0 MAC regular cremeblend blushers

In place of the old blushcremes which they dced earlier, MAC has replaced with a new formula and new range of cream blushers called the cremeblend blushers which is of the same formula as the ones released with LE collection Mac in Lilyland last year.

MAC addicts and blush addicts both alike will be pleased that this collection is permanent. However, unfortunately, they didn't bring back the brights from Lilyland such as optimistic orange, joie d vivre and Florida in this collection. The only creme blend blush made permanent from the Lilyland collection was the light pink cremeblend blush in So Sweet So easy.

Although there's a cremeblend blush that's called Ladyblush (same name as one of the blushcreme), but i can also swear the color is different. Even though I don't own the old Ladyblush blushcreme, but i've swatched it before @ the counter and it was more red than the current one. Nevertheless, the current Ladyblush cremeblend blush is also a very nice and wearable color.

What I like about the new formula of the cream blush is that they are much more blendable than the old blushcremes which were thicker and needed more effort to blend into the skin. The texture of these new blushcremes are excellent and are not oily @ all which means even girls with oily skin can wear them too.

I personally love cream blushers as they are more natural lookin than powder blushers, but alas as they are cream based, the shelf life is shorter than powder blushers, so I tend not to buy too much of cream blushers.

Click for enlarged pic. From left to right: Ladyblush, Something Special, Brit Wit

Click for enlarged pic. From left to right: Ladyblush, Something special, Brit Wit

Ladyblush:  More of a neutral orangey pink shade with peach undertones. skin tones. Excellent for daily wear

Something special: More pinkish than ladyblush, but also with peach undertones. it reminds me of the creme form of dainty mac mineralized blush. 

Brit Wit: Almost like the creme form of blush baby (a pink brown shade), but darker and with some slight plum undertones. Ladies with fair skin have to be light handed with this. It's somewhere in between the color blush baby and plum foolery

In short, this new regular range of blushcremes consist of mostly neutral colors that are excellent for everyday wear (There's also Posey and Tea Petal which I haven't bought and so am unable to review). However, I would like to see MAC add brighter colors to this range such as those that were released with Lilyland.

0 All about Color correctors

Admittedly, my blog is mostly about reviews of make up products and swatches, but once in a while I would also like to share some make up knowledge and tips with you.

These are to be used to before foundation and concealers. Their main function is to even out specific skin tone problem e.g. rednness or sallowness. They help to correct specific skin tone problems when foundation is not enough.

Each warm color has a complementary cold color and vice versa. (Complementary colors are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel)

Colors work in opposition to one another:

Blue <----> Orange

Lilac <----> Yellow (Therefore, you notice that a purple base is always used to brighten up a dull sallow complexion. And Purple bases are extremely popular in Asia where most asians tend to have yellow skintones)

Green <---> Red

Note: The basic rules of color cannot apply to very very dark skintones since colors change when applied to dark skin - turn ashy

Types of Color correctors:

1. Green - To counteract any reddness that might be caused due to sensitivity or flushing, pimples and sun burn. it also helps to conceal tiny broken blood vessels

2. Lavendar / purple - Brighten up yellowish salllowness complexion e.g. tired skin

3. Alabaster (sometimes come in pale yellow or lime yellow: to correct any brown imperfections such as freckles and pigmentation and brown shadows under the eyes

4. Orange / Peach - Conceal minor dark shadows under eyes due to not enough slp and pigment stain

5. Pink - Correct blue / purple undertone e.g. hereditary dark circles under the eyes and bruises with blue and purplish vein

=> Therefore u notice that MAC has 2 types of concealers, NC and NW (Pink), the NW is usually used for correcting the color of the dark undereye circles, before using the NC which is usually a lighter shade to brighten the eye area. Many people often mistaken that using a concealer is enough. But when the dark undereye areas are serious, concealers themselves may not be sufficient to cover and a color corrector is needed to correct the darkness before the concealer. But if the darkness is not too serious, a concealer is more than sufficent to do the job of concealing.

6. White - Conteract uneven skin textures, correct uneven skin tone and pigment (e.g. mature skin) or used as highlighter or mixed with foundation for a lighter shade

Next time, you see make up brands such as MUFE selling color corrector palettes which consist of 5 colors, you will know what to do which each colors :P Hope the above helps for those who are still new to make up :P

Note: Only apply the corrector to affected areas, do NOT apply on the whole face like a foundation.

0 YSL Touche eclat

The only pc of cosmetic that I own from YSL is its ever so famous Touche eclat in the shade no 2 (a pale beige-pink shade). I bought it after hearing raves about it from several of my friends.

Contrary to what many people think, the touche eclat is NOT a concealer. In fact, I would say it is more of a pen highlighter than a concealer. If u are expecting coverage from the touche eclat, you will be disappointed. Cause it does not really cover dark under eyes nor blemishes.

But it does a wonderful job of highlighting the cheek bones and T-zone areas. And is excellent for brightening the under eye area (to be used after a proper concealer of course. Sometimes using a concealer may be able to conceal the darkness, but the area still looks flat after concealer. In that case, you may use the touche eclat over it to brighten up the under eye so as to look mroe fresh and awake). There's a huge difference between brightening and concealing...and many people are still unable to differentiate between the 2. Hence many people that I know of still have this thinkin that the YSL touche eclat is a pen concealer but it is not. It is a PEN HIGHLIGHTER  NOT a concealer.

YSL Touche eclat is such a success that other brands such as MAC are also coming out with their own pen highlighters as well.

Features:

1. It comes in a pen form and product can be dispensed by clicking a small button on top of the pen

2. It has firm, flat brush tip for applying the product.

Tips for applying the product:

1. Using the brush, dot it on the cheek bone area or on the high planes of the face and slowly blend it out by dabbing it the product out with your fingers

Benefits:

1. Can be used over powder without becoming cakey or uneven

2. Gives a more natural brightening effect than powder highlighters

3. Very blendable

4. No shimmers in the product, so it won't make the face look shiny or oily.

I love this product so much that I cannot find any faults or flaw with this product. Of course if u use it as a concealer, you might be disappointed cause it has little or no coverage as it's not meant to be used as a concealer

0 Make Up Store eye pencil in Sparkling beach and Tropical

Recently bought 2 Pencils from Make up store (For ladies who haven't heard of this brand before Make up store is a swedish brand) in Sparkling beach (a metallic turqoise blue) and in Tropical (a Lime green).

The vibrancy of the colors of these 2 eye pencils caught my eye when i saw them (I have nothing similar to them... ) I love bright eye colors. Swatched the colors on my hand and fell instantly in love with them.

I used the Tropical as a base for my MAC overgrown e/s and it really popped out the green in the eye color. And Sparkling beach is an AWESOME liner. It kinda reminds me of MAC's parrot e/s but in liner form and best of all, it stayed put on my lower lash line the whole day and didn't smudge one bit. Would definitely repurchase these 2 pencils after I have finished using

Click for enlarged pic.

Click for enlarged pic. From left to right: Sparkling beach, Tropical eye pencils

0 Favourite beauty products

I believe that everyone has their own favourite product categories from a certain brand. As all of us know that just as no human is perfect, any beauty brand cannot be a WINNER in all categories, there are bound to be some hit or miss products. So in this post, I would like to share with readers categories of products which I like from certain brands.

Make up base 

1. MAC prep plus prime skin base visage - This is holy grail status for me. I use this everyday

Foundation - liquid

1. Shu uemura face architect liquid foundation

2. Giorgo armani face fabric liquid foundation

Foundation - powder

Personally, I prefer liquid foundation to powder foundation. So Nil in this category for me

Concealer

Nil. Still in the search for a holy grail one. Currently using MAC studio sculpt. It's ok...but have to be careful not to use too much as it might be too cakey if over applied

Pressed powder

1. MAC studio careblend pressed powder

Eyeshadows

1. MAC 

2. Urban Decay - their palettes

3. Lunasol (It's a japanese brand, so those of you who are living in Western countries may not have heard of this before)

4. Make up Forever (I only have 6, but I have to list it as one of my favourite e/s brand as the color payoff and lasting power is superb)

Gel liner

1. MAC blacktrack fluidline - this is holy grail status for me. I use this everyday 

Pencil liners

None. I still haven found one that doesn't smudge on me...

Blushers

1. MAC

2. Nars

3. Shu Uemura

Lipsticks

1. MAC - amplified, cremesheens, matte, Satin

Lip glosses

1. Chanel extrait d gloss 

2. Dior

3. MAC cremesheen glasses (it's the most non sticky gloss from them)

Lip liners

Nil. I don't use them