Friday, May 30, 2014

New camera!

It has been four years that my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 has accompanied me through this blog. 
You can click to this post to see when I first got my camera. it dates way back to 2010. 

Now I finally have another new baby. 
It's the Samsung WB800F. 


I chose this camera based on the reviews because in terms of price and image quality. This camera has a great rating. 
The extra bonus with camera, it's that it is a smart camera. That means there's Wi-Fi function on this camera that allows you to share photos instantly on Facebook, Picasa etc.


The screen of the camera is a touch screen.


USB ports. There's is no separate battery charger, to charge the camera, you can charge it with the USB 
wire connected to the power supply or computer. 





I will rotate between using my Panasonic Lumix and this new camera on this blog. I am keeping this Samsung camera for some photo taking during my next holiday since the image quality for this new camera, is more vibrant and sharp and my old Panasonic Lumix has the dark spot of death due to dust bunnies invading the sensor but since yesterday the dust bunny has disappeared since I dropped the camera hard. I broke the battery and SD card part but I got it handled with UHU glue. 

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Review : T.N. Dickinson's All Natural Witch Hazel Toner

It took me ages to go through this bottle, I bought it all the way from my Australia trip last Summer and finally about a week ago, I used it all up.



The toner comes in a 240ml bottle.
This toner promises to clean, sooth and tone naturally. Extract of the Witch Hazel plant help smooth pores, promoting clear fresh skin while assisting moisturizer and make-up performance.

The first time I use this toner, I notice the smell. The smell isn't exactly the most pleasant smell ever but it does go away after applying the toner. It doesn't linger on the skin.

The primary ingredient in this toner is witch hazel extract and the secondary ingredient is alcohol. Eventhough this product contains alcohol, I didn't see it dry my skin, infact after applying this toner my skin feels fresh and it doesn't leave a tightening effect.
My skin has been in a pretty good condition, this toner helped my skin to maintain its condition. It didn't cause any breakout or redness to my skin.

I wouldn't repurchase this toner not because it is not good or anything infact, it is a really good toner, it is just that it is very hard to get it from where I am living. It is not sold anywhere here. To those who has easy access to this toner. For a person who uses sparingly, the toner lasted me for almost a year! I use it daily.
I got it for about AUD7 (?) in Big W.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Make up organization #1

I never get around doing this type of post because my makeup organization over here in Moscow, is so messy, I just chuck everything into the hug makeup pouch and sometimes, it is even hard for me to find the makeup I want to use.
I need to rummage through the whole makeup just to get a lipstick in a colour I want because it is at the bottom of the pouch. 

Good things people. I just bought over a drawer from my graduating senior and now I have a much neater makeup organization over here and I thought I want to share with everyone. 

This is the Fira drawers from Ikea with I bought over.
I haven't seen these drawers around in Ikea anymore. Has it been discontinued?

It's pretty sad if it got discontinued, I find them to be a great drawer to get for makeup storage from Ikea. 

The first drawer is all of my eyeshadows.

Eyebrow pencils, mascara, eyeliners, undereye corrector, eyelid primer all go into here.
and ofcourse the Catrice concealer that doesn't fit anywhere.

Cheek stuffs. Blushes, highlighters go here.

The array of lip products.

I am self-confessed lip product addict. If there's one makeup I can't do without, it would be a lipstick. Thus, this explains my overflowing amount of lip products.

On the last drawer there's all my face stuffs - foundations, bronzers, CC cream, BB creams, Face mist, Oil etc.

That's all for makeup organization over here in Moscow. I will do one with my makeups at home all the way back in Malaysia when I return during my summer holidays.
I will make a yearly post about my makeup organization over here since every year, I do bring back my makeup collection from here back home and it is different every year since I switch up item I bring over from Malaysia after the summer holidays and I start collecting items anew. 

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Big fat collective haul #1

Well people, I do admit I have a shopping problem. It's pretty much overwhelming how much time I spend in the beauty stores of late. Guilty? Not guilty.

There is just something about the month of May, my mood has been so happy and I am just so into the mood of shopping, trying out new beauty stuffs. I blame the good weather and sunshine that we always lack in Moscow.

This is a collective haul. I didn't buy everything in one go. I probably have visited the stores about 10 times to collect enough items for this massive post.

I have so many items that I couldn't fit it all into one photo without looking too overbearing, so I have separated the items into groups.



This are the beauty stuffs.
There are a lot of deals and discounts going on in beauty stores and also hypermarkets. I couldn't help myself. I just went crazy and almost bought the whole store.
So here is the damage done.

I will go into detail with the products in a moment.

Nail polishes.

I have been on a nail polish frenzy! The photo explains it pretty much.

Lastly, the not so interesting items. Sunscreen and hair mousse.

Summer is coming around and the sun is scorching over here, it is like almost hitting 30 today, I can feel every cell on my skin sizzling.By the way there is no fan or air conditioning in my room, such pure torture.
So sunscreen is here for the rescue before I develop a tragic case of sunburn.
Looking like a lobster is not attractive at all.

Hair mousse, well, my hair has been pan flat especially at my scalp but the hairs at the ends or the grown bits (well, obviously I can't explain hair) are pretty much voluminous, so the shape of my hair is really weird. So I hope this mousse can help me with that problem.

Max Factor Facefinity All Day Flawless 3 in 1 Foundation.

I didn't mean to pick this up but it was like 50% off in the hypermarket which is totally a steal. This foundation retails quite steep in the beauty stores, they are one of the more expensive foundations. So when I came by this chance, I thought just grab it up.

I heard many rave reviews about the Covergirl 3 in 1 foundation. We don't get Covergirl outside of the USA, so we have to settle with the sister brand Max Factor. The concept is exactly the same and also it has many rave reviews too.

I picked up the shade in Warm Almond 45.


I get extremely nervous when I don't see the shade names start with a light or beige. Warm Almond sounds like a dark shade for me.
I sloppily swatched Warm Almond on my face and it seems like a good colour match. I didn't really take a good look in the colour match since the hypermarket was about to close. Oh yes, late night hypermarket journey.
It is lighest shade available there and the only shade on discount. So, take it or leave it.

I find the whole concept really interesting. A foundation, concealer and primer all in one.
I can't wait to try it out and see how it works.  If it works as it claims it is a great foundation since you don't need to spend extra bucks to buy a concealer and primer seperately.

The three Maybelline lipsticks I picked up.

Rive Gauche, a beauty chain over here is doing a 3 for 2 for L'oreal, Garnier and Maybelline. I couldn't resist this chance and I grabbed pretty much a whole lot of Maybelline and L'oreal items.

Let us take a moment and stare in awe at the beautiful nude chic packaging.

It has been a gruesome journey finding this lipstick from stores to stores. Now, my mission has finally accomplished.

Here comes the beautiful Maybelline lipstick in Tantalizing Taupe.

Tantalizing Taupe is a gorgeous pinky nude. It is one of those nudes that doesn't washes out.

I can see it becoming one of my favourite nudes from the drugstore.

Look at the holographic bands in the packaging.

Maybe not so obvious here.

Can see it now?

This is the Maybelline Watershine lipsticks. The watershine line just has too much glitter or frost going on but there's one colour that doesn't have any glitters or shimmers or anything crazy in it.

It is Juicy Bubblegum Pink.

Like its name it is a bubblegum pink. The formula is pretty much high shine so it is not very pigmented, it is more balmy like in texture.

The watershine line was on a deal at the beauty store near my store and I thought it would be rude not to pick this up since it is such a beautiful colour.

Here is a swatch of Juicy Bubblegum Pink and Tantalizing Taupe swatched on my hand.

The last Maybelline lipstick I picked up is Intense Pink.

This lipstick just does not match its name, it's pink but it is not intense at all.

It is a warm pink.

I also picked up two Maybelline Color Tattoos.

I picked up the two shades that I will definitely reach out for. Not into those crazy bright shades.

On and on bronze.

Likes its name, it is a beautiful bronze colour that will suit any occasion. It looks gorgeous by itself.
If you are only getting a shade from the Color Tattoo, get this one.

Pink Gold.

Pink Gold is such a gorgeous colour. The moment I swatched it I just knew I had to pick it up.
This colour reminds me of one of the colours in the Naked 3 Palette. It is super gorgeous.

This colour would look absolutely gorgeous on fair skin.

Here are the swatches on my hand.
From left : Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in Intense Pink, Maybelline Color Tattoo in On and On Bronze.

I can't seem to capture the colour properly but this is Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Pink Gold.

and yes, I picked up another Lasting Finish by Kate Moss.


I picked up 08.

08 is a mauve shade with brown undertones. It is one of the great MLBB colour and also a flattering everyday colour.

and because my Rimmel purchase was above 399rubles. I got a Vinyl Gloss for free!
I got it in the shade 240 Fall in Love.

It is a pink with a lot of micro glitters.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

My current mascara is running low since this was on sale, i thought I did give it a try.

I have tried this mascara once, I don't know what I think about it yet, I think I was give it more tries before I know my conclusion about this mascara.

I picked up three of the L'oreal Extraordinaire Liquid Lipsticks.

The colours I got are 104 Dancing Rose, 102 Rose Finale and 101 Rose Melody.

I have been eyeing on these liquid lipsticks eversince they got released but I never really got into getting them because I was waiting for a deal on them.
So finally, I got them!

I haven't seen swatches on 102 Rose Finale on British or US  blogs, it might be a Europe only colour.

The liquid lipsticks come in a luxurious gold packaging that makes it feel very mature and high end.
The plastic at the side is coloured and it indicates the colour inside of the tube.

L'oreal Collection Privee by Julianne.

The Collection Privee lipsticks are nude lipsticks formulated based on their chosen ambassadors. The one I got is by Julianne Moore.
Everytime I step into the store, I will definitely swatch this lipstick up because the colour, is absolutely flattering on my skintone. I am by no means any close to Julianne's skintone but it is the most flattering amongst all the Collection Privee lipsticks I have swatched.

The lipstick is not exactly a nude like how we interpret nude coloured lipsticks. The nude here are my lips but better colour, nudes that bring out the complexion and brightens combining with factors like skintones, hair colour etc.

The lipstick packaging is luxurious with a matte black packaging ala NARS (Gets dirty easily!) and also gold printing of the lipstick and the ambassador herself.

Looks very high end and expensive. Well, the lipstick is expensive for a drugstore brand. I do find it quite steep in terms of pricing. Without a deal, I don't think I will pick it up.

Wait a second, or maybe I will because the shade is too gorgeous to resist.

Julianne's colour is Barely Peach. I would describe this colour as a mauve pink nude.

I think this colour is very flattering on almost everybody and anybody, no matter what skintone you are. It is a universal flattering colour.

 The swatches.
Top left : Collection Privee lipstick in Julianne's nude
Bottom left : 104 Dancing Rose
Right : 101 Rose Melody

Yves Rocher Summer 2014 Collection inspired by Mediterranean Sea Lipgloss in Copper Sun

The day when I was going to visit Yves Rocher. I stumbled upon a post on these on Musings on a Muse's website. She was talking about these glosses and how great it is for such a cheap pricetag.
When I was in the shop, I swatched these glosses and oh wow they feel very good and the price, I should say really afforable.

The colour that caught my eye the most amongst the three colours available is Copper Sun. I have never own a shade like this.
It is coppery bronze colour with gold flecks. It is a very bronzey summer tone that would look very flattering on a summer look.

The swatches of all three lipglosses.
From left : Bright Pink, Copper Sun and Golden Beige.

If you have a Yves Rocher around, do go to the store and check their summer collection out, you might never know what you might find.

The Rimmel by Rita Ora range has been launched not too long ago over here.
Her nail polish collection caught my attention especially the nudes and pastels. I went a little crazy and got 5 colours from the range.

From left : Loose your Lingerie, White Hot Love, Let's get Nude, Breakfast in Bed and Pillowtalk.

So far I have tried two colours from the range on my nails.
The formula is pretty thick and it takes about two coats to achieve a creamy sheen colour on the nails. The formula isn't as great as the normal 60 seconds nail polishes but the colours are to die for

Pillowtalk.

Pillowtalk is a pastel baby blue colour.
I really love this colour, it's so cute. I get compliments wearing this colour.
I took 2 coats to achieve this finish.

White Hot Love

White Hot Love is a pure white. In the bottle there's sight of shimmers but the shimmers are barely there after applying the on the nails.
I took 2 coats to achieve an opaque white nail.
My friend kept teasing me it looks like I have used Tip-ex to paint my nails but I like it so I don't care.
I have been trying to search for a white nail polish since one that doesn't apply streaky is hard to come by. This applies streaky at the first coat but at the 2nd coat, it is an opaque white, so I think I will settle with this white nail polish.
They are pretty long lasting. Usually these Rimmel nail polishes last me for a week before it chips.

 4 cheap nail polishes from the hypermarket and Essence Colour & Go in Chic Reloaded

The nail polishes from the hypermarket are dirt cheap and they come in nice colours but yesterday when I went to the hypermarket, they are all gone and they didn't restock it at all.

The periwinkle blue on my nails.

The colour is pretty but they chip after 2-3 days which I can't complain for such cheap nail polish. It is still great it can last 2 to 3 days since I do washing quite frequently.

That's all I got for my haul this time. Pretty huge isn't it?
Thanks for reading till the end.