Review: Schick Hydro Silk Razor

I received the Schick Hydro Silk Razor via a giveaway on Facebook that Schick ran. I must say that it beats every other razor that I have ever tried but I would not say that it is my holy grail razor.

Kudos to the five curve-sensing blade technology because this razor provides a really close shave without any discomfort. It leaves my legs relatively smooth and hairless. The design of the handle is well thought out as its soft rubber grip comes in handy when you are in the shower where things can become slippery from there. The skin guard is thick and does not wear quickly. It reduces skin irritation and prolongs the longevity of my use of this razor as I toss razors once they start to give me discomfort.

The only problem with the design is that the razor head detaches really easily from the handle. I am not sure if it is just my razor but my razor head detaches itself from the handle so often that it annoys me. It would be better if the razor head did not detach itself from the handle so easily. The only bonus is that I found it easy to attach it back to the handle.

The razor "delivers a hydrating water-activated moisturising serum to skin" which I found to be novel. It made my legs feel hydrated and moisturized as shaving tends to be quite drying. However, the serum is not limitless and does run out rather quickly. It is not practical to repurchase another because the razor is still sharp and perfectly fine to use. At $14.25 for the kit or $19.25 for the refills, I would not go out to repurchase them just for the serum. I will probably repurchase when the razor becomes blunt but not until then. Using a body lotion after shaving will moisturize my legs just as well but I guess convenience does come with a price.

Is it weird to be after a HG razor? What do you think of Schick Hydro Silk Razor?

Cheers
annsleyw :)

Illamasqua #ImDreamingOf Prize: Powder Blusher Duo

Hello there!  It may or may not be a surprise to you to learn that I was one of the winners of Illamasqua's #ImDreamingOf competition in 2012.  Follow me on Instagram at annsleyw to get updated faster!

I won the Powder Blusher Duo - Lover and Hussy which is awesome because I was eyeing it and contemplating buying it.  It felt like the Illamasquans heard me and decided to give it to me instead!  I have been using it ever since and it was also featured in my December 2012 Favourites + Giveaway video.  You can check out the video below if you want to know more about it.

 

Otherwise, if you prefer to read, here goes.  Illamasqua's blushes are known for being high quality blushes that are very pigmented and finely milled.  This Blusher Duo contains my first Illamasqua blushes and I am happy to say that they live up to its reputation for being high quality etc. 

Many people worry about looking like clowns when they look at pigmented blushes in their pans.  However, what they do not understand is that YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE THAT MUCH BLUSH ON YOUR FACE.  Unless you are going for a clown look.  Anyway, I digress.  A little bit goes a long way and pigmented blushes make more economical sense to me.  Though Illamasqua blushes are more expensive, they last a lot longer- on your face and in your makeup collection.  Why bother with a cheap blush that you have to constantly touch up with?  You run out of product faster and you will have to purchase a new one because you will hit pan very quickly.

Here are some pictures of the Blusher Duo in the pans and swatches (with and without sunlight). You will be able to tell how the blushes will look like when I use a concentrated swipe and when I sheer the blush out.

Lover (Soft Apricot) and Hussy (Candy Pink)

Under sunlight. From left: Lover (Sheer), Lover (Concentrated), Hussy (Concentrated) and Hussy (Sheer)

No sunlight. From left: Lover (Sheer), Lover (Concentrated), Hussy (Concentrated) and Hussy (Sheer)

Lover is described as a "Soft Apricot".  It is a soft corally orange that is warm-toned.  It will work well on those with warm undertones.  I imagine that it will be especially stunning on dark skinned ladies.  Also, if you are a fan of the Korean makeup trends, this will work as well.  Coral orange blushes, tints and lipglosses are very typical for a Korean makeup look.  Japanese prefer pinks for that pretty innocent doll-like effect but with coral oranges, you will get a similar look minus the doll-like effect.  Such looks are more wearable.

Hussy is described as a "Candy Pink".  It is a bright blue-based pink that reminds me of Nikki Minaj.  The concentrated swipe screams "LOOK AT ME!" but once you sheer out, it becomes more wearable and less in-your-face.  For daily wear, I use even less product than what I used for the "sheer" swipe because I prefer having colour on my cheeks without it being too obvious like "I HAVE BLUSH ON MY CHEEKS".  In case you didn't understand that, it means that I prefer the "natural" look as I go about my daily activities.

Anyway, the point is: these blushes are super pigmented!  As scary as they look like in the pan, they look lovely when you use a sheer wash of blush on your cheeks.  In fact, I used a VERY sheer wash of Lover in my December 2012 Favourites + Giveaway video.  I like how it gave my cheeks some colour without overpowering the strong lip look that I was going for.

Do excuse the burn mark that I had on my arm.  I accidently scalded myself so the brown mark is actually my burn mark with a bit of scab. 

The Powder Blusher Duo - Lover & Hussy retails for £26 at www.illamasqua.com.  Illamasqua provides free UK delivery for UK orders above £35 and free international delivery for international orders above £75.  Do check out their sale while it lasts!

Have you tried any Illamasqua products before? What do you think about Illamasqua products?

Cheers
annsleyw :)

Disclaimer: The Illamasqua Blusher Duo - Lover & Hussy was sent to me as a competition prize.  I am not obligated to Illamasqua to write this review and this is not a sponsored review.  All opinions in this blog post are based on my personal experience while using this product.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Hi everyone, hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. And now that 2013 is officially here, Happy New Year!

This is my first blog entry for 2013! Weeeeee! I am writing this blog entry as I wait for the party at home to begin.

This year has been an eventful year for me. Personally, it has also been eventful because I graduated from college and finally experienced the reality of working life this year. I also saw the union of many loved ones and the birth of many dear babies. I will become a godmother to one this March! It is going to be my first time becoming a godmother so I am super excited. This kid will be so spoilt!

With ups, there are downs. There are several events that were the dampers for the year of 2012. With the death of the gang rape victim in India still fresh in my mind, the brutality and savageness of human beings makes me wonder about the human nature. The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting incident broke my heart as I read about an armed man who took the lives of innocent children and adults in a senseless shooting. It makes me struggle to remind myself of human kindness in light of these issues.

Mother Nature also had a few surprises of her own this year. Hurricane Sandy destroyed many homes and I pray that those affected were able to rebuild their homes and partake in the festivities in the midst of such trying times.

Beauty wise, I finally bit the bullet and created my own YouTube channel and beauty blog this year. My makeup collection has expanded multifolds and there were certain products that were highlights of my year. You can see some of these in my December 2012 Favourites + Giveaway video:

Anyhow, I have always wanted to do a giveaway! I had originally intended to do giveaways throughout the month of December but I was too caught up in many other things. So here is my giveaway! I will be giving away a black Equip clutch as well as a Rimmel Glam Eyes HD Quad in #006 Purple Reign and Rimmel Extra WOW Lash Building Mascara.

Here are what you will get to win:

Rules:
1. You have to be a subscriber of my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/annsleyw
2. You have to over the age of 16 to enter my giveaway or obtain parental permission to do so if you are under 16 years old.
3. You have to comment about what is your favourite part about the holiday season on my December 2012 Favourites + Giveaway video (http://youtu.be/ji-ODEAwrMU)
4. Comment as many times as you want but comment only once a day.
5. This giveaway is international!
6. Giveaway will end on 31 January 2013 at 12 midnight (GMT +8).

For extra entries:
- Follow my blog and leave a comment on this blog post telling me your favourite beauty product of 2012.
- Follow me on instagram (username: annsleyw) and leave me a comment on my YouTube page saying that you have followed me on instagram and your instagram username.

Good luck everyone!

I think I will be filming my Beauty Favourites of 2012 soon so keep a lookout for it!

What are your resolutions for the New Year?

Cheers
annsleyw :)