese, Asience and Biore, so Essential is just another line but it's not available in Malaysia unfortunately. You can purchase it in any of the Watson's store in Singapore, or order it online at Sasa.com. I bought mine in Singapore for S$9.90 or S$10.90, I can't really remember. I bought the entire Hair Care line actually, the shampoo, conditioner and the hair mask, but I will do more reviews on that later. Just want to concentrate on this one first!

After washing my hair, my hair is still a little messy when it dries. You can usually use the hair essence when your hair is still wet or after it dries, I prefer to use it when it dries.

See how frizzy and messy it is? That's my hair even after I comb it. Ah, I don't feel good if my hair sticks out everywhere!

So I usually take about 3 to 4 pumps of the hair essence and I evenly spread it out on my palms and comb it through my hair, concentrating on the last 15cm. Compared to the previous leave on conditioners I've tested the past years, the texture of this product is creamier and thicker and more concentrated. It contains High Purity Honey Oil and cuticle repair essence, so it coats the hair cuticles leaving it super soft and shiny, making it look healthy!

Scruch it up!

Make sure you use up all the product on your hand, don't waste the goodness of it!

AHHH! My hair looks much much better now doesn't it? It's neater, more manageable and it looks pretty good without me needing to style it. I've been using the product for over a year now, so I don't think I can find a better replacement for now. I've tried others as well during the year but I somehow just come back to this cause I can use it anywhere and anytime! You can check the Kao website for more technical details if I haven't really convinced you enough. =D

That's all for now! I'll talk to you guys next time.

Toodles with love,

Alanna

Christmas and New Years Haul

2011-12-27T18:30:00.001+08:00

Greetings once again! I haven't been blogging because I was waiting for (some of) my purchases to arrive from the USA!!! It's just a haul post not a review because I just got them a few days ago, so I'm testing them out before I give them a full review. I will do swatches though! =D

First parcel I got was from Peripera cosmetics. I only heard about this brand from Saaamage on Youtube (check her out, she's wonderful!) and I decided to give it a shot since I've been venturing into asian branded cosmetics. Peripera is a Korean brand but it ships worldwide, so you can check them out!

They packed it up so nicely with bubble wrap and the sponges so all my items arrived in perfect condition.

I decided to get 2 lipsticks from the My Color Lipstick collection and 2 nail polishes from Rose Nail Polish (Limited Edition) as they were both on sale. The lipsticks were going for US$21 each (RM 65 each) and the nail polishes each for US$6.95 (RM 21.50).

I loved the lipsticks when I saw them. The intricate detail on the cover and the bullet casing really impressed me. Pretty ain't it?

So I got two lipsticks, one in 13 Mandarin Orange and another in 15 Sweet Apricot. They were the Hot selling items on the website, so I decided to give it a go. I have been looking for an orange lip colour. I know some of you might cringe at the idea of orange on the lips, but I plan to tone it down using a lipgloss so it doesn't look too orange. And it's a summer colour, which Malaysia is always in that season. The apricot pink is a nice pinkish closing to coral colour which hopefully would not clash with my skin tone. Hopefully, we'll see in time.

Mandarin Orange

Apricot Pink

I've swatched them here. It's really creamy and it glided quite smoothly on my hands. And I must say the colours were quite pigmented. It is supposed to give a plump effect on your lips and leave it moisturized. I quite like it though, but we'll see how it goes on the lips.

Swatches: Apricot Pink and Mandarin Orange

Next up, the nail polishes! Pretty bottle with a long handle with floral detail as well! With a long handle, I guess it's easier to hold and easier to control the amount of nail polish on your nails. Got one in PK109 Modern Pink Classic and another in PP109 Mod Wine.

Mod Wine

Modern Pink Classic

So I tried it on my nails and I loved how it turned out. The pictures below are the swatches I did on my nails with just one coat. One coat! The color was vivid and apparently it's supposed to last a week without chipping.

The pink is a soft nude-ish colour which surprisingly looks really really pretty. I usually avoid pastel colours because it clashes with my skin tone making it look really dark and well, it ain't pretty let's put it that way. This pink was just right. It is feminine and it just looks really good. I think this would be my new favourite pastel nail polish.

Sorry for the horrible nail polish application, I was in a rush when I shot this picture. =S Anyway, also with one coat and I managed to make my nail look opaque. It is really gorgeous this colour! I love dark colours anyway and this is another pastel colour which I could really learn to love!

That pretty much ends my Peripera haul. Moving onto the a nail polish I got from a friend of mine who was so thoughtful to get me this La senza Ooh La Nails nail polish from Singapore. I didn't know they sold nail polishes in the first place. I have no idea what colour it is called but oh my my IT IS GORGEOUS! Super hot metallic pink colour which I think it's super adorable! It just screams fun, carefree and hot! Also a little sheer but I think one coat should suffice for the nail. It is really gorgeous. I was surprised that it glided on easy on the nail and the colour was just really tantalizing. I would really recommend those of you who can purchase this item, DO SO!

Next up, a Christmas present from a dear cousin of mine! Gosh, family members do know me well. =) He got me a Kate Reflect Mirror Eyes in this ice blue colour. I don't know the name cause everything is in Japanese. Kate is actually a Kanebo product and I previously owned another earth coloured Kate palette but I gave it to my mom when I got the Naked palette.

So it comes in three colours, ice blue (a shimmery light blue), white (shimmery white) and gray (shimmery as well). The ice blue would be the main eyelid colour with the white on the inner eyelids and gray to finish it off by conturing the eyes sockets below the brow bone or by lining the lashline.

It wasn't as pigmented as I would like it to be when I swatched the colours on my hand. I had to layer it a couple of times because I could get the colour to show up. The blue and gray was ok for me, I liked the colours but the qhite not so. I would probably use another colour instead of the white. It wasn't consistent and it kept falling out and I just didn't like it. It doesn't even stay on for long, so the white I'm not happy with it. The other two colours, yes, I would love to use them. This shadow palette goes for RM 52 in Sasa.

I know I'm late in the game but what can I do when I don't have the opportunity to buy them in drugstores at such a cheap price. It's not even available in Malaysia so I just got them off eBay (the power of internet!). The Revlon Lip Butters have been such a craze on youtube and I heard so much about them and it got me excited so I decided to just get them.

I got them in 075 Lollipop, 090 Sweet Tart, 050 Berry Smoothie and 015 Tutti Frutti.

Lollipop is a really sweet pink colour, close to NYX LSS 640 Fig when I swatched it. It cost me $13.99 (RM 43.36).

Lollipop

Sweet Tart and Berry Smoothie were almost the same colours when I swatched it on my hand although the sticks were really different. There is a subtle difference but you can really tell the difference when you intensify the colour on the lips. Sweet tart cost me US$ 16.99 (RM 52.67) while Berry Smoothie was US$14.99 (RM 46.47). The prices ranged, I think due to the popularity of the colours.

Sweet Tart

Berry Smoothie

Tutti Frutti is yet another orange colour that I'm interested to test out. This would probably be lighter than the Peripera Mandarin Orange because this is a lip butter so I don't think it would probably be as bright as the Mandarin Orange. It cost me US$ 11.99 (RM 37.17), the cheapest among the 4. Not so popular I guess because it is orange.

Tutti Frutti

Swatches (L-R): Lollipop, Sweet Tart, Berry Smoothie and Tutti Frutti

I liked how it felt on my hands. It glided on smoothly and bear in mind that the swatches I did was only one coat. So pigmented, I like! I think they would really be my favourite lip colours to use. I still have to test them!

The last product I bought from Guardian was the Revlon Color Burst Lipstick in 012 Cherry Ice. It's a new colour from Revlon and I've been looking for a really nice hot pink lipstick which isn't too bright. And this was exactly what I was looking for. I initially saw this colour in Target in Melbourne but I didn't have the time to go back to get it so instead I got it here! It was RM 37.90 if I'm not mistaken.

The reason why I was searching for this particular colour was because I saw Blair on Gossip Girl wearing it in one of the episodes in Season 5. It looked so gorgeous on her. It wasn't red but it wasn't really pink, it was just somewhere in between and it had glitter so it really looked fantastic on her.

I know it looks really red and it might scare some of you but when I swatched it, it was just a nice subtle hot pink with shimmers on it. I would say the colour was be a close dupe to MAC's Glitter and Ice Dazzleglass in Love Alert. The colour was gorgeous however I was disappointed with it. The lipgloss was just too sticky for my liking and I found it so uncomfortable to wear it. So when I found the Cherry Ice, I knew I had to get it. In addition, it was lipstick so it would last longer rather than lipgloss. It was easy to put on my lips and the colour looked great!

Cherry Ice swatch

I hope you've enjoyed my Christmas and New Years haul! There are more products coming and I've yet to give a full proper review on all of these products, so stay in tune! Happy New Year people!

Toodles with love,
Alanna

Sigma Brushes review

2011-12-17T01:32:00.000+08:00

Decided to do a review on I use when I put my make up on! SIGMA BRUSHES!!!! Ever since I bought them, I never looked back. The one I bought was the 12 Brush Kit Make Me Blush Set. It comes in a super super cute box and it's for US$109.00. Which means RM350++. Yes, it is expensive but I would consider this as an asset. =D

The brushes came into a hardcover container which makes it durable and useful!

It make look small in the picture, but let me give you a slight idea of how big it was. I had no idea it would be that big when I purchased it. When I received the package and opened it, I was surprised.

Perfect for travel I say! Keep them in shape and in one container. Acting as two brush holders is a plus!

So 12 piece set. I'm going to review every single brush for you if you're interested in getting individual brushes instead of a set. Here we go!

Face Brushes
1. F30 Large Powder Brush

Super dense with a round top, made out of natural bristles. It's meant for applying powder on the face or body. I use it for applying loose powder to set my make up and also to blend out my blusher and bronzer so they don't look too harsh.

Super dense and round top! The biggest brush in the set

2. F50 Duo Fibre

A blend of synthetic and natural bristles and also known as the stippling brush, it is designed to have an airbrush effect when applying liquid foundation. I haven't used it for applying foundation, but I have used it for putting highlight shades on my cheekbones. It works wonderfully that way too!

3. F40 Large Angled Contour Brush

It's not pink on the top. Forgive me, I didn't wash the brush after using to put on my blusher (>.<). Since it's angled, it's much much easier to put your blusher or bronzer onto your cheeks. Made out of natural bristles, it's super soft. My FAVOURITE brush among the face brushes.

A year ago, I bought the ELF angled contoured brush. There were so many reviews on it saying it was so soft and it worked wonderfully on them. However, I was totally disappointed with it. It was rough and it was scratchy on my face and it didn't pick up much blusher or bronzer. I really didn't bother using it after the second time.

See how different the bristles look compared to the Sigma brush? It looks so painful just looking at it. I can feel the prickling. AH!!!

4. F60 Foundation Brush

Synthetic bristles, so it's suitable for applying liquid or cream foundation. I've use it for applying BB cream all over my face and it evens out nicely every time. It doesn't leave any creases or lines when evening the cream out. Love!

5. F70 Concealer Brush

Also like the foundation brush, it's made out of synthetic brushes. Suitable for applying concealer to cover those imperfections evenly. With a rounded top, I use it to conceal under the eye area. What's more to say about this awesome brush?

Eye Brushes
6. E60 Large Shader Brush

It looks like a mini foundation brush but with natural bristles. You can use it to apply primers on your eyes or just use it as a normal brush to apply eye shadow. I've only used it for applying eye shadow, it doesn't pack up on the colour as much as I would like it to, but it does work fine.

7. E55 Eye Shading Brush

This brush however, packs up on colour when applying eye shadow. I am in love with this brush. Made out of natural bristles as well and it's short and dense, no wonder it's ideal for applying eye shadow on the eyelids. Beautiful!

8. E70 Medium Angled Shading Brush

With its angle and a tapered edge, it's perfect for applying darker eye shadow at the crease or outter corners of the eye to allow more depth to the colours. I've used it also to highlight the brow bone. Works perfectly fine for me!

9. E40 Tapered Blending Brush

With a tapered and rounded top, it's loosely packed which makes it suitable to blend out the colours and soften harsh edges to create a more natural looking eye. However, it's not as tapered as I would have liked it. Earlier I bought a blending brush from a NYX reseller (check them out, they're super friendly and their products are cheap too! I enjoyed their service a lot), and I preferred their brush over the Sigma one. Sharper edge and it kind of densely packed so it blends out colour faster.

NYX blending brush

10. E30 Pencil Brush

THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BRUSH! I have eyed on this brush for a pretty long time since it was so useful. With such a small and sharp head, it is ideal for applying colour on the crease precisely, blending the colours on the outter corner of the eye. I've also used it to apply colour on the bottom lash line since it doesnt have a very large tip.

11. E05 Eyeliner Brush

It's made out of synthetic bristles. Perfect for putting on gel eyeliner. I don't own a gel liner, but I plan to! So I haven't tried this brush out yet! But by the looks of it, since it's extra fined tip, it should make the application of the liner very precise.

12. E65 Small Angle Brush

Also perfect for applying gel liner on the top and bottom lash line. But I've used it for filling out my eyebrows. It works fine for it!

Sigma decided to throw in an extra brush, how kind of them! It's a mini travel size blending brush.

13. E25 Blending Brush

Tapered like the tapered blending brush. It's just shorter bristles and a flatter top compared to the E40 tapered blending brush. Super soft and perfect for just blending out colours!

Woah! It's a long post this one! I would say that I wouldn't be investing in anymore brushes for the time being. All these are just good enough for the job. And I ordered them in Coral (such a girl colour), so no way I'll be replacing them anytime soon!

Hope you girls are having an awesome weekend.

Signing out with love,
Alanna

Estee Lauder Haul

2011-12-14T16:40:00.000+08:00

I've been wanting to talk about my Estee Lauder haul for quite awhile now. I bought these in Melbourne about three months ago, so I might be quite late in reviewing these for you girls. The item I initially got from the store was the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Shadow Creme. I first heard about them from FrmHeadToToe and I was interested in finding out if they were worth the price. I tested them out on my hand and I only came back the next day to purchase. I must say I very much impressed. It stayed on for about 8 hours and it's also waterproof.

I only wanted two colours at first, Silver Leaf and Antique Gold. And it turns out that they discontinued Silver Leaf, devastating really. So by recommendation by the nice salesgirl, I got DW SC24 Mochacino, DW SC04 Antique Gold and DW CS06 Ivory Lace. And with three of the eyeshadows, I get a free Pure Color Eyeshadow palette, and a few other mini samples. SUPER HAPPY!

Pure Color Eyeshadow Palette, DW SCs, Night Repair Advanced Night Repair, Advanced Night Repair Eye, Pleasures Perfume

Back (L-R) - Mochacino and Antique Gold
Front: Ivory Lace

The Mochacino is a really nice base colour to use as a base for neutral looks. I am currently IN LOVE with it!! I am realaly thankful to the salesgirl who recommended it. It helps my eyeshadow last longer too and it's a really nice base colour when I use my Naked palette.

Ivory Lace, I tend to use it more as a eyebrow bone highlighter and the inner corner of my eyes to brighten up the entire look. But lately I've been using it as a base because of it creaminess. And I use it for brighter look so that colours would show up better.

Antique Gold is a colour I've been wanting to get before I bought the rest but I somehow fell out of love with it. I still like it but not as hyped as I was before. It has a coppery colour instead of the gold I was really looking for.

Overall, I'm very much impressed with the eyeshadow creams. However, they are shimmery. So for those who are looking for a matte base, this might not be it. But I would really recommend this if they are looking for a nice eyeshadow base that lasts for a really long time. Did I mention it's waterproof? =D

Antique Gold, Ivory Lace, Mochacino

Look at the shimmer!

Getting a palette for free, I was totally into this deal! The Pure Color Eyeshadow palette consist of 8 shadows and one Estee Lauder Signature Silky Blush. It comes with a blush brush and an eyeshadow applicator.

Pure Color Eyeshadow and Signature Silky Powder Blush

Back: 30 Sugar Cube, 01 Pink Flash
Front: 48 Silver Bell, 09 Amethyst Spark

Back: 79 Summer Linen, 13 Tranquil Moon
Front: 63 Tempting Mocha, 23 Berry Burst
Blush: 23 Fresh Plum

They aren't as pigmented as I would like them to be but I would say that the choice of colour for the palette is really really wonderful. I am totally in love with Amethyst Spark, Tranquil Moon and Berry Burst! They have a smooth feeling but like I said, not as pigmented. I would have to pack up on a lot of the shadow to get a really nice colour. I've swatched them for you using no primer at all.

Blush, Berry Burst, Tempting Mocha, Tranquil Moon, Summer Linen,
Amethyst Spark, Silver Bell, Pink Flash, Sugar Cube

With flash

The Advanced Night repair series is pretty well known. The company has been campaigning it for quite a while now. And I must say with the samples I got, I finally get to test them out! I applied them everynight using a really small amount to pat all over my face. The next day I would usually feel really moisturized and my skin is able to sink any moisturizers I have faster and smoother. It has a really thick and concentrated texture so small drops would suffice for your entire face.

Last but not least, I got a mini perfume bottle called Pleasures. And I don't own EDPs cause they usually are too strong for me but I was really surprised with this one. It's not sweet, it's really fresh and it has a blend of floral scents. I checked on their website and it was a blend of Lilies, Peonies, Jasmine and Bale Rose. It seems sophisticated and classy. It's something I would wear to dinner parties or events that requires you to dress up. I really like this scent.

Well, I have more coming up! I have tons of stuff to review and maybe one of these days I'll film a tutorial for an upcoming holiday look! =D

Toodles with love,
Alanna