Tag Archives: make-up

Deborah Lippmann On The Beach & NARS Koliary nail polish review – a tale of two blues

Posted on August 27, 2012 | 5 comments

A Tale of Two Blues…

Yup, you’re getting two reviews for the price of one here! Now you know me… my usual philosophy is why write 100 words when 500 would do… but the reason behind this package deal is that NARS Koliary and Deborah Lippmann On The Beach are basically the same colour. Admittedly, a very gorgeous bright primary ocean blue, but the same colour nonetheless – and I imagine you’d enjoy reading two identical reviews as much as I’d enjoy writing them!

It’s a simple colour, but both brands execute it stunningly. Pure bright creamy mid-tone blue. No turquoise or green or purple hints hiding beneath the surface, no shimmer or glitter or special effects – just straight-up primary blue on a platter. It’s a delicious palate cleanser of a polish and one that always gets me compliments whenever I wear it.

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Tagged Beauty, best blue nail polishes, blue, cosmetics, Deborah Lippmann, Koliary, make-up, nail lacquer, nail polish, nail varnish, Nars, Nars Thakoon collection, On The Beach, review, swatch

Clinique Lash Power Lengthening Mascara review

Posted on August 12, 2012 | Leave a comment

You already know from my previous blog that my must-wear make-up is eyeliner. However, I know that for plenty of people, the thing they just can’t leave the house without is mascara… so here’s Clinique’s new Lash Power Lengthening Mascara to tempt you!

I will be honest – I very rarely wear mascara as it… or rather the removal of it… tends to wreak havoc with my sensitive teary eyes (a lifetime spent crying at Disney movies and rom-coms? who knows!). Nevertheless, on the rare occasions that I do, the two brands I trust most with my lashes are Becca and Clinique… so bring on the Lash Power Lengthening Mascara!

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Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense in Intense Plum, Intense Ivy and Intense Charcoal review

Posted on July 16, 2012 | 3 comments

Some people never leave the house without a sweep of mascara. For others, it’s a swipe of lipstick. But for me, it’s a slick of eyeliner!

I do actually leave the house without make-up on a regular basis (are beauty bloggers allowed to admit this?!), but if I’m venturing more than a couple of MTR stops away and if there’s a chance of being seen by anyone that matters, out the eyeliner comes! As a result, I have two go-to holy grail eyeliners – Clinique’s Brush-On Cream Eyeliner in Smoke Grey and Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in just about every colour under the sun. But I’m always on the hunt for more… enter Clinique’s Quickliner for Eyes Intense.

Left to right: Intense Plum, Intense Charcoal, Intense Ivy

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Tagged best eye pencil, best eyeliner, Clinique, Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense, cosmetics, EOTD, eye liner, eye pencils, eyeliners, FOTD, Intense Charcoal, Intense Ivy, Intense Plum, make-up, photos, review, swatch, swatches

American Apparel Neon Orange nail polish review

Posted on July 9, 2012 | 5 comments

This summer is all about neons. The other day on the train, I spotted two girls who looked like they’d got dressed with the sole purpose of glowing under UV lights at a rave – fluorescent yellow vest top, fluorescent pink bandage mini skirt, it literally was like they’d coloured themselves in with highlighter pens!

For those seeking a slightly more subtle take on the trend, a pop of neon nail polish is your best bet. China Glaze, Essie, OPI, Orly and even Deborah Lippmann have all jumped on the bandwagon with neon collections hitting the shelves in time for summer. However, American Apparel got there first with their neon collection last year – and luckily, I have a prime make-up mule Nunu to supply me with such fluro goodness from across the seas!

I already showed you Neon Coral (LOVE); this time, it’s American Apparel’s Neon Orange. You’d typically expect neon orange to be more similar in colour to that of Neon Coral (errr… I can see this is going to get confusing!), but this was an awesomely unexpected take on the shade.

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Tagged American Apparel, Beauty, cosmetics, make-up, nail lacquer, nail polish, nail varnish, neon, Neon Orange, review, swatch

MAC Casual Colours in Keep It Casual and Relaxation review

Posted on July 2, 2012 | 6 comments

I’m a big fan of multi-tasking products. Vaseline? Tell me somewhere I don’t use it! (No… not there though… snigger). Blushers slash highlighters? Can’t get enough of ‘em. Bacon? I put it on everything. (Sorry… just had to get my love of bacon in there.)

But lip/cheek stains generally don’t rock my world. Let’s face it – the skin on your lips is extremely different in terms of texture, colour and just about everything else from that on the rest of your face, so for a product to work equally well for both areas seems a bit of a stretch. So although I liked the idea of MAC’s Casual Colours – lightweight pots of creamy colour for both lips and cheek – I can’t say I was expecting great things.

Left to right: MAC Casual Colours in Keep It Casual and Relaxation

In fact, I ended up loving these little multi-tasking lovelies a lot more than expected! The whole aim of the collection is effortless easy make-up (I love MAC’s tagline for this, ‘Stilettos off! Hair down!’) so most of the Casual Colours come in neutral shades for perfecting that carefree au naturel look. Of course, the one I liked the best was the least au naturel in the bunch… well, I do always have to be different!

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Tagged Beauty, Casual Colour Collection, Casual Colours, cosmetics, cream blush, Keep It Casual, lip colour, lip-cheek products, lip-cheek stains, look, Mac, make-up, multi-purpose products, photos, Relaxation, swatch

NARS Kutki nail polish review

Posted on June 25, 2012 | 5 comments

As my nail polish collection multiplies by the minute, some tough decisions need to get made. In make-up mental mode, I picked up all of Nars’ Thakoon nail polish collection (an stunning series of summer brights, for those that haven’t already seen it). But when I got home and applied Nars Kutki, I had to ask myself – do I really another pastel blue?! The answer, of course, is a resounding YES.

Unlike China Glaze’s Sea Spray, there is not a hint of dustiness to Kutki – it is a true powder blue. Unlike Chanel’s Coco Blue, there is no secret shimmer to it – it a dreamy creamy crème through and through. Unlike many inferior pastel blues, there is not a hint of chalkiness to it; Kutki is bright soft summer skies all the way. It is, in short, gorgeous.

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Tagged Beauty, cosmetics, Kutki, make-up, nail lacquer, nail polish, nail varnish, Nars, Nars Thakoon collection, pastel blue, powder blue, review, swatch

American Apparel Neon Coral nail polish review

Posted on May 21, 2012 | 4 comments

It is officially summer in the 852 , which means I get even more insane with my make-up than usual! Being my usual stupidly-prepared self, I bagged myself the hottest most searing neon nail polish money could buy around three months ago, thanks to Stateside make-up mule Nunu. First up to give my nails a dose of radioactive summer was American Apparel Neon Coral.

Well, it does what it says on the tin! It is neon. It is coral. BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE.

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Tagged American Apparel, American Apparel Neon Collection, American Apparel Neon nail polishes, Beauty, best neon nail polishes, coral, cosmetics, fluorescent, make-up, nail lacquer, nail polish, nail varnish, neon, Neon Coral, review, swatch

OPI Did It On ‘Em nail polish review

Posted on April 30, 2012 | 4 comments

With summer well and truly ready to kick in over here, my body starts to crave brights – and my nails are no exception! So next up from the Nicki Minaj Collection is OPI’s Did It On ‘Em.

A lot of people commented on the similarity between Minaj’s collection and the Shrek one OPI put out a few years back – and Did It On ‘Em is basically the lovechild of Who The Shrek Are You (the Shrek green) and Fiercely Fiona (yellow). Basically, it’s a bright amped-up chartreuse… and my, how long I have been dying to use the world chartreuse!

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Tagged Beauty, chartreuse, cosmetics, Did It On 'Em, make-up, nail lacquer, nail polish, nail varnish, Nicki Minaj Collection, O.P.I, OPI, review, swatch, ugly-pretty

OPI Pink Friday nail polish review

Posted on April 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

Over my many nail polish reviews, you may have noticed a slight disparaging tone whenever pink is mentioned. Suffice to say, “traditional” nail polish colours just do not do it for me… save them for my wedding day I say (though I’m still not guaranteeing I won’t waltz down the aisle sporting some blingy-holo-flakie goodness!). However, I recently picked up OPI Pink Friday as part of their Nicki Minaj Collection set of minis, and in the interests of fairness and not wasting my money, I’m willing to try any shade once!

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Nicole By OPI Nicole’s Nickel nail polish review

Posted on April 13, 2012 | 2 comments

In the States, Nicole by OPI is apparently easier to get hold of than OPI itself. Not the case in Hong Kong! Its sole point of distribution here is Sasa – and even then, it’s a case of a limited number of colours in a limited number of Sasas… and as for new collections, forget it!

However, from these slim pickings, I spotted what looked like a pretty awesome glitter amongst the multitude of boring pinks and reds – Nicole by OPI Nicole’s Nickel, a Target exclusive in the States (whatever that means!). Call it the needle in the haystack, the wheat amongst the chaff or whatever other convoluted idiom you choose to come up with, Nicole’s Nickel is a winner.