I live in the sea

Didn't realise I'd run out of scheduled posts. :p Oops.

So I don't really have anything at the moment, I thought I might take this time to do a little wishlist! In no particular order:

1. Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows in any shade. They look so gorgeous! And so amazingly pigmented.

2. Coat or jacket. Would you believe that I've been wearing the same 2 jackets on rotation for the last 5 years or so? The pocket stitching on one of them is actually coming undone lol! I've been eyeing this one from Forever New. I've also taken advantage of the ASOS clearance section and made an order! Can't wait!

3. Knitwear. My jumpers and other cold weather things are all pretty much in the same state as my jackets. :p

4. New moisturiser. I need something that isn't oily but still delivers on moisture.

5. Socks. I know exactly how Dumbledore feels.

6. A new makeup remover. I'm quite keen to try any of the Shu Uemura ones like this one, or the HadaLabo one.

7. NARS anything. I've never tried any of their products. The Dogon eyeshadow duo looks gorgeous too.

8. Skirts! In particular, I've been eyeing this one from MNG. I'd also really like a pencil skirt or something similarly job interview friendly, as well as some fun skirts that I can wear out for salsa dancing.

9. Rock & Republic eyeshadows and blushes. Doesn't seem likely though, if the rumours of their cosmetics line being discontinued are true. And that makes me sad. :(

10. MAC Jeanius line. Particularly, the blush in Pink Cult and the nail lacquer in Frayed to Order.

Well, that's it for now. I limited myself to 10 things, but of course, it's by no means exhaustive. ;D

What's on your wishlist?

Mega ringlight!

Okay, so this isn't actually something that I'd done myself. But I thought it was too cool not to share!

I was looking up videos on Youtube on DIY lightboxes, after being inspired by Ling's story on how her husband made her one (lucky girl!). But then I stumbled on this video.

Biggest ringlight ever?!
I'd probably electrocute myself if I tried to make one since I don't have any electrical/wiring/etc know-how. But if I could... well. I can say goodbye to waiting for days with halfway decent sunlight to take photos for FotD posts at the very least! :p

Easter FotN

So that night I went out dancing! I never expected to love it so much, when I first starting taking salsa classes about.. oh, 2 and a half years ago now? Although lately I've been stuck in a limbo phase, after doing that technique course. Because now I know what I'm doing wrong, all the mistakes and bad habits. In my head while I'm dancing now, I'll be like "Must remember to do this. And do that. Shit! I'm not supposed to do that! Mistake! Mistake! RAWR! /rage". Doesn't make for a very enjoyable night, but hey! Practice makes perfect, right?

So anyway, this is the look I did.

Since it was night time, I had to take photos in my toilet - the only place with okay lighting in my home. But I hate it! You get all these weird shadows on your face when the light source is coming from above, and it's not a big enough room for me to stand further back. Bah.
Products used:
Face

• Lioele Beyond the Solution BB cream
• Mixed loose powders (The Face Shop, Paul & Joe)
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Petticoat (used as blush)

Eyes

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Urban Decay Naked Palette (Inner third of lid - Sin, outer third & along lashlines & crease - Creep)
• Urban Decay Book of Shadows III (Outer two thirds of lid - Psychedelic Sister)
• Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eyeshadow Quad 02 Coffee Bean (Highlight - topmost shade, a light beige with soft shimmer)
• Lioele gel eyeliner
• Bourjois Paris Volume Glamour Ultra Curl Mascara (black) on the upper lashes
• Daiso Ever Bilena waterproof mascara (black) on the lower lashes
• The Face Shop false eyelashes in XO

Brows

• Daiso eyebrow liner in black

Lips

• Nothing at this point, because I was going to have my dinner. Heh. I think I just whacked on either lip balm or MAC's Devilishly Stylish lipglass.

Looking back at the photos, I'm feeling kinda "meh." about this look, I feel like I may have overblended Psychedelic Sister and Creep? But at the time I felt quite self-conscious, I'm not used to doing as heavy an eye look as this.

Some random pics cos I feel weird just posting 2!

This is at a place in Yarraville, called Acqua e Vino. I was there for the boyfriend's gig. He plays drums in a latin band. This was early in the afternoon, I was with them when they went to set up.

Really nice place, it's got an interesting mix of decor styles. European, Oriental, modern, old-timey. Lots of comfy seating. And great floor too! For dancing that is. XD

Aptly named too. lol Look at all those wine bottles!

Easter FotD

I love public holidays, don't you? XD

I decided to do a slightly darker look than I would normally for during the day. Quite like how this turned out actually!

Eww what's with the weird colour tint? Apologies!

Products used:
Face

• Paul & Joe Light Cream foundation N in 20
• My patented (ok not really) mix of loose powders from Paul & Joe and The Face Shop
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Petticoat

Eyes

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Urban Decay Naked Palette (highlight - Virgin, lid - Sin, outer third & lashlines - Darkhorse)
• Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero
• Bourjois Paris Volume Glamour Ultra Curl Mascara (black) on the upper lashes
• Daiso Ever Bilena waterproof mascara (black) on the lower lashes

Brows

• Daiso eyebrow liner in black

Lips

• MAC Amplified Creme in Cosmo
• MAC Venomous Villains Lipglass in Devilishly Stylish

With glasses:

Hehe!

Ooh sunlight!

I really quite like the combo of Cosmo and Devilishly Stylish. I've not really been a big lipstick fan in the past, so I don't have many. Maybe 3? It's nice to layer glosses over them to make them look different, makes it seem like I have more lol!

Annoyed face. I seriously suck at taking self shots. There are so many pictures with bad angles, half my face cut off, etc etc...

NYX 12th Anniversary Sale

Another heads up! This time NYX themselves are having a MASSIVE sale on their site. Unfortunately they do not ship internationally, so the rest of the world will have to either use a shopping service of some sort or sit this one out. Since I just placed an order with Cherry Culture for a bunch of NYX products, I'm going to be good to my wallet and give this sale a miss. But it sounds like it's going to be a really really awesome sale, so don't miss out if you can!

The details:

What? NYX's 12th Year Anniversary Sale! Your favourite NYX products will be available to purchase for $1.20!
When? Sunday, May 15th from 12pm to 12am PST
Why? We're celebrating 12 years of success & growth all thanks to our fans! We'd like to recognize your great support with this once in a lifetime 12 hour sale!
How? Visit www.nyxcosmetics.com during that time for your shopping experience to begin!

Fine print: Our sale will consist of your favourite products; makeup tools are not included in the sale. There will be a limited amount of products available, so we suggest you shop immediately! Please allow up to 3 weeks after your purchase for your order to arrive due to the extreme volume of orders. This sale is dedicated to our loyal fans and consumers and is not open to retail sellers.

Sigh! If I could, I'd probably get as many blushes and lipsticks as I could. <3 blushes!

What would you get?

My MAC Mineralize collection! + swatches

MAC's Mineralize line has been around for some time, but it was only recently that I got my hands on some of their products, namely, Skinfinishes and a blush!
From MAC:
Mineralize Skinfinish

A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish. Smoothes on: adds buffed-up highlights to cheeks and brows, or an overall ultra-deluxe polish to the face.

Mineralize Blush

Baked minerals refined into a powder formula to provide exceptionally sheer and lightweight application. Colour builds lightly, layer after layer, without heavy coverage. Veils and enhances the cheekbones with a luminous, pearlized shimmer.

I'm so so so in love with these, particularly the MSFs because they are so multifunctional! I've been mainly using them as blushes, but I've also tried them as a highlighting powder, and an all-over face powder (with a light hand) for general glow. They can also be used as eyeshadows, depending on the shade, and on the body. I've found them to be super duper pigmented, and a little really does go a long way!
What I have (no particular order):

Mineralize Blush in Dainty (peachy pink)

I like this for everyday sort of looks. It's not as shimmery like some of the others (I'm looking at you, Smooth Merge!), but gives more of a gentle glow.

Mineralize Skinfinish in Smooth Merge (darkened pink when blended)

The most glittery of the bunch! Well. It's not glitter glitter, but it is fairly shimmery. This is probably the one that I reach for the least, purely because of the shimmer.

Mineralize Skinfinish in Brunette (peachy bronze)

I originally got this thinking that I might be able to use this as a bronzer, or for contouring. I'm not sure it turned out to be the best choice for that because it's bit too peachy on me, but I still like it as a blush. It looks very natural.

Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Flush (muted pale dusty rose with a pinky gold sheen)

This one is really light, it's hard to use it as a blush because I have to really build up the colour. But it's nice as an all-over, or to highlight the cheekbones. The colour reminds me of this dress by Mary Magdalene (but warmer and pinker), one of my favourites, hence the description.

Mineralize Skinfinish in Petticoat (darkened raspberry pink)

Petticoat is easily my favourite, how pretty does it look! The veining was probably what attracted me at first, and never mind about the colour when worn! It deserves another picture~

It almost looks like some gorgeous alien planet... hehe! I definitely use this one the most, it's the perfect shade for me as a blush.
Swatches in indirect sunlight (which photographs quite cool, a quirk with Panasonic cams), and warmer down light in my bathroom. At the top is a swatch of Majolica Majorca Cheek Customize cheek colour in PK333, which is more matte than the MAC products, and is a light pink.

I'd love to get more, I'm definitely a blush sort of gal.

Parcel It On!

Want to buy products from US sites but finding that they don't ship internationally? Refuse to pay ridiculous annual membership fees to mail forwarding services? Don't have a credit card or prefer Paypal? Then Parcel It On might just be for you!

In case you haven't noticed, I loves me some Urban Decay! I use the Naked Palette almost everyday, and love their 24/7 eyeliner pencils and the cult favourite, eyeshadow Primer Potion. But sadly, they don't ship overseas, and goodness knows when I'll get to visit Sephora Singapore again. Well, actually I'm going home in Nov for a friend's wedding, but anywayyyyy...! The point is! Sometimes a girl just wants things now, or as close to now as possible.
I really really wanted the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary 24/7 Glide On eye pencil set, as well as a single pencil in Yeyo (it wasn't in the set, boo). Ebay prices are always jacked up, and the set was still in stock on the Urban Decay site anyway (this was some months ago).

Enter Parcel It On! I used their Assisted Purchasing service.

Pros:

• Easy email based system. I just emailed them a list of what I wanted, with links, and they replied with a quote which included item prices, domestic shipping, and their service fee (they also checked item availability at this point). To continue, I just sent them payment via Paypal.
• Fast! I don't think I ever waited for even a day to get a reply from them.
• Email updates on your order status. They sent me emails to let me know when they had placed my order, when they had received my order, and when they had sent it to me.
• 4% service fee. This is great if you have a relatively cheaper order. If you're getting more expensive items, you may want to consider a service that charges a flat fee.
• International shipping options. They offer a few different options for shipping, so you can get insured shipping, and/or sign-on-delivery, if you want. Or tracking too! I went with the cheapest option lol.

Cons:

• Invoice fee. They charge a 3.9% fee every time they invoice you. This is on top of their service fee, and their mail forwarding fee, and although they don't say so on their site, I believe it is for Paypal charges. And they will invoice you at least twice, once when you place your order, and once for international shipping for your package to you. 
• Additional $12US mail forwarding fee. If you have a large order, this won't seem that much, but for a smaller order it can seem a bit excessive.  

I was pretty happy with their service. Didn't really have any complaints, they were very efficient and friendly to communicate with. That's all really. The pricing gets a little bit more complicated if you are ordering from different sites, and want to combine international shipping (extra $2.50US for each package), and again if your order needs to be sent in separate packages for whatever reason (extra $10US for each package). You can read more about their charges and additional services (returns, package storage etc) here.

The package, when I received it, came in a fairly sturdy cardboard box.



My items were bubble wrapped. I think they could have used a little more, the set was a little squashed, but I didn't really mind too much.



Eyeliner HEAVEN! This is probably my favourite type of make up product, tied with blushes.



Took it out of its plastic sleeve, hehe! Super excited about Perversion, it's supposed to be even blacker than Zero!



I'm planning to use Yeyo to line the inner eye corner, and possibly the waterline as well. Hopefully it won't fade there, like Zero does.

Disclaimer:
This is not an advert. I was not contacted by anyone from Parcel It On to try their services, or to write a review. I am not being paid for this. This review is based entirely on my own personal experiences.

NYX Sale on Cherry Culture!

Just a heads up for you NYX junkies out there, Cherry Culture is having a huge 50% off sale on selected NYX products (discount code is NMS50). This includes their single eyeshadows, Round lipsticks, Black Label lipsticks, Jumbo eyepencils, and heaps of other stuff. The sale is only on til May 8th.
I've already put in my order, been wanting to bump up my eyeshadow and lippie collection. I've stayed up wayyy past my bedtime, trying to pick what shades to get and googling up swatches (this forum thread was pretty helpful). There are so many, my eyes are going to fall out of their sockets. But it was so worth it. I need some matte shadows! Urban Decay, I love you, but seriously! What is with all the shimmer. :(

I'm so loving the strong Aussie dollar right now. So good! Now off to bed!

It's May!

I can't believe it's already May! I have about 4 weeks until the completion date for my degree, OMG! The pressure is on! What am I doing, blogging?!
I'm in denial, that's what. And procrastinating. LOL let's just call it de-stressing, shall we? In all seriousness though, I think it's time to take advantage of Blogger's scheduling function. Quite a nifty little idea, although hardly original in my mind.

May also means Mother's Day, and there's certainly an increase in the number of Mother's Day themed posts as the weekend draws nearer. I'm a terrible daughter and hardly ever get my mum anything on Mother's Day (my excuse is that we're in different countries). But the MOR Essentials "Essentially Yours" gift set seems like a popular choice amongst bloggers. I've not tried any of their products, but I am really tempted to pick up a set after reading so many glowing reviews of MOR products. The price seems really reasonable too.

But would she use it? Hmmmm...

Face of the Day: MFBB Attempt #3

MFBB: My Face But Better

There was an attempt #2, but there was no good lighting so I didn't bother with photos.
Products used:
Face

• Lioele Beyond the Solution BB cream
• Setting powder (I mixed mine because the colours were off on me, one too white, one too dark - The Face Shop Dewy Flower Moist Loose powder #13 Pink Beige, Paul & Joe Loose powder #03)
• MAC Mineralize blush in Dainty

Eyes

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Urban Decay Naked Palette (Virgin, Sin, Hustle)
• Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero
• Bourjois Paris Volume Glamour Ultra Curl Mascara (black) on the upper lashes
• Daiso Ever Bilena waterproof mascara (black) on the lower lashes

Brows

• Daiso eyebrow liner in black

Lips

• Nothing!

I really need to be more prompt with these. I was guessing for half the products, cos I can't remember exactly! But I think I've got it right.
You can see in the first photo that the BB cream doesn't quite cover up acne hyperpigmentation. And this Bourjois mascara is doing nothing for my lashes. Nothing. D: But I am loving the matteness of the Lioele BB cream + setting powder. I dunno, I'm not that big a fan of the dewy look, especially for photos. It just looks oily most of the time!

One thing I've realised though, my MAC Mineralize products don't seem to "stick" very well to the two BB creams that I've tried so far (Lioele and Skin79). I have to apply them before setting the BB creams, and I always feel like I have to work a bit harder to get some colour. I've tried them with my Paul & Joe foundation, and don't feel like I have the same problem, so they probably just don't play well together. Maybe it's the silicone content? Hmm, think I'll check.