BlogLovin'

This is a short note for any of my followers because Google Reader is due to end. I have chosen BlogLovin' as my new alternative so do follow my blog on BlogLovin' to keep updated!

As a sidenote, I am working on a new project that I will announce here once everything is sorted out. I will be hosting a giveaway on this blog soon so do keep your eyes peeled!

Here is the link to follow me on BlogLovin':

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Cheers
annsleyw :)

Japan Exclusive Review: Rimmel London Crayon Pen Lip & Cheek



Rimmel London is on a roll with its release of lip products. While the Apocalips were launched in the UK late last year, these Crayon Pens were newly launched in Japan sometime this year. I picked up mine when I was on holiday in Japan in April.

With Georgia May Jagger as the spokesmodel, it is different from the usual Kate Moss advertisements that I have come to expect from Rimmel London. Nevertheless, Georgia May Jagger is gorgeous and who can resist her gap toothed pearlies? ;)



The Rimmel London Crayon Pen Lip & Cheek Collection comes in 6 shades: 001-006. The shades are very wearable. The shades range from your nudes, pink, raspberry red and an orange to suit the Asian market. In case you were unaware, orange is trending in Asia especially Japan and Korea. However, there are no exciting shades that will excite or shock but that's okay. There is something to suit everyone.

I picked 003 which is an orange shade. I like this shade of orange because it is very wearable. It is not too bright or neon-y. On me, it appears like an orange-based nude which is an interesting shade that I don't have in my collection.



The Crayon Pens have the same concept as the other brands' crayon lip products except that these are featured to be used as cheek products as well. These Crayon Pens are also much smaller in diameter that they resemble actual crayons rather than the Chubby Sticks or Lip Balm Stain that we are accustomed from Clinique, Revlon etc.



Since the Crayon Pens are much smaller, they make it easier to draw around your lips but harder to fill in with the colour. It takes more effort and time to actually colour in my lips. The formula of the product is not as creamy or moisturising as the Revlon Lip Balm Stains but the Crayon Pens don't claim to be a lip balm or be moisturising. Being accustomed to the Revlon Lip Balm Stains, I find the formula of the Crayon Pens to be slightly drying. I suggest using a lip balm or moisturiser prior to using the Crayon Pen on your lips and cheeks. Staying power is average-good. It does not stain so do expect to touch up after you eat a meal or drink during a meal. Otherwise, it will last a fairly long time if you do not eat or drink.



Packaging-wise, it looks like a legit crayon! You will need to twist the end for more product to come up. At the beginning, it is not necessary as the top will look like what you see in the picture. However, the packaging fails because the product came loose that the twist end will not work anymore! :(((((

I think these may be Japan-exclusive but let me know if I'm wrong.

Are you impressed by Rimmel’s lip offerings so far? What sort of lip products do you want to see next?

Cheers
annsleyw :)

 

Swatches & First Impressions: Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer

Photo from http://uk.rimmellondon.com

The beauty industry evolves every single day that you always see something new. While it may be completely unthinkable that lip balms can have superior pigmentation ten years ago, it is completely the norm these days.

Now hail the liquid lipstick. The concept of a liquid lipstick has been out in the market for a few years now. However, Rimmel London pushes the boundary of the concept of a liquid lipstick to include one more feature: lipgloss. The Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquer is dubbed as something bigger than a lipstick and lipgloss.

The collection was released in the UK sometime at the end of last year but recently made its way to the Australian shores this month. Note: It has already been released in the US market too.

This collection comes in 8 colours.

Judging from the swatches, the pigmentation of these lip lacquers resemble a liquid lipstick but they come with the sheen and shine of a lipgloss. I like how creamy and opaque they are and how easy they apply. There is a certain smell to the product that isn't particularly pleasing so do take note of that. It may be a make or break factor for some. The applicator is a doe foot applicator with a well in the centre so that there is more product trapped there. It allows you to get sufficient product for each use without having to go back and forth to get more product.

The colour range is decent. Under different lighting, the colours appear to be slightly different. It comes with a brown based nude, beige nude, pink nude, purple-brown toned mauve, a berry mauve, a bright fuchsia, a raspberry red and a coral red. While there is no colour that particularly excites me, there are shades that will suit everyone. No weird crazy colours here.

I swatched these at the drugstore on my hand and after a good half an hour or so, I used a tissue to wipe them off. What surprised me was how easy they came off- with a tissue.

After removing the Apocalips swatches with a tissue.

It shows that these lip lacquers do not set (as they are still creamy) and most of them do not stain either. It also means that these lip lacquers are not long-wearing as you can expect them to come off when you eat or drink. You will definitely need to reapply your lip product if you use these.

As a no-fuss-I-don't-like-to-reapply-my-lip-product kind of girl, I'm hemming and hawing over them. I prefer the L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse Aqua Lip Lacquer for its light weight aqua feel and the long staying power as the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer is definitely creamier and not as long lasting. The Apocalips are more for those who do not like stains.

The shade Big Bang has been receiving a lot of attention in the social media but alas, Australia does not have Big Bang! It is also particularly interesting how the shade selection varies in Australia, UK and USA. Australia and UK both have 8 shades. The difference between Australia and UK is: Stargazer, Phenomenon and Solstice (Australia) vs. Luna, Big Bang and Galaxy (UK). On the other hand, US gets 14 shades but they are called the Show Off Lip Lacquers instead. The difference for between Australia and US is: Comet, Aurora, Luna, Galaxy, Out of This World and Light Year (US) vs. Phenomenon (Australia). Essentially, US has the same shade selection as the UK but with extra shades: Comet, Aurora, Out of This World and Light Year. The only shade unique to the Australian Rimmel Collection is Phenomenon.

If left to my own devices, I will probably get Celestial, Nova, Apocaliptic, Stellar and Big Bang (if I can get my hands on it). It is hard to resist lip products especially if they are lip lacquers (my favourite type of lip product). The packaging is nice and it will make a great addition to my ever-growing lip collection.

The Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers are available at Priceline for $15.95. They are currently on special at Priceline for $12.76. Alternatively, you can try ASOS.com where they are available in the UK shades for $7.87.

Have you tried the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer yet? Which shade(s) will you pick?

Cheers
annsleyw :)

Puretopia Glowingly Smooth Exfoliating & Renewing Body Polish= Cup of Coffee?

Puretopia Glowingly Smooth Exfoliating & Renewing Body Polish

Every time I go to the shower, I always tell myself to blog about this awesome product that has me hooked- bait, line and sinker. The distractions of my everyday life usually take away my attention after my shower and I usually forget about it until the next time I hit the shower. As a result, I am down to the last quarter of my second tube as I write this review.

Besides this product, I have also been rather obsessed with body care since it is the winter and my skin usually needs more tender loving care (TLC). What most of us will do during winter is to pile on the moisturizers, body butters, creams etc. However, what most people neglect to do is to exfoliate. There is little meaning to piling on the moisturizers, body butters, creams etc. if you do not exfoliate The dead skin cells will sit on top and you are merely moisturizing the dead skin cells which is meaningless (in my opinion).

I exfoliate on a regular basis so I definitely have my favourites. I prefer body scrubs that utilize salt or sugar crystals to those that utilize nut shells because they do not leave residues in my shower area. However, this body polish is so good that I don't mind cleaning my shower area more often!

My all-time favourite body scrub is Soap and Glory's Scrub Actually (which uses sugar crystals) but Puretopia Glowingly Smooth Exfoliating & Renewing Body Polish is my current favourite. Phew. What a mouthful of a name. Touted as being 100 per cent sulphate, paraben and soap-free, it is suitable for all skin types. The body polish contains Amazonian acai berry and guarana for skin stimulation and detoxification while walnut shell gently polishes, and aloe vera soothes, clams and moisturises. It says that the body polish has a lime, lemongrass and ginger fragrance. The body polish is used to exfoliate dead skin cells, excess oils, traces of daily pollution, grime and makeup.

I use it "neat" all over my body and mix a little with my facial cleanser when I use it on my face. The exfoliating bits of walnut shell do a good job of exfoliating my skin as I feel that my skin is reborn to become smoother and more vibrant. However, it stops short of being too harsh and abrasive.  I have sensitive skin so it is a major concern for me if the body scrub is too harsh and abrasive but I also dislike those that are too gentle as you do not feel like you have exfoliated anything at all. I give Puretopia's body polish a thumbs up as it does not have any negative effects on me.

While there are many good body scrubs/polishes in the market, what stands out in this product is its smell. I disliked the smell when I first used it as I likened it to be "herby". However, the smell grew on me and I grew to like the smell. Also, there is something about the smell that seems to invigorate and rejuvenate my soul as I use it.  I am familiar with the smell of lime, lemongrass and ginger so I doubt that it is the smell of these ingredients. I suspect it is due to the use of guarana (an ingredient found in energy drinks). Though I am not a fan of energy drinks, the use of guarana is possibly why I love using this body polish during my morning showers. Using Puretopia's Body Polish in the morning is the equivalent of having a power pick-me-up cup of coffee (smell-wise) that I feel more awake and ready to face the morning. Having a smooth, vibrant, clean and refreshed mind and body is always a bonus!

What sort of body scrubs do you prefer? Let me know in the comments section below!

Cheers
annsleyw :)

Winter Skincare Essential: Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè (24-Hour Miracle Cream)

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè (24-Hour Miracle Cream)

As Perth enters its winter months, the weather becomes drier and the heaters are cranked up to its optimum. Perhaps it is just me, but I feel that this year's winter is colder than before. It is the same for the summer that just passed a season ago, except that it was a lot hotter. Anyway, I stray from my purpose. I intended to illustrate that as the season and environment become drier, our skin requires more hydration and moisturization.

I heard of Embryolisse from Sam (Samantha Chapman) of Pixiwoo on YouTube as she featured this product in a few of her videos featuring what is in her makeup bag, her skincare routine etc. She has praised this product to no end and it piqued my curiosity and interest since I am very obsessed with skincare. Though she has dry skin and I have combination-oily skin, I was mainly interested in the product because she said this cream is good for sensitive skin.

Having sensitive skin is no joke and when something is marketed for sensitive skin, I get pretty excited. As such, I did some research of the brand and on the product. It was a fascinating read. Skip through the next few paragraphs if you just want to read the product review.

*************************************************************************************

From Embryolisse.com.au:

The History of Embryolisse

Embryolisse® was formulated in the 1950’s by a physician who desired to create his own pharmaceutical skin care brand that met the expectations and acceptance of his profession.

With the use of progressive technology and the most up-to-date research regarding skin surface physiology and bacteriology, Embryolisse® Laboratories has improved the specific formulas for healthy and natural skin. This process led to the development of the Embryolisse product line, an innovative dermo-cosmetic that respects the natural balance and composition of the skin.

Embryolisse® was created with the understanding of the “natural barrier” properties of the skin. The formulas preserve the biological balance and assure anti-aging prevention. The simplicity of these formulations minimizes the risk of allergy and respects the natural balance of your skin.

Embryolisse® products help restore skin tone and elasticity while protecting your skin; leaving it smooth, gentle, and supple. All Embryolisse® products are based on active agents, which restore skin deficiencies and at the same time promote the “natural barrier” function that protects against free radicals.

The plant extracts and active ingredients used in Embryolisse® are recognized for their gentleness and tolerance. All products are tested under dermatological control for their effectiveness and safety.

********************************END OF HISTORY LESSON***************************

If you bothered to read the history of the brand, it is impressive. That you bothered to read it, and the history is impressive. There is a lot of technicalities involved but I can sense their dedication and sincerity in providing the best skincare possible.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè (24-Hour Miracle Cream)

If Embryolisse decided to create a miracle product, they did! (PS: I think this is why they decided to name it the 24-Hour Miracle Cream. I just realized how apt the name is.) The Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè (24-Hour Miracle Cream) contains essential fatty acids and vitamins that provides the skin all the nutrients and hydration, repairs our skin by reconstituting the barrier that protects our skin from aggression (i.e. pollution, sun rays etc.) and accelerates cell renewal. It is a nourishing moisturiser for all skin types. This product is also a multi-tasker as you can use it for numerous purposes: to cleanse the skin or remove make-up, as a repairing mask, an after-shave cream, or as a baby-care product. YES, BABY CARE PRODUCT because it is paraben-free as well. It checks all my boxes.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè (24-Hour Miracle Cream)

I purchased and received the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè (24-Hour Miracle Cream) sometime last year when it was spring going to summer. I used it as a moisturizer for day and night. While I thought it was a fantastic product, it was too moisturizing for my purposes intended (I have combination-oily skin). However, now that it is winter and my skin is feeling tight and dry, I have been using this product at night. My skin really laps up all the nutrients and hydration that the cream provides that I find my skin feeling like a million bucks the next day. My skin feels nourished, supple, revitalised, and incredibly smooth and soft that my makeup simply glides on. It is with no doubt that I declare this product my winter skincare essential!

Do you have any special products that you use exclusively during winter? Do share!

Cheers
annsleyw :D

Dove Pure Anti-Perspirant Deodorant

Are you one of those sweaty folks that perspire easily?  Do you know of anyone with sweaty palms, feet and even sweaty pits? Sounds really gross right? Sadly, you are looking at one here.  It is embarrassing to admit it but it's true. It is very awkward holding someone's hand and be so self-conscious of the fact that it's raining in there (it's entirely my sweaty fault). It is pretty interesting to note that I can feel cold and yet have sweaty palms, feet and pits. I reckon it's a genetic thing but I digress.

The purpose of this blog entry is to showcase my solution to one of my very sweaty problems: my solution to sweaty pits! No more sweaty patches and funky odours!

*Drum rolls.............*

Dove Pure Anti-Perspirant Deodorant (Left): Roll On and (Right): Aerosol Spray

Ta-da! The Dove Pure Anti-Perspirant Deodorant comes in two forms: roll-on or aerosol spray. Essentially, Dove has created Dove Pure which is an anti-perspirant deodorant that contains essential ingredients to help keep the underarms feeling dry all day and looking healthy.  It is named "Pure" for a reason.  It does not contain any unnecessary ingredients that can lead to irritation. It only contains what you really need in a deodorant and nothing more.

I have sensitive skin so my past experiences with deodorants were not pleasant.  Deodorants typically contain many elements that sting which causes discomfort or irritate my skin.  As such, people with sensitive skin tend to be short-changed when they use deodorants.  You either suck it up and deal with the pain and skin irritation or live with sweaty and smelly pits.  With that in mind, Dove has specifically developed the formula so that it provides 48 hours of effective (sweaty-less and odourless) protection without causing any discomfort or unsightly signs of irritation.  Dove has omitted the elements that are known to be skin irritants so that it contains 4 NOs:

1. NO Parabens.
2. NO Colourants
3. NO Fragrance
4. NO Alcohol (Ethyl Alcohol).

The formula also contains 1/4 moisturising cream to help keep skin looking healthy. I like how the people at Dove are so thoughtful when developing this product. Think about it. When you shave, you shave off your top layer of skin as well. It exposes your new skin and your new skin needs moisturizing too. However, the underarms remain one of those areas where hardly anyone bothers to moisturize at all.  It is even more so for those with sweaty pits like me. It makes no sense to use body lotions or butters on my pits since it will only make my underarms feel even more gross. So I like how the deodorant doubles up as a moisturizer for my pits so that I don't have dry and flaky skin in my underarm areas. Score!

My experience:

The Dove Pure Anti-Perspirant Deodorant does keep my underarms feeling dry all day!  It is pretty refreshing to not feel gross, icky and self-conscious of my sweaty pits.  While I cannot testify to its claim of 48 hours of effective protection (I shower everyday so I don't test this product out for 48 hours), I am very impressed by its long-lasting powers as I can get through the day without having sweaty and smelly pits.  I have not experienced any stinging or skin irritation and I am pleased to say that the deodorant does not leave any marks on my clothes.

With the roll-on, the deodorant appears to apply on as being white but it does not leave white marks on my clothes.  I also tried it while wearing a black t-shirt and scrutinized every inch of cloth afterwards. Yes, I did that on purpose.  After all, white shows up most clearly on black clothing!  While the deodorant does not dry immediately and may feel wet-ish when you first roll it on, you can consider giving it some time to dry down. Once it has dried down, it comes colourless and the wet-ish sensation disappears. You will have dry pits for the day!

Between the roll-on and the aerosol, I prefer the aerosol deodorant because I feel that it is more hygienic.  Also, the aerosol applies the deodorant more evenly and "thinly" because it has a lighter application that does not result in the wet-ish sensation that you get when you use the roll-on.

I highly recommend the Dove Pure Anti-Perspirant Deodorant if you are in the market for a deodorant regardless of whether you have sensitive skin or not.  It is a good deodorant that does its job and it is a huge bonus that it has the 4 NOs!

You can find out more about the products at www.mydove.com.au.

The Dove Pure Anti-Persipirant Roll-On Deodorant (RRP $3.89) and Aerosol Deodorant (RRP $5.25) are available at leading supermarkets, pharmacies and other stores (e.g. Kmart & Target).

This is review is done in relation to Product Talk by Nuffnang. This is not a paid sponsored post but the products were sent to me for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own honest opinions and I have not received any monetary or other forms of compensation for this review. Click on Product Talk by Nuffnang to see what it is all about.

Cheers
annsleyw :)

Review: Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

Hello there! Blogging again has made me realize how much I miss doing all this (i.e. blogging and YouTubing). Whilst I always complain about how long it takes for me to do all these, I got to admit that I do enjoy it. And the fact that I've got new subscribers whilst I have not posted up anything new, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I will get back to making and editing videos as soon as I get my life back on track. In the meantime, blogging is a lot easier and more accomodating to my work schedule.

Anyhow, if you follow me on Instagram (btw, my username is annsleyw), you'd probably know that I posted a photo of the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation awhile ago.

And here's a story to go with it.

The reason why I did that was because I got asked by a Makeup Artist (from a high end brand) what foundation I was using whilst I was out shopping! How awesome is that?! I was just browsing her counter at Myers and she came up to ask me whether I needed help. I said that I was happy browsing and would let her know if I needed any help. She hestitated for a moment before bursting out with her question: "What foundation are you wearing? It looks so good and natural on you!".

After that, I could not help being smiley faced afterwards. I told her it was the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation and we sort of had a little chat about the foundation. It made me feel so chuffed about it that I couldn't help posting a picture of the foundation on Instagram! For the record, I expressed to her that I had made a slight detour while doing my errands so I was not out for leisure shopping. She was still very friendly and helpful when I did ask her about her brand's products even though I was not there to shop! I can really get used to good customer service!

Now, for the product review.  This product is inspired by the BB Cream aka Beauty Balm trend where you use the foundation to obtain flawless natural looking skin.  Whoever wrote the write up was spot on! This foundation is a medium to full coverage foundation.  Despite it being medium to full coverage, it gives the illusion of perfect natural skin.  It will hide most of your flaws without accentuating it- it is as if someone photoshopped you without you piling on the makeup!

As with natural looking skin, the finish is not matte. However, it is not super glowy either. Think of it as naturally radiant skin. I like to use it with the Caudalie Beauty Elixir (more on that another day) because this combination gives the best effects for a day-long makeup. Generally, I'm the sort of girl who only does her makeup at home. Out of home, the most I do is to re-apply my lip balm, gloss or lipstick (whatever I am wearing that day). I don't mess with my face too much so I usually get oily in my T-zone after awhile. With this combination, I don't have any problems with looking oily at the end of the day. No touch-ups too!

And now that my Caudalie Beauty Elixir is completed depleted, I still enjoy using this foundation with the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Translucent.

The packaging is a squeezy plastic tube so you can control how much product you want. The plastic packaging makes it very travel-friendly too. Highly recommended for butter fingers and frequent travellers! ;) It comes in 24 different shades so it is easier for you to get a more accurate colour match. I use 8.5 which is described as "Olive Yellow Undertone". The colour matches me pretty well and I'm glad that they have such a wide range to cater to the wide demographics of consumers. There is nothing worse than to share a good product with someone to find out that there isn't a size or colour etc. for them. I'm usually the recipient of such luck so I can commiserate with others who feel like that. :S

I squeezed out roughly a pea-sized amount of foundation onto my hand and tried to let it slide on my hand to show how runny or thick it is. As you can see from the picture above, this foundation is not the runniest or thickest formula out there in the market. I would say that you may find this foundation hard to work with if you use a regular foundation brush.  It is not the easiest foundation to blend and buff out and you may find yourself using more product than you care to use on a daily basis.

Well, the good news is... You really don't need a lot of product if you are just after a nice even skintone on a daily basis. A little goes a long way especially when it provides such decent amount of coverage. The trick is: USE WATER. Users of the Beauty Blender will find that they don't have such problems and how I do it is to use my Eau Thermale Avene Spray! After squeezing a small amount of foundation (roughly a pea-sized amount), I dot the foundation around my face (forehead, left and right cheek, nose, around my nose and chin). Then I use the Avene Spray to spray onto my Real Techniques Buffing Brush or Sigma F88 Flat Angled Brush, and I buff and blend away! It works a treat and there you go!

The foundation is meant to work on all skin types and I have combination-oily skin. I will definitely recommend it for those on the lookout for natural-looking foundations that have medium-full coverage since most natural-looking foundations tend to have low or low-medium coverage. It costs 27 pounds and is available on www.illamasqua.com which offers international shipping. Alternatively, Australian consumers can purchase it at AUD$41 at www.myer.com.au or Myer stores in Melbourne or Sydney. Unfortunately, there are no Illamasqua counters at Myer stores in Western Australia.

Hopefully there will be more foundation reviews coming up! Though I haven't posted up new materials, I have been trying a lot of products that I can't wait to share with you all!

Thank you to my new and regular subscribers (Blog and YouTube) for the love!

Many hugs and kisses,
annsleyw :)