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Save & Splurge: Comparing the Hakuhodo and Chanel Retractable brushes and affordable Mini Travel-sized face brushes

May 15, 2019 Paris B 9 Comments

After my rant about the retractable (but not) brush from Guerlain a few days ago, I was reminded of a reader request. Someone had requested my thoughts on the Chanel Les Pinceaux de Chanel Retractable Highlighter Brush as compared to the Hakuhodo Retractable Brush that I bought as a souvenir from Japan last year.

hakuhodo retractable brush, chanel les pinceaux de Chanel retractable highlighter brush

I’d kept the post at the back of my mind, intending to write about it, but never quite getting round to it for various reasons. Well, let us remedy that today! :D

As these brushes also make good travel brushes, I will also show you a few other small/mini brushes that I use for travel purposes, or that are portable. They are affordable so stop cringing! LOL! :D

How has your makeup preferences changed over the years? How I do my makeup today

March 15, 2019 Paris B 27 Comments

I started my makeup journey with one philosophy : If it’s not seen, how would people know I’m wearing makeup?

Yes, I was not terribly secure in my application nor choice of colours, but I was into sparkles and shimmer, pink blushes and blue eyeshadow, all topped off with a bold lip. I had a lot of leeway in my place of work, and they tolerated it even if I might have pulled off some strange looks back then.

It was about then also that I started paying more attention to makeup, and the different collections that were hitting the stands. This was back in the day when new collections would take about 2-3 months to arrive on our sun-drenched shores. By that time, I’d have read all the reviews from people in the UK and USA about what was good or what to avoid. Helped save me money!

But whenever a new collection popped up with a neutral or brown eyeshadow palette, and muted colours for cheeks and lips, my interest level would drop. Brown? Neutrals? What’s the point of a nude makeup look? I’d scoff.

I cannot tell you when exactly I crossed the line from wearing “bright colourful makeup” to “understated neutral makeup” but I crossed that line quite many years ago when I woke up one day and realised that I was wearing makeup not for anyone, but for myself. The lightbulb went on!

So I’m curious to know if or how your makeup preferences has changed over the years and I’ll show you quickly how I do my looks these days – very quick, very efficient :)

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 3 : Not sure what to make of the Bobbi Brown Skin Radiant Glow Cushion Compact

March 28, 2018 Paris B 6 Comments

Day 3 of the Cushion Foundation Week 3! If you missed the earlier featured cushions, find them all here.

This week, the cushions are a mixed bag, featuring a Japanese brand, a couple of Western brands, and featuring some Korean brands too. The categories will be kept as per previous posts, so you can refer back to them all and it’ll look fairly familiar. The difference will be in the products featured. Also, I will do a round up at the end of the week, just to give closure to this week.

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 3 brings a sense of deja vu. Did I not already feature the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Cushion Compact prior to this? Yes I did. If you remember, the packaging is a sleek black case. This time, Bobbi Brown has released something different as part of their Extra Glow collection, in a sleek white case.

This is the Bobbi Brown Skin Radiant Glow Cushion Compact SPF50 that comes in just 1 shade – Rosy Glow. The purpose of this rosy-pink tinted product is to diffuse harsh light, and infuse complexion with a youthful, soft luminosity – why don’t you decide if it does :P

I wasn’t sure if I’d like the Shiseido Sports BB Broad Spectrum SPF50+Wetforce till I understood it better and now I’m in LOVE!

December 8, 2017 Paris B 12 Comments

It’s taken me a little while to understand the new Shiseido Sports BB Broad Spectrum SPF50+ Wetforce product. But when I did, I wondered why I was so bloody obtuse in the first place!

You’d think that it doesn’t take a genius to understand a tinted sunscreen. Hello. It exists and has existed for a while. What was so confusing about this one from Shiseido?

Well, for me, it was because this came to me, together with the new Shiseido Hydrofresh sunscreen. As they were both sunscreens, I treated this just as I would any other sunscreen. To be used liberally, and I did. But it bugged me. Used liberally, as I would a regular sunscreen, it was thick, and the tint was so fake and obvious. It was as if I’d caked on foundation. The formula was lovely, but it looked like I had too much makeup on.

In a way I had. But when I took a closer look at the product, suddenly, everything fell into place. Oh hello! The Shiseido BB For Sports SPF50+ PA++ Wetforce IS NOT A SUNSCREEN! DOH! :P

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