White + Rose

I've been using Bourjois' Healthy Mix line since three years ago. As I'm about to finish my old bottle of Healthy Mix (in 52 Vanilla, my summer shade), I thought I'd make this post. The Healthy Mix line comes highly recommended in the beauty community as an affordable high-street foundation. I'd argue that I prefer this foundation over the mid-range brands I've tried: NARS Sheer Glow, Too Faced Born This Way, MAC Studio Fix Fluid and Laura Mercier Silk Creme. I just think you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a decent foundation these days, and there are frequent promotions in pharmacies, so you could save your money for something else, like an eyeshadow palette. I first used the serum foundation, and I wasn't a fan of it. It offered a slightly dewy finish and light-medium coverage: the coverage was perfect for summer but the dewiness wasn't made to last in hot weather, especially for someone with a slightly oily T-zone. I later tried th...

This is not a new release, but I began to take beauty seriously back in 2014. That is when I discovered Sali Hughes and her In the Bathroom  series. With the release of Pretty Honest, I was very excited and eager to have my hands on a copy. I've had this book over a few years now, so here's my review on it. Prior to this, I had never come across 'coffee table books'. Frankly, whatever is on the coffee table is what I'm reading in bed, and it happens to be Tolstoy's War and Peace. Sitting right next to it would be my phone, playing A Year of War and Peace , the podcast. The chapters are short enough and within a year, I'll have read the book, a chapter a day. In any case, I'm not much of a reader of beauty and fashion, or anything with impressive pictures to look at. Pretty Honest is what you'd dub a coffee table book and it'll look equally as fitting on a dressing table. Just don't put it near your makeup because if you smear anythi...

Happy Chinese New Year! After the new Gregorian year, I spent a little over two weeks in Taiwan to visit family and celebrate my grandmother's birthday. Too bad I wasn't able to stay for the new Chinese year. I thought I'd share a little slice of what I saw there: Taiwan is a beautiful island to visit, and generally speaking, the night markets are where it's at. Street food at a low cost. Lots of tasty morsels. Whilst you can do your shopping there, I reckon there are other places in Asia that'd fare better when it comes to the full experience. Nevertheless, it's not bad at all and I enjoyed looking around for skincare and cosmetics. When in Taiwan, look for Taiwanese sheet masks. My Beauty Diary is renowned internationally but I wanted to have a go at other local brands: Dr Morita, Dr Jou, L'herboflore and My Scheming were the ones I ended up with. You get better promotions with local brands too -- a lot of 2 for 1 deals. As for other skincare, ...

As an Australian, I never had a chance to partake in Black Friday until about two years ago when I learned that online retailers began offering Black Friday deals. This'll be a quick post, and as far as I know, these deals are still up. Here's what I got, if you're curious.  1. Unique Vintage With their 'Catch of the Day', I thought I'd give it a go and purchased the bottoms for USD$10 and their pagoda umbrella at 25% off (with BEST25). It's a bit of a lucky dip but I'm hoping it's just some plain pants. I can do a flared skirt too.  2. Paula's Choice Paula's Choice Australia is offering 20% off with free shipping. I had some credit on my account, so I ended up getting the 2% BHA Body Treatment without any charges. If you're interested in purchasing from Paula's Choice (and you're in Australia), feel free to use my link ( https://goo.gl/HDeHpw ) for $15 off your first order if you spend over $30. Note: this is ...

I first came across Calia through Holistichabits/Sarah Nagel on YouTube. It's been on my wishlist for a while until I finally got around to making a purchase. I may no longer be on the whole 'natural' kick but I still enjoy using haircare that is derived from natural ingredients. I've had this regimen for about two months. I think they are very similar to the Al'chemy shampoos I used before. Calia uses unrefined ingredients and Al'chemy uses coconut-derived chemicals but I don't notice much difference. If Calia finds a way to ship items cheaper internationally (other than US and Canada), I might pick their products up again. For now, Australia offers many natural brands and Al'chemy is pretty close. Nevertheless, I recommend Calia to anyone who lives in North America and can take advantage of free shipping when you reach CAD$69. For anyone wanting to try Calia, I recommend the hydrating line. It smells divine with the geranium oil and is gentle on...

Cushion compacts have long been a staple in the typical woman's makeup bag in Asia. I've had a dabble with some of the affordable cushion compacts myself and thought I'd report on it. Personally, I don't think the cushion will be a long affair. It's more economical to get a bottle of foundation or a tube of BB cream, and less waste. Skin condition: Oily-combo, acne-prone, dehydrated L'oreal Nude Magique Cushion RRP: AUD$29.95 (I picked it up at 50% off in my local Coles supermarket's cosmetic section) Colour: 01 Porcelain Finish and coverage: Dewy and buildable light-medium coverage Lasting power: About 2-3 hours on face Notes: Porcelain was too light and slightly pink for me, though it oxidised to fit okay. Perhaps 03 Vanilla would be a better fit. The compact lasted me about 2 months but it should last roughly 4 months for someone who does not require more coverage. Packaging feels cheap but I like the choice of pink with a metallic lid. Oth...

These days, I find myself reaching for nude lipsticks over my brights. I feel like you can never have enough of them, and I find myself wanting more. You can find ones that lean more brown, more pink or more peach/apricot but a good pinky nude, leaning warm, is what suits me best. Clockwise from top: Essence In the Nude lip liner, NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu, Lipstick Queen in Pinky Nude Sinner, ILIA Tinted Lip Conditioner in Nobody's Baby, Rimmel Kate Moss (nudes line) in 42, Maybelline Color Drama Pencil in Nude Perfection Essence lip liner in In the Nude: This is my only nude lipliner. I use this mostly with the Rimmel lipstick to give it more depth and dimension. It can be used on its own for a flat colour. NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu  -- Great for those lazy days. I'm not much of a gloss girl so this is my only gloss. Lipstick Queen in Pinky Nude Sinner  -- It goes on a warm pink on me. Great opacity -- formula similar to the NARS Audacious range in that it gl...

Priceline's 40% off skincare sale came around a few days ago. It was a chance to stock up on my skincare. I had finished my night cream a month ago (I didn't anticipate finishing it sooner), my Hydraluron serum was finished earlier this month, the last drop of my Garnier micellar water last week and I was on my last dollop of sunscreen. My current cleanser (Moreish Liberation cleanser) has about 1/5 of product left to go though. I could say it was all in good timing but no, I plan ahead and I know roughly how long it takes for me to finish a product. I picked up: Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle Night Moisturiser People for Plants Pomegranate, Burdock and Shea Night Cream Deciem Hylamide C25  Simple Micellar Cleansing Water The only items I've repurchased are the People for Plants night cream -- the same kind that I bought last time around, and the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Lo...

This blog had always been around writing about things that inspire me or get me passionate over fashion or style. Since then, I've realised that I've talked more about beauty recently than fashion. I am now more fascinated with new makeup and skincare, and the innovations and trends, and I find this is taking precedence over my interest in fashion lately. It was during the hiatus on this blog that my makeup habits came to a cessation. I didn't know who I was wearing the makeup for, but it was not for myself. I started wearing makeup, partly to conform to those around me and partly to hide my insecurities. Needless to say, that separate blog never really kicked off. When I revived this blog, I was a born-again makeup newbie. I thought I'd share some of the items I've actually been enjoying that are relatively new to me, and some of the older finds from when I started regularly wearing makeup at the beginning of last year. Maybelline had always been one of my ...

I'm a little late for this since New York Fashion Week (S/S 2016) is old news. I'm loving the Spring 2016 blue eye trend. I know blue pops up here and there, but it was showing up a lot on the runway for the Spring/ Summer 2016 Ready to Wear. From your subtle blue liner and blue mascara to the bold coloured thick liner/ cream shadow -- it's everywhere. The 70s are making it big on the runways, and that means makeup that channel the flower child, or the barely-there look. Every hue from the lightest blues to navy for a smudged grungy look (a la Marc Jacobs) were featured on the runways. NYFW S/S16 RTW - (From top left clockwise) BOSS, Marc Jacobs, Jenny Packham, Jill Stuart, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Diane Von Furstenberg My favourite was Diane Von Furstenberg's RTW runway show. Pat McGrath did a wonderful job on the makeup. It's probably all the glitter and the mix of blue and teal/aquamarine eyeshadow that made it a multidimensional look. It keeps it more modern tha...

Recently, I've ran out of my skincare basics. I've felt the need to venture out and try new items. I wanted to make sure that I had established an informed opinion on these products, so this took a little longer than expected. This is what I bought from the most recent 40% off skincare deal in Priceline: Moreish Liberation Foaming Cleanser:  It's not too harsh and drying for my skin and it has a pleasant citrus/fruit scent, most likely from the lemon extract. I try to be careful around any skincare with citrus -- phototoxicity is a risk and it's an irritant. It's up to people's discretion and in my case, I won't purchase it again because I want a cleanser to be free from any potential irritants. It comes in a bottle with a pump, and also a clamp for the pump mechanism -- very handy. One thing to note is that the only ingredient that they advertise as organic is the argan oil. It can be a little misleading. I might consider their pure argan oil ...

Brushes are vital to good makeup application. Investing in good quality brushes is the best thing you could do to improve your makeup. Two months ago, I bought a couple of budget brushes. I wanted to look for affordable brushes that didn't compromise on quality for the price. I wasn't very happy with the brushes I got from Royal & Langnickel, last September at IMATS . I had purchased an Ecotools and a Real Techniques brush off of iHerb  (my referral code is RBN281, in which you can use this for a discount if you're a new customer; $5 off if under $40, $10 off if $40+). I've only used the Ecotools fan brush thus far and it's been one of the most versatile face brushes I own. I use it for a sheer layer of pressed powder all of the face and powder highlighter over blush and other areas of the face. You may also use it for bronzer and contour. This is the brush I haven't used: Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. I hope to use it for mineral foundatio...

For a while, I had been sceptical of eyeshadow palettes, fearing that there isn't much value to be had when there are the few dud shades that you'd never use. Finally, I got my hands on a neutral palette -- pushing aside all the Urban Decay Naked palette releases because they weren't right for me. I've succumbed to the Stila Eyes are the Window palette in Spirit because it fulfilled all the things I looked for: A balance of cool and warm neutral shades Subtle shimmer and some matte shades I'm too much of a fan of colour to stick to a purely neutral palette, so Spirit was the best out of all the palettes offered in this range. I've had this palette for about a month now so I could discuss about them. The Eyes Are the Window range come in attractive metallic packaging, in which Spirit comes in a copper-tone lid (or rose gold, as it is marketed). It's not only aesthetically pleasing but also quite practical. It comes in a compact size, has a la...

Miss Dior Le Parfum is the newest addition to my perfume collection and I'm officially going to be on a low-buy for the rest of the year for all my skincare, cosmetics, makeup and fragrances. I've had my eye on this fragrance for over a year and have debated in my head countless of times until I finally went out and bought it with a friend, who also wanted and loved the fragrance. I have been holding onto my sample of Le Parfum for a while now, using it sparingly and whenever I wanted to be reminded of the scent, as well as taking a spritz from the counter every once in a while. This flanker of Miss Dior is the only one I like so far, aside from the original Miss Dior Cherie. While I do enjoy the original Miss Dior, I'm speaking of Cherie and its evolutions. It was an expensive purchase but like with any perfume, it's an investment. The more quality oils and the more concentrated, the pricier it is. Miss Dior Le Parfum oozes sophistication and sensuality with ...

How about new skin for the new year? The whole appeal of the French Pharmacie brands are that they're a slice of luxury but without the high-end prices. They've been quite trendy in the past year and have been available in various pharmacy chains in Australia for the past year or so. The French woman is often idealised as a flawless, natural beauty with a  je ne sais quoi. In the international market, the allure of these brands is that you can have access to what a typical French woman use. Among the cult classics of the French pharmacie are Avène, Bioderma, Nuxe, Klorane and La Roche Posay. Caudalie and Vichy are ones I have yet to find in store but are sold in online boutiques. I've only tried the products that have gained a lot of hype amongst makeup artists and beauty bloggers alike. Most of them work just fine but there are cheaper copy-cats out there that work just as well or alternatives that suit me better, or that it just doesn't seem necessary. For m...

It's all about nudes this autumn and winter but darker lips are appropriate for the colder seasons regardless of trends. I opted for a balm-type lipsticks because I'm not ready for the full opaque lip. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 2 Pourpre Intouchable This had a mango scent. I love mango but I'm not loving the scent. I'm partial to the subtle rose scented lipsticks. Out of the two, this is the sheer option in terms of pigmentation. The name roughly translates to 'untouchable purple' and is more of a plum on my lips. It doesn't leave my lips as shrivelled up as Chanel Rouge Coco Shine, so I like this. I just wish I could have the faint rose scent instead of the mango. Dior Addict Lipstick in 991 Perfecto There's a slightly sweet scent with this but I think it's mostly the typical lip balm scent without fragrance added. This offered more pigmentation and is a wine-red, burgundy colour. It is still less intense than an opaque lipstick...

Pulling off a red lip requires confidence. It'll make everything look elegant and refined - whatever you wear. It's a classic that intimidates those who prefer a more subdued lip, like me. I'm quite fond of MLBB (my lips but better) shades and the thought of having a full red lip scares me. If I were to opt for a red lip, I'd go for the sheer formulas like Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo (62) Monte Carlo is a pink-red but it's more of a pink in my books. Pinks are fun and flirty. I can wear pinks just fine but reds intimidate me. There's only one way to wear red lipstick: perfectly. You need precision when you apply a red lip and that means no slathering on straight from the bullet. I searched a few brands for red and settled for Illamasqua's Maneater even though MAC's Russian Red caught my eye first. I adore the matte finishes and Illamasqua is a little less expensive than MAC here, so that's what I sett...