Heroine Make was founded back in 2005 in Japan. For some reason, Japanese refer “make” as make up hence the name Heroine Make. Heroine being “the girl who is youthful and loves beauty“. Since its launch, Heroine Make won numerous awards including the holy grail award in Japan – Cosme.’
To my entirely honest, I’ve seen these in Asian beauty shops for years but have not made the move to purchase because the anime packaging doesn’t float my boat. I guess in my recent overseas trip, I succumbed, no thanks to my enablers – Tina & Shizuka. I picked up two mascara, a liquid eyeliner (my usual make up staple) and a brow pencil.
Verdict:
- Smooth Liquid Liner: I am beyond obsessed with this. This probably took over my obsession with Dolly Wink liquid liner. It is easy to use, especially great with flicks and it is dark (not as dark as a gel) and never smudges.
- Quick Eyebrow – I didn’t like this twist pen eyebrow liner, it felt too harsh to skin and barely any colour came out despite me trying so hard. This is a no go.
- Volume & Curl Mascara + Long & Curl Mascara – You’ve got to give it to the Japanese to always deliver mascara that are smudge proof, weather proof and impossible to remove. Despite it being difficult to remove, I love this combination as they deliver long lasting curl and volume for my sparse lashes and never causing any issues – EVER even after a long 15 hr day. The formula is wet without being heavy and never leaves my lashes crunchy dry looking once the formula dries.
Approximately AUD$10 – 15
Available in Sasa or most Asian beauty stores
I have been meaning to write this post for a very long time since the launch of L’Oreal Shine Caresse Lip Colour in the Australian market. Pretty much every single beauty blogger have also blogged about how similar the new lip colour is to YSL Glossy Stain. Personally, I agree that both shares some similarity but overall I don’t agree that one is replaceable of the other.
By quickly assembling these two lip colours, it looks from the packaging that both products seem to share similar colours but the actual products are not quite like each another.
In total, L’Oreal Shine Caresse Lip Colour is available in 8 shades - Lolita 101, Romy 102, Marilyn 103, Princess 200, Juliet 300, Eve 400, Milady 402, Bonnie 501.
The similarities:
- Packaging wise, both products appear to be quite similar in length and shape. One luxurious, one high street!
- Both application wand is similar.
- Colour range available is quite similar, the pinks, the reds and the violets. Although, YSL do have more colour offering in the market and each season there are also limited edition colours.
- Both appear to have a stain finish and will stain your lips (only applicable for brighter shades with L’Oreal’s)
One swipe for both
The differences:
- Loreal is affordable and YSL is luxurious; this is also reflected in the look and feel of the packaging.
- Loreal lip colour is sheer, YSL is pigmented especially for the lighter shades. See picture above. Both are similar colour and yet you can tell straight away the intensity is different. I won’t be able to achieve the same result even with multiple layers from Loreal’s to the one layer of YSL’s.
- Both lip colour/gloss are easy to apply but YSL has a creamy finish while Loreal has more of an oily finish.
- Both colours are long lasting (and this is only true for the more pigmented colours), the sheerer ones from Loreal didn’t stand a chance to last past a couple of sips in a mug.
- The main difference that nailed it in for me is that after 8 hour of wear, Loreal’s made my lips dry and pruney, amplifying the fine lines and worst of all, the pigments from Loreal lip colour seeped into the fine lines. As for the YSL, it doesn’t give me the same effect and doesn’t leave my lips dry and peely (this coming from someone who is prone to lip dryness).
End of the day, Loreal is recommended for people who don’t have dry lips and is looking for a sheer finish, preferably one without pigmented lips as the sheer colours won’t show up on darker lips like me. YSL is recommended for those who are prone to dry lips and have pigmented lips because the glossy stain really stain and deliver long lasting finish.
Today, I am sharing with you two of my recent purchase (actually not so recent I got them Dec/Jan?) from Chanel. I have long adored Chanel’s lip prodz, skincare, eyeshadow quads, nail polishes, eyeshadow pots but haven’t tried their liquid eyeliner and pencil eyeliner; hence I thought I should give it a go since I wear these products every single work day of my life.
Say hello to Chanel Liquid Eyeliner Intensity Definition #10 Noir and Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner #88 Noir Intense. Just to keep things simple I am going to call it liquid eyeliner and pencil eyeliner, you get the drill!
Soft, never draggy, especially brilliant on the waterline; this is classified as can’t live without product now.
Takes a while to get use to drawing flicks with liquid eye liner like these as it can get tricky at the corners of the eye when the tip of the brush is so fluid. A trick I always do is to try and drain as much liquid off the brush back into the pot as possible. Sometimes when it comes to drawing flicks I try and draw the liner on a tissue to take out additional liquid. Definitely needs some practising with this before mastering the tiny lines and perfect flicks.
Here’s a close up shot of the swatches, both in one clean swipe. As you can see the pencil eyeliner is the blackest you can get and is creamy and smooth to apply. The liquid eyeliner is also the blackest a liquid eyeliner can get. It is also waterproof and doesn’t come off with cleansing oil, yes you read that right, doesn’t come off with cleansing oil but slides right off with warm water. Amazing huh?
Ever since I got these two amazing combo in my paws I have been using them almost on a daily basis. Both are smudge proof and once mastered is super easy to apply. I love it!
From the Tom Ford Holiday 2012 collection, Tom Ford released four limited edition lipsticks and two of them are #Slander and #Diabolique which I will be reviewing today. Tom Ford lippies is definitely right up there with my all time favourites Chanel and Estee Lauder. If you have to purchase one product from the entire Tom Ford make up collection, may I suggest you to go check out their lipsticks. I promise you won’t be disappointed with what they have to offer.
Top: #Slander Bottom: #Diabolique
One was photographed right next to a window with natural light and one indoors.
Surprisingly, both swatches appear to be quite similar to each another but in real life, #slander is more of a brighter shade with a pink red finish where else #diabolique is darker with a deep cheery red finish. I have also noticed that #slander has more shine as compare to #diabolique’s matte finish.
Both shades are really pigmented and easy to apply. Texture wise they are creamy and while both lippies finishes matte but it doesn’t feel dry on lips or drying to the lips after hours of wear. With extra care while drinking or sipping drinks, these lasted through to after lunch and I only needed a quick touch up.
Beauty tip: Reason why these lipsticks are worth their moolah is because they are infused with rare and exotic ingredients to create the super creamy texture to ensure application are smooth + hydrating to the lips.
RRP AUD$60 each
Available on Tom Ford counters now
Left to right: #48 Sentiment, #49 Liaison
Recently, Chanel launched these Rouge Coco as part of the Avant-Premiere de Chanel collection. The collection is Peter Philips’ homage to the classic movies from the glamorous French & Hollywood cinema era. Chanel Rouge Coco 2013 Collection Avant-Premiere collection showcases a contemporary and feminine mix of Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour, Rouge Coco Shine and Le Vernis. Some of the products are limited edition and some isn’t.
In total, there are six Rouge coco shades and today I am reviewing two of the six. Texture wise these lipsticks are creamy and has a nice satiny finish. Both leaves a hydrating feel and it doesn’t feel like I am wearing a lipstick, feels more like a moisturising balm with a nice wash of colour over. Definitely redefining the lipstick department worthy prodz.
#48 Sentiment is your natural beige with a totally wearable peach tone that gives a modern twist to your traditional beige. Very wearable for day time at work and is great to pair with dark smokey eyes at night. This peachy beige lipstick is best suited to those who have a lighter coloured lips as I can imagine this will appear washed off in darker toned lips.
#49 Liaison is a rosy pink colour with a hint of frost in it and is also very wearable for day time and perhaps put a layer of shimmer gloss over the top at night for that hint of glossy finish.
RRP AUD$50 each
Available on Chanel counters from 14th April onwards
Stockist 02 9900 2944
A while back, Chanel released two limited edition illuminating powders – Mouche de Beaute (MdB) and Poudre Signee de Chanel (PSdC). Both come in the classic Chanel black palette packaging that is slightly bigger than your regular blush palettes. The illuminating powders come with a dust bag and a sponge applicator. This sponge applicator doesn’t sit inside the palette, it sits with the dust bag that they both come with.
Chanel Illuminating Powder – Poudre Signee de Chanel
This is the prettier one of the lot. The intricate design is so detailed; making it extra hard for one to break into the pan. Having said that, I use a fluffy powder brush over this to apply instead of the sponge applicator and most of the design on the pan is still visible after 10 – 20 applications. Colour wise, this powder is really sheer and has more of a white/silver shimmer finish.
Overall, this will best suit those with a fairer skin tone as it is very sheer and the gentle shimmer doesn’t look tacky or too OTT as a day wear. Due to its white/silver tone, I was also able to use this on my nose bridge, inner corner of eyes and above cheekbone to add some dimensions to my face.
Chanel Illuminating Powder - Mouche de Beaute
As compared with Poudre Signee de Chanel, this is the heavier and more hard core version of the former. It has a rose gold finish that screams sheen all over. With this, I had to be extra careful with where I apply and how I apply it. Personally I much prefer apply with my fingers on my cheekbone and this can double as an eye shadow since the wash of rose/gold/bronze sheen works well as an eye shadow.
If you have medium to darker skin tone this would be perfect as a highlighter or even a blush/bronzer on its own. However, if you have fairer skin tone, go easy with this and be sure to blend with a blush.
Both products are retailing for RRP AUD$90
Might still be available to purchase on counter
Anna Sui known for their intricate packaging design has always rolled out impressive quality beauty products not only with the quality of packaging but also the actual cosmetic content.
Recently I picked up one of their popular powder blush aka Rose Cheek Color in #300 (Romantic Rose). This range comes with 6 different shades to choose from and comes in their signature rose scent, this powder blush has a sweet, fragrant scent. This blush combines 6 different shades of pinks from sheer, light to bright pink. A quick swirl of a brush gives a pretty medium pigment pink shade with hints of shimmer that is only visible in different angles.
Personally, I love the scent (sucker for roses) and the blush is easy to blend without looking OTT once buffed over the palette lightly and tapped off excess to go onto cheeks. As for the shimmer, I am okay with a slight hint but is wary if there is too much. Hence I’d always go with buffing a very light layer and blend light handedly. This blush is definitely build-able which makes it perfect for day to night transition.
You can find this online for approximately AUD$30 – $38.
When it comes to concealer, women seems to want them to do everything. Realistically, I’d go as far to say that there’s not one concealer in the market that can address all your concealing needs. You see when it comes to covering up eye bags, swallow areas, dark eye circles these are very different to covering up an angry zit, acne scar, pitted scarring and so on. Therefore, you’ll need different types of concealer for different concerns.
Today, let’s talk about covering dark eye circles and eye bags because I have them. To make a great undereye concealer it needs to tick a few boxes to address some pretty universal concerns like – dryness, fine lines, dark circles and the appearance of eye bags. There are many concealers in the market that works pretty good at covering dark circles but not many are able to cover AND remain hydrating. One too many times I have been disappointed with formulas that nails the concealing bit but not great at camouflaging my fine lines under my eyes despite using crazy amount of eye cream to prep.
So recently, I was introduced to Benefit’s Fake Up crease control hydrating concealer. This concealer comes in a moisturising balm and a concealing core twist stick that you apply under the eye area and use your ring fingers to dab and blend away. This concealer contains both moisturising and skin healing properties to diffuse fine lines and cover up dark circles.
Mine was a #01 light.
Since receiving this concealer I have been experimenting with this concealer to see how it performs. My usual routine has always been foundation first then concealer but for some reason due to how moisturising this creamy balm concealer is, it makes sense for this to be in the under layer to A) hydrate the under eye area and B) since it brightens the eye area (I find this not really great at colour correction more so for brightening), I dab the slightest hint of foundation over the top to give it a coverage boost and to seal it in.
Texture wise, this concealer is silky smooth, I had no issues blending with this and it is super easy and quick to blend – did someone say time saving? I have also been using this on its own for days when I go for no foundation but needed a little brightening action under the eye.
If hydrating and fine line under your eyes is THE issue then you must get your paws on this concealer, the most hydrating concealer I’ve tested to date, two hands down.
RRP AUD$ 35
Available in Benefit counters from mid April onwards
