The Birthday haul : High end edition

Last month was my birthday month, I did treat myself to a big something for my birthday but these items were all on a discount/offer, it is pretty much a sin not to get them since they were so much marked down. I am pleasantly surprised with the marked down price.

I picked up the Chanel Glossimer in Jalousie, Yves Saint Laurant Glossy Stain in 17 Encre Rose and Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in 49 Liaison

Chanel Glossimer in Jalousie.

This is my first Glossimer. Among the shades that were on sale, I find this to be the most suitable to my liking, the rest of the shades were too dark and vampy. It is a past collection limited I can see why it is on a discount.
Jalousie is a blue toned fuchsia with purple pearl.
It is one of those shades that immediately brightens my skintone and wakes me up. It is really beautiful.

Some Glossimer are sheer but this, on the other hand, is very opaque! One swipe is all you need.
You will get a bright fuchsia va va voom lips

I really like the sleek and chic gloss tube with the Chanel emblem on the the top of the tube.

Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in 49 Liaison
Such beautiful and chic packaging. I love Chanel's lipstick I find the texture, finish and hydration superb. They can be pricey but they worth every cent I pay.
This is the 3rd Chanel Lipstick I own.

Liaison is a beautiful nudy pink. It makes a great MLBB colour.

This was on offer and it was the last piece left. So without thinking, I just grabbed it and I did not regret my choice.
I should visit Рив Гош more often, they do have offer on high end products from time to time.

I love the Yves Saint Laurant Glossy Stain. I am glad to spot this shade that I have been eyeing on 40% off and it is the last piece on the counter. I have been very lucky since everything I picked up is the last piece, waiting for me.
I headed to the store pretty late, about dinner time and it was a Chanel client day and there was an amount of customers, so I do consider myself pretty lucky to have leftovers that suits to my liking for me to pick up.

17 Encre Rose is a barbie pink, I just have a great soft spot for pinks, I will just pick up any blush or lip products that are pink.
Can't you tell, pink is my favourite colour.

That's all I got for my birthday haul this time.
I am very satisfied with my purchases with all the offers and I am very happy and pleased with the items I have purchased.

Also stay tune for more hauls, there are still some hauls from the past few months and recent weeks that I have still failed to post up.

On another note, Happy December everyone. Time flies by so fast and today is already the end of November. I am excited for Christmas and winter holidays in January, at the same time I have been dreading the extremely freezing weather over here in Moscow. Also, finals are up soon.

Living the dream : Bolshoi Theater

It is really an exciting day since it is my first trip to the ever so famous Bolshoi Theater. It has always been a dream to visit the theater and catch an opera and a ballet show.
I have completed the list of watching an opera with Don Carlos.

That mandatory selfie in the bus before heading to the metro.
It was pretty cold that night for an autumn night that I wrapped myself up in scarf that I appeared to be neckless.

The magnificent Bolshoi Theater.

Inside the Historic hall is really majestic with the luxurious gold platings of the balcony covered with red curtains and linings.

View of the Stalls from my Balcony

The left side of the 2nd balcony.
This is my sitting location for the opera.

The opera was great although I thought the cast could do it better with vocal projection, the vocals starts to get better after the second act. I guess the cast had warm up after an act.
Even so, it still was a great performance. The best performer has to be the actress casted as Ecoli.

The tickets for the show. To get the printed tickets we have to queue up at the ticket booth to get them, via online it is available in e-tickets form.

Curtain call.

Overall, It is such a great night. I would like to come back for a Ballet Show, I am now eyeing on Swan Lake. 

Eating out Moscow : Max Brenner Moscow

Max Brenner Moscow had a 50% off coupon so I thought why not stop by the Moscow branch and try out their desserts and how does it compare to the Australian branch that I have tried. Everything is so reasonable with the coupon.

The first thing we ordered is the Chocolate Pizza.
Just plain pizza bread with milk and chocolate topping with melted marshmallows on top.

Presentation wise, not very pretty and photogenic. I felt because of the offer and high volume of customers, the staffs has been rushing through orders and thus slacking in terms of presentation.
Taste wise. should had a tinge of dark chocolate to balance things out or more marshmallows to balance out with the milk and white chocolate.
Hope I am not the only one who thinks that they were really stingy with their ingredients. Should had more marshmallows. On the side note, the marshmallows are not nicely toasted.
Not very exciting or memorable in any sort of way. I could prepare the same chocolate pizza with my oven for less the price and better taste.

Max  Brenner Classic Hot Chocolate.

I love the Max Brenner Signature Hug Mug. I find the design cute and chic.
The hot chocolate is pretty nice. I find it not too thick to the extend that you feel intoxicated. It is slightly diluted in consistency but it is just nice for my taste. Doesn't feel like too thick down my throat, it goes down the throat smoothly.
I just wish it is slightly creamier but It is still fine for me.

Classical European Chocolate Fondue

I really love fondue. Let's forget the fattening part, I find them extremely comforting. Such a bummer that in Moscow, they only serve milk chocolate and caramel instead of a milk chocolate and dark chocolate selection like how I got mine in Australia.
/The fondue is definitely very nice.

Enjoying roasting my marshmallows. I like my marshmallow slightly burnt.
Bad for health but I don't have them often so It is quite okay.
It is an indulgence for me.

Will I visit this cafe again?
With the 50% off for sure! but without I doubt so.

FOTD : First trip to Bolshoi Theater

Going to Bolshoi Theater has been a dream since I arrived Moscow. I will keep the post about Bolshoi later. Now let's focus on my makeup for that day.

My EOTD

I just want to rave about Essence Effect Eyeshadow. They are really pigmented a little drop goes a long way and they just stay on the eyelid without a primer. They would not budge or crease. Essence just really had step up on their game for cream eyeshadows.
This eyeshadow might not be for those who doesn't like shimmer because it is a shimmer bomb. I do love shimmer in my eyeshadow, it gives dimension to my eyes.
This eyeshadow is just so gorgeous.

Products used for eye makeup :
Essence Effect Cream in UK's Stonehedge
Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner
Maybelline Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara
Etude House Drawing Eyebrows

Catrice Beautifying Lip Smoother in Cake Pop

I have been really liking this lipgloss. It is really smooth and creamy. It keeps my lips moisturized for a long time.

Face makeup :
Catrice Nude Illusion Foundation
MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural
The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder
Essence Me & My Icecream Blush in Ice Bomb
TopShop Glow Stick
3CE Full Coverage Concealer
Etude House Conditioning Face Cream in Light

This is my first time trying Catrice Nude Illusion Foundation. So far I am impressed with the consistency and finish. 

Travel Diary : Sandakan, Sabah Day 2 : Puu Jih Shih Temple, Seafood buying, Rainforest Discovery Center

At Puu Jih Shih Temple, you can a great panoramic view of Sandakan Bay.
Puu Jih Shih Temple is the finest temple in Sandakan location on a steep hill.

Into the temple.

After visiting the temple, we headed to a local fish grocer to get fresh seafood to bring back home.
The grocer froze the fishes upon catching them making them easier to transport back home and also retain the quality of freshness of the fish.

What a delightful sight. An array of salted fish baking under the sun.

Fish, prawn crackers and other seafood.

A great selection of frozen fish. The grocer will help you to pack them nicely into a cold box for transport.

Since we had time after the whole seafood shopping thing before to the Proboscis monkeys sanctuary, we stopped by the Rainforest Discovery Center for a walk.

The Rainforest Discovery Center. Beautiful painted wall carving (I don't know how to call it.) infront of the center.

Walking through the suspension bridge. I look like a hot mess under the humid weather, my hair turned so frizzy, it is really hot that I was sweating buckets.

My boat rowing experience with my sister.

Row row row your boat gently down the stream.
I really enjoyed rowing the boat, it feels so relaxing.

Next up we headed to the Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary.
It was a long journey from the Rainforest Discovery Center and the road was narrow and it's in a palm oil plantation.

The monkeys with high big noses.

Essence haul : glowing up

The beauty store near my hostel has finally stocked up new releases from Essence. I didn't go too crazy with the haul since there were many items that were sold out. I will visit the shop soon and get checking if they have restock them up.

I got three newly release items from Essence.
Essence Effect Eyeshadow in Uk's Stonehedge, Essence Soo Glow cream to poweder highlighter in 10 and 20.

Essence Effect Eyeshadow is something I am really exited for. Essence seems to have step up in their game in creating a dry-proof eyeshadow in a tube. I love Essence's cream eyeshadows but those days they came in a pot and after awhile they will dry up.
With the tube form, it will stand through the drying and also more hygienic.

This cream eyeshadow is no different from their previous, the colour pigmentation is great with beautiful shimmers to give the eyelid a dimensional look, very long lasting and doesn't crease. It is a dream come true for those who couldn't afford to splurge on high-end eyeshadows but looking for a drugstore brand that does most of the job.

UK's Stonehedge is a beautiful taupe with shimmers. Taupe is one of my favourite shade and I couldn't let the cream eyeshadow go upon swatching it on my hand, it is just very beautiful.
I am looking forward to get more colours from this line of cream eyeshadows.

I am a highlighter kind of girl. I just like having a glow on my skin, it gives me a very fresh and healthy look to my face.
These two highlighters are the last one in the counter, I knew I just had to grab them up or wait a long time before I could get them.

Look on the Bright Side is a beautiful white highlighter than flatters fair skintones.
Bright up your Life is a beautiful pink highlighter.
Both are really shimmery.

Swatches on my hand.
Moscow weather is very very gloomy right now thus lighting is not good at all.

Top : Bright up your Life
Bottom : Look at the Bright Side

Eating out : Birthday Bash - Gin no Taki

After hearing my friend recommending this Japanese restaurant, I wanted to go quite badly.
So for my birthday, a special someone decided to bring me to celebrate my birthday in this particular restaurant.

The restaurant is huge with nice interior design. There is three floors and lots of seating place. There is a waiter assigned to every section and floor. So there will always be people serving you, I would say very good service considering it is Russia where the waiters often turns a blind eye on you.

The three set of rolls I ordered.
They taste so good, they are fresh and the salmon is thick.

I like the roll with cucumber wrapped over it, it is very refreshing and fresh.

Salmon Teriyaki.

The serving is satisfying and the teriyaki sauce is nicely glazed on the salmon.

Seabass sashimi served on a ice bowl.
The serving portion is huge since it is the whole fish. Seldom we get a whole fish sashimi with an affordable price.

Diggin' in and the hungry ghost in us finished the whole fish in a few minutes.

This sushi role is more special. It is a warm sushi roll served with cheese on top of salmon with plum sauce. Something very different from usual shoyu and wasabi.
It is sour and sweet which is a taste that needs to get accustom to but it really taste good.

Homemade icecream, a specialty from Gin no Taki.

It taste so heavenly, I felt like I just went to paradise. It is a very rich caramel almond icecream served with drizzled caramel, caramel coated almonds on an ice bowl.

Sushi roll coated with coconut and served with fruits with vanilla dip.

Not my favourite it taste really weird with the rice. It would be better if were sweet glutinous rice.
Normal rice just don't complement the taste in fact it is too plain. It doesn't blend well with the sourness and slight sweetness of the berries.

My birthday present, a box of Ferrero Rocher.

Joking.

I got Bolshoi Theater tickets for my birthday.